The No. 7 NC State women's swimming and diving team remained unbeaten on the season as it picked up its third victory of the season in a five-team field at the IU Invitational. The third-ranked Wolfpack men took second place at the meet as action wrapped up at the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center Saturday evening.
After taking the lead during the second day of competition, the Wolfpack women did not relinquish their hold on first place on the third and final day of the meet. The seventh-ranked women's squad tallied a total of 1,592 points on the way to defeating No. 8 Louisville (1,551.5 points), No. 13 Indiana (1,421 points), Arizona State (820 points) and No. 17 Purdue (613.5 points).
NC State also found itself matched up against a stacked field on the men's side of the meet. Host and second-ranked Indiana took first place with 1,828.5 points, and the No. 3 Pack men took second place with 1,666.5 points above No. 9 Louisville (1,187 points) and No. 17 Arizona State (1,128 points).
DAY THREE HIGHLIGHTS:The Wolfpack saw three swimmers and one diver pick up individual wins on the final day of competition at the IU Invitational.
Emma Muzzy added to her title count as she took first place in the 200-yard backstroke. She clocked a 1:51.58 in the finals after also recording the fastest time in the prelims. Her mark in the finals was the fastest time in the nation this season and is good for third in program history in the event.
The Wolfpack women dominated the backstroke event as
Mackenzie Glover (2nd, 1:54.44) and
Kate Moore (3rd, 1:54.47) also tallied NCAA B cuts and finished on the podium.
Coleman Stewart secured the Wolfpack's sweep of the 200-yard backstroke. His 1:40.06 mark was just .02 seconds behind the nation's fastest time of the season.
Andreas Vazaios totaled out with three individual wins at the IU Invitational as he capped off the meet by taking gold in the 200-yard butterfly. The reigning national champion in the event, Vazaios clocked a 1:41.83 and currently sits atop the nation with that time.
Diver
James Brady secured his first event win of the season during the morning session of the platform dive. He started the outing strong by hitting 80 points on a dive for the first time in his career on the way to placing first with a Zone mark of 353.30.
Madeline Kline joined him on the podium on the women's side, finishing second with a score of 246.90, and
Holt Gray placed fifth for the Pack men with a 304.65 personal best on the platform. Michelle Schlossmacher Smith also posted a PR of 140.90 on the way to placing 12th.
In the Wolfpack's first 1,650-yard freestyle events of the season,
Tamila Holub and
Eric Knowles both took second place. Holub touched the wall in 16:06.78, and Knowles finished in 15:00.07, with both marks clocking in as NCAA B cuts.
Ky-lee Perry swam back-to-back lifetime bests in the prelims and finals of the 100-yard freestyle. Her A final time of 47.69 stands at second in program history.
On the men's side of the 100-yard freestyle, the Pack's top finishers all swam season bests in the event as
Jacob Molacek took second in 42.50,
Justin Ress finished fourth in 42.74 and
Nyls Korstanje placed fifth in 42.95.
UP NEXT:With the conclusion of the IU Invitational, NC State wrapped up intercollegiate competition until January. The USA Winter National Championships is set for Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 in Greensboro, N.C., and the USA Diving Winter National Trials will run Dec. 17-21 in Atlanta, Ga.
MEN'S TOP FINISHERS:- Platform dive: James Brady (1st, 353.30)
- 1650 freestyle: Eric Knowles (2nd, 15:00.07)
- 200 backstroke: Coleman Stewart (1st, 1:40.06)
- 100 freestyle: Jacob Molacek (2nd, 42.50)
- 200 breaststroke: Daniel Graber (5th, 1:57.90)
- 200 butterfly: Andreas Vazaios (1st, 1:41.83)
- 400 freestyle relay: Jacob Molacek, Justin Ress, Andreas Vazaios, Noah Hensley (2nd, 2:49.79)
WOMEN'S TOP FINISHERS:- Platform dive: Madeline Kline (2nd, 246.90)
- 1650 freestyle: Tamila Holub (2nd, 16:06.78)
- 200 backstroke: Emma Muzzy (1st, 1:51.58)
- 100 freestyle: Ky-lee Perry (2nd, 47.69)
- 200 breaststroke: Sophie Hansson (4th, 2:09.39)
- 200 butterfly: Makayla Sargent (6th, 1:58.39)
- 400 freestyle relay: Kylee Alons, Ky-lee Perry, Sirena Rowe, Elise Haan (2nd, 3:15.02)