Seven first-place results for Wildcats
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The #8 NMU men’s swim and dive team fell 137-163 to the #11 Wayne State Warriors.
The ‘Cats claimed 22 podium spots, including seven first-place finishes. Two of those first-place finishes came from the help of Andrew Tease, claiming individual golds in the 100 and 200 breast while adding a silver-medal finish with the 400 medley relay team. Fellow breaststroke swimmer Nicholas Metzler earned silver and bronze in the 100 and 200, respectively.
Freshman Matteo Ballardin earned podiums in all four of his events, including gold in the 200 fly and 400 IM to go with silver in the 200 back and 400 medley relay.
Daniel Khmara earned gold in the 100 free and 400 free relay with a silver in the 400 medley relay, William LaCount earned gold in the 50 free and 400 free relay with a bronze in the 100 free, and freshman Timothee Garin earned a pair of silvers in the 1000 and 500 free to go with bronze in the 400 free relay.
How It Happened
The 400 medley relay kicked off the meet, as the NMU A team of Rice, Tease, Ballardin, and Khmara claimed silver at 3:24.60. The NMU B team of Swiatkowski, Metzler, Massotte, and Nahali finished fourth.
Garin earned an individual medal, claiming silver in the 1000 free with his time of 9:47.64. Billotte was the only other Wildcat to swim, finishing sixth.
The ‘Cats claimed three of the top five finishes in the 200 free, led by Fulconi and Rosatelli in second and third with times of 1:42.30 and 1:44.50, respectively. Massotte finished in fifth.
Rice was the only ‘Cat to find the podium in the 100 back, as he finished third with his time of 53.81. Swiatkowski was right behind him in fourth to round out NMU swimmers in the event.
The ‘Cats claimed the top two spots in the 100 breast, led by Tease with his scorching time of 57.75, three seconds ahead of teammate Metzler in second at 1:00.66.
The 200 fly was won by Ballardin, who claimed gold with his time of 1:53.36, two seconds ahead of Hernandez in second. Lowery finished just off the podium in fourth, and Boomer rounded out the ‘Cats in seventh.
NMU claimed three of the top four spots in the 50 free, led by LaCount and Nahali in first and second with times of 20.82 and 20.96, respectively. Fulconi finished just off the podium in fourth.
The men on the board started with the 3-meter, and it was Thornton who found the lone podium spot for the ‘Cats, finishing third with his score of 276.60. Carrillo was just behind in fourth to round out NMU on the boards.
The 100 free saw three of the top four spots claimed by the home team, led by Khmara, capturing gold with his time of 46.21. LaCount rounded out the podium in third at 47.21, and Fulconi just behind in fourth at 47.23. Nahali claimed sixth, Swiatkowski seventh, Billotte 10, Boomer 14, and Lowery 15 for NMU.
Ballardin’s third podium finish came in the 200 back, as he claimed silver with his time of 1:53.04. Rice finished fifth at 2:01.03 as the only other ‘Cat to swim.
It was another gold in the breast stroke for Tease, as he finished first in the 200 with a time of 2:09.44. Metzler, who finished second in the 100, claimed third in the 200 with his time of 2:12.19.
After second in the 1000, Garin earned second in the 500 free, finishing with a time of 4:44.42. Rosatelli was the only other to represent NMU, claiming fifth.
The Wildcats claimed spots three through seven in the 100 fly, with all of them within less than one second of each other. Lowery claimed third at 52.64, followed by Boomer, LaCount, Rice, and Massotte. Metzler finished ninth and Tease 11 to round out NMU.
Carrillo captured silver in the 1-meter with 281.40 points. Thornton fourth and Foucault fifth to round out the ‘Cats.
Ballardin capped off his impressive outing in the 400 IM, as he claimed gold with his time of 4:04.24 to edge out Gabriel Arias Hernandez at 4:04.56. Billotte was the only other Wildcat to swim, finishing fifth.
The Wildcats ended the evening with gold and bronze medals in the 400 free relay, with NMU A finishing first and NMU B in third. The A team of LaCount, Khmara, Nahali, and Fulconi touched the line at 3:06.90, four seconds ahead of WSU’s A team. The B team of Garin, Rosatelli, Swiatkowski, and Massotte claimed bronze at 3:11.13.
