Xavier Swimming Opens the Season at the Butler Invite

Sunday, October 1

Fishers, Ind.

12 PM

Xavier University

Butler Quad Meet

Xavier Swimming Opens the Season at the Butler Invite

09.29.17 | Swimming

Meet held at Fishers High School features four teams in addition to host Butler

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier men's and women's swimming head to Fishers, Ind., on Sunday, Oct 1 to open the season at the Butler Invite. The meet, held at Fishers High School, will feature Saint Louis, Indiana State, Valparaiso and Evansville in addition to the women's team from host Butler and is slated to start at noon.

THE MEET

Xavier Musketeers at
Butler Invite
Sunday, Oct. 1 | 12 PM
Fishers High School | Fishers, Ind.

LAST SEASON AT BUTLER

Last year, the Xavier women took the top spot at the meet, going 5-0 with wins over Western Illinois, Butler, Saint Louis, Wright State and Valparaiso.
Katie Kerr won a pair of events to lead the scoring for Xavier. The sophomore took first in the 200 free (1:56.87) and the 500 free (5:16.74)
Paxtyn Drew and Caroline Gaertner tied for the top spot in the 200 back, both touching the wall in 2:06.85.
Freshman Emily Conners won the 50 free in her first collegiate meet with a time of 23.96.
Xavier's women swept the relays, with Paxtyn Drew, Becca Titterton, Gaertner and Conners taking first in the 200 medley and Paxtyn Drew, Abigail Garner, Gaertner and Conners taking the top spot in the 400 free relay.
The Xavier men went 2-2 on the day, topping Valparaiso and Western Illinois while falling to Wright State and Saint Louis.
The top individual finish of the day for the Musketeers came in the 100 free, with Rodrigo Suriano taking the top spot with a time of 46.53
The men closed out the event with a first place finish in the 400 free relay, with Sam Johanns, Brandon Abboud, Knox Hitt and Suriano setting a time of 3:08.35
Xavier picked up a pair of wins on the men's side, over Valparaiso and Western Illinois, while falling to Wright State and Saint Louis.

WOMEN'S RETURNERS

The Xavier women return seven All-BIG EAST honorees from last season's team.
Among the returners is reigning 100 fly conference champion Caroline Gaertner. The junior, who set NCAA B-Cut times in two events last season, earned all conference in six events, including the 100 fly, 100 back and as part of four relays.
Paxtyn Drew also earned All-BIG EAST in six events, including the 100 back and 200 back, as well as four relays.
Emily Conners made a major splash in her rookie year, re-writing the records in freestyle sprints. Conners earned All-BIG EAST in the 50 free and 100 free, setting school records in the process, and also took part in four relays that posted top-three finishes.
Becca Titterton and Abigail Garner both earned All-BIG EAST honors as part of the 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
Ali Fort, Katie Kerr and Emily Saugstad all earned all-conference honors as part of a relay as well.

WOMEN'S NEWCOMERS

Maureen Cummins is a freestyle sprinter and backstroke specialist from Westerville, Ohio.
Lorelei Gaertner is a freestyle sprint and butterfly specialist from Mendota Heights, Minn.
Alison Herman, a native of Whitehouse Station, N.J., specializes in the backstroke, individual medley and breaststroke.
Taylor Hogan is a native of Atkinson, N.H., specializing in butterfly, backstroke and IM.
Emma Kauffled is a freestyle distance and IM specialist from Wilton, Conn.
Delaney Sprague is a Danville, Calif. native who excels in breaststroke and IM events.
Samantha White is a breast stroke specialist who comes to Xavier from Noblesville, Ind.

MEN'S RETURNERS

The Xavier men return seven all-conference performers from 2017.
Matthew Dyer returns as the BIG EAST Champion in a pair of indivual events after sweeping the breast stroke at the conference meet last season. The junior also set a pair of school records an NCAA B-Cut time in the process. Dyer also took part in the gold medal winning 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay.
Sam Johanns earned All-BIG EAST in four events, including the 100 back, in which he was the champion. Johanns also took part in three top-three finishing relays.
Nathan Runyon and David Bunnell joined Johanns in the top three of the 100 back at the BIG EAST Championships to earn All-BIG EAST. Bunnell also finished second in the 100 free.
Alex Wolfred finished second in the mile at last season's championships. The senior also set a new school record in the 500 free during the BIG EAST meet.
Enrique Hernandez and Robert Snader both helped the Musketeers to top-three relay finishes.

MEN'S NEWCOMERS

Noah Coomler is a freestyle sprinter from Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis.
Bradley Jackson, a distance freestyle specialist, joins Xavier from Arvada, Colo.
Brian Loos is a breaststroke specialist from Lexington, S.C.
Nick Mahoney comes to Xavier from Suwanee, Ga. The North Gwinnett High School graduate specializes in freestyle.
Jared Ritz is a freestyle specialist from Victor, N.Y.
Alex Sironen is a backstroke specialist that comes to Xavier from Centennial, Colo.
Christian Thomas is backstroke and freestyle specialist from Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
Cameron Weese, who excels in breaststroke and individual medley, is a native of Highlands Ranch, Colo.

UP NEXT

Xavier will host its annual Alumni Meet on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. at the O'Connor Sports Center.
The Musketeers return to action against outside competition on Saturday, Oct. 14 when Xavier travels to Terre Haute, Ind. to face Indiana State and Olivet Nazarene.