McLean Wins 500 Free on Day One of Georgia Invite

Story Links

ATHENS, Ga. – Fourth year Matt McLean and second year Lauren Perdue highlighted day one of the Georgia Invitational for the Virginia men’s and women’s swimming teams as competition began Friday at the Georgia Invitational. McLean took first-place honors in the 500 freestyle, while Perdue broke her own school record in the 50 freestyle. Both the Cavalier squads stand in fourth place as the event began Friday in Athens, Ga.

The Virginia women are fourth out of seven teams with 127 points. Georgia currently leads the way (378), followed by Auburn (232) and Penn State (171). The Cavalier men also stand in fourth (out of five teams) with 170 points, trailing Auburn (303), Georgia (292) and Minnesota (227).

Perdue touched in a NCAA ‘B’ time of 22.16 to break her own school record of 22.26 in the 50 freestyle. She finished second in the event and was just .02 seconds from Auburn’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, who won the event in 22.14.

McLean captured the 500 freestyle in a NCAA ‘B’ time of 4:17.44 and was one of three Virginia swimmers competing in the finals. First years Jon Daniec (4:21.09, ‘B’) and Bradley Phillips (4:22.87, ‘B’) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Fourth year Taylor Smith won the consolation finals of the event, also recording a ‘B’ cut in 4:24.93 to finish ninth overall. David Karasek placed 17th after winning the bonus consolation in another NCAA ‘B’ time of 4:27.06.

Emily Lloyd (22.83, ‘B’) and Hannah Davis (23.16) swam in the consolation finals of the 50 freestyle, placing ninth and 12th, respectively.

Both the men’s 200 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay earned fifth-place showings. The 200 freestyle relay team of Scot Robison, Peter Geissinger, Zach Kohl and Matthew Houser finished in a time of 1:21.58. The 400 medley relay squad consisting of Jack Murfee, Taylor Grey, Robison and McLean touched in 3:15.92, a NCAA ‘B’ cut.

Meanwhile, the women’s 400 medley relay team also took fifth in a ‘B’ time of 3:40.53. Swimming for the Cavaliers was Charlotte Clarke, Kelly Flynn, Liz Shaw and Perdue.

First year Rachel Naurath earned a berth in the finals of the 500 freestyle and placed fourth overall in a time of 4:42.83. Teammates Katya Bachrouche (4:43.50, ninth) and Anne Summer Myers (4:45.79, 10th) went 1-2 in the consolation finals of the event; all three times were NCAA ‘B’ cuts.

Robison earned a 10th-place showing in the 50 freestyle for the Virginia men in a ‘B’ time of 20.20 while Geissinger went on to win the bonus consolation and place 17th in 20.31.

Claire Crippen (1:59.25) and Shaw (2:00.86) each tallied ‘B’ times with their performances in the 200 individual medley. Crippen won the consolation final to place ninth overall while Shaw placed 11th.

In the men’s 200 IM, Taylor Grey (1:49.98) and Timmy Hayes (1:50.59) finished 11th and 12th, respectively.

Day two of the Georgia Invitational continues at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with preliminaries of the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke.