MINNEAPOLIS and NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Gustavus swimming & diving team took to its final competitions before the conference meet on Saturday, Feb. 8, with the swimmers competing at the University of Minnesota First Chance Meet and the divers at Carleton's Dodd Road Invite. 

In Minneapolis, both the Gustie men and women claimed a number of the top Division III performances of the day, compiling 10 top-five finishes. Both 400 freestyle relay teams finished second, with the men's squad of Jonathan Cordano (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.), Jack Christoferson (Jr., Sauk Rapids, Minn.), Joe Ricker (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.), and Teddy Solensky (So., Jamestown, N.D.) touching the wall in 3:15.74. Their female counterparts Marit Isaacson (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.), Madeline Ziegler (Sr., Sauk Rapids, Minn.), Caitlyn Otto (Fy., Saint Peter, Minn.), and Olivia Scheeler (So., Sauk Rapids, Minn.) took second in 3:40.72.

On the men's side, Peyton Richardson (5th, Crystal Lake, Ill.) added an additional second place finish in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:56.63, followed by two of his teammates in third and fourth. Solensky posted the second-best Division III time in the 1650 freestyle (17:15.37) and the best among MIAC competitors at the meet for third overall, while Logan Cyr (So., Maple Grove, Minn.) took third in the 200 backstroke with a 2:01.56 to lead the DIII swimmers on Saturday. 

Cyr was also the top Gustie in the 100 backstroke with a time of 55.00, which he bettered in time trials later in the day, posting a 53.88.

Jacob Robischon (Fy., Sauk Centre, Minn.) took fourth in the 400 IM with a time of 4:23.25, followed by four other Gusties in fifth through eighth, while Landon Vaupel (So., Shakopee, Minn.) finished fifth in the 100 freestyle with a 47.18 for for the top DII time, followed by Logan Braley's (Jr., Elk River, Minn.) 47.68. Vaupel was also the top Division III swimmer in the 200 freestyle, finishing seventh with a 1:44.22. Nyden Hill (Sr., Conway, Ark.) took fifth in the 200 breaststroke with a 2:11.43 to cap his weekend with all of the best DIII marks in the breaststroke. 

The Gustie women, meanwhile, were led by Geneva Fackler (Fy., Plymouth, Minn.), who posted the top times in the 200 freestyle (1:56.93) and 1650 freestyle (18:16.05) amongst her DIII peers. Isaacson chipped in a third place finish in the 400 IM for the best Division III time of the day, while Madison Witte (So., Glencoe, Minn.) went third in the 200 butterfly with a 2:19.28. 

Felicia Symreng (So., Stockholm, Sweden) and Isaacson finished 10th and 11th, respectively, with the top non-Division I times in the 200 backstroke, as well.

In Northfield, Ryan Lester (Sr., Hastings, Minn.) won the 1-meter dive with a score of 344.50, while Cole Matetich took second in the 3-meter with a 215.50. For the Gustie women, Gabriella Stoudt (Jr., Maple Plain, Minn.) finished with the top score of 392.55 in the 1-meter and took second in the 3-meter with a 342.40.

"It was a great last regular season meet for the team," said Head Coach Jon Carlson '88. "The swimmers were popping off times everywhere, and it made for a really exciting weekend. The team atmosphere was electric, and now the athletes are focused on getting ready for the MIAC Championships in a couple weekends."

The Gusties return to the pool for the MIAC Championship meet on Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 19-22. The meet begins with the men's 1-meter dive prelims at 6 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a finals session at 7:30 p.m. The final three days all begin with prelims at 10:30 a.m. and finals sessions at 6:30 p.m.