Swimming Travels to Cleveland for CSU Magnus Cup

Friday, November 20

Cleveland, Ohio

All Day

Xavier University

CSU Magnus Cup

Swimming Travels to Cleveland for CSU Magnus Cup

11.19.15 | Swimming

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Xavier swimming travels north this weekend to compete in the Fourth Annual Magnus Cup Invitational hosted by Cleveland State University. The three-day event will be held from Friday, Nov. 20 through Sunday, Nov. 22 at CSU's Busbey Natatorium.

Event prelims begin at 9:00 a.m. each day. Finals are scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. In addition to the host Vikings, the Musketeers will compete against Akron, Duquesne, Notre Dame College, Saginaw, Cumberland, St. Francis (Pa.), George Washington and Youngstown State.

WOMEN'S PREVIEW

Last season at the CSU Magnus Cup, the Musketeer women finished second, behind Duquesne and Akron. Molly Kroeger collected a pair of third place finishes at the event, swimming the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay and taking third in the 100 free.

The Xavier women were last in action on Nov. 7 when the Musketeers traveled to Denison for a dual meet. On the women's side, XU collected four first place finishes as the Musketeers fell, 157-105 to the Big Red.

Paxtyn Drew collected the first win for the Xavier women in the 100 back, touching in a time of 57.91. Caroline Gaertner followed that by taking the top spot in the 200 free while setting the 12th fastest time in XU records, touching the wall in 2:07.75.

Xavier swept the podium in the 500 free, with Katie Kerr taking first with a time of 5:08.64, and Haley Dresner and Jenna Wilkes following her in with times of 5:15.67 and 5:16.65 to take second and third.

Annie Cummins grabbed the final top finish for the Xavier women, finishing the 100 fly in a time of 59.07 to take first.

MEN'S PREVIEW

At last season's Magnus Cup, the Xavier men finished second behind the host Vikings, collecting 1398 points through the weekend. Nick Strader collected a second place finish in the 1650 freestyle, touching the wall in 16:00.13 behind only 2015 Xavier graduate Kiernan McGeehan.

The Xavier men are coming off a two-week hiatus after topping Denison, 158-104, on Nov. 7, collecting the top spot in nine events.

The Musketeers opened the event by taking first in the 200 medley relay, with Erik Biernat, Michael Pettinichi, Tony Miller and Luke Johanns touching the wall in a time of 1:35.23.

Biernat collected a pair of individual top finishes as well, taking first in the 200 fly (1:57.38) and the 200 IM (1:58.40).

Among Xavier's top finishes, the Musketeers collected a pair in one event after Rodrigo Suriano and Nathan Runyon tied for the top spot in the 100 back, touching the wall in 52.77. Suriano collected his second win of the day in the 100 yard free, finishing in 46.53.

Xavier's other individual first place finishes belonged to Luke Johanns ( 50 free - 21.02), Rob Van Kirk (200 breast - 2:11.28) and David Bunnell (100 fly - 51.93).

The men closed the event by taking the top spot in the 400 free relay, with Suriano, Enrique Hernandez, Matt Nephew and Luke Johanns finishing in a time of 3:06.93.

MAGNUS CUP SCHEDULE (FINALS)

Friday - 5:00 p.m.
200 Free Relay
50 Breast
500 Free
200 IM
50 Free
?400 Medley Relay

Saturday - 5:00 p.m.
200 Medley Relay
400 IM
100 Fly
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Back
800 Free

Sunday - 3:00 p.m.
1650 Free (Fast heat only)
100 IM
50 Fly
200 Back
100 Free
200 Breast
50 Back
200 Fly
400 Free Relay