Written by Sports Writing Students, Olivia Koeneman '27 and Kieran Ripken '24

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Matt Strom (Sr., Rochester) and Lucy Peterson (Sr., St. Paul) continued their success at the NCAA Championships on day three in North Carolina. 

Strom, the Gustavus school record holder, swam the 100-yard backstroke as his second event of this meet. Strom touched the wall with a time of 50.21 and placed 29th – an improvement from his original seed of 31st place. 

In her second of three events at the national meet, Peterson placed 33rd with a time of 58.12 in the 100-backstroke. Coming into the week, Peterson was seeded 41st in the event.

"I was very happy with my swim," said Peterson. "It was great to look up and see a [lifetime] best time!"

In addition to their performances in the pool, Peterson and Strom were recognized during senior night. 

"It speaks a lot to their career that they are here at this meet right now," Head Coach Jon Carlson said. "It was a good day today. Both Lucy and Matt moved up from where they were seeded. We are all looking forward to tomorrow – it should be exciting." 

Strom will make a splash next on day four in the 200-yard backstroke – the event he qualified for the meet in. The senior is ranked 18th with an entry time of 1:47.52. Peterson will return to her bread-and-butter in freestyle competition with the 100-yard freestyle and is seeded 48th in 52.02.

The meet will start at 9 a.m. CST Saturday.