Men in First, Women in Third After Day Two of BIG EAST Championship

Thursday, February 25

Nassau Aquatic Center Long Island, N.Y.

All Day

Xavier University

BIG EAST Swimming and Diving Championships

Men in First, Women in Third After Day Two of BIG EAST Championship

02.25.16 | Swimming

By: Hayley Schletker, Xavier Athletic Communications

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. – After day two of the BIG EAST Championships, the Xavier men remain in first place, while the women moved up two spots to third with two days of competition remaining.

In the 500 free, the Musketeer women placed four in the "B" final, led in by Mackenna Rife's time of 4:59.30. Katie Kerr followed with a time of 5:00.20 to touch just behind Rife. Emily Wagner finished with a time of 5:02.10, moving up to fifth in Xavier records. Taylor Jach also scored for the Musketeers, touching the wall in 5:07.82, after setting a new Xavier-best time of 5:02.98 in the prelims.

Becca Titterton, Kristen Liebert and Mikaela Saugstad set new personal bests in the 200 IM. Titterton moved up to sixth with a finals time of 2:08.53. Liebert set a personal record of 2:08.65 to move up to seventh. Saugstad's time of 2:09.71 in the prelims rates as 10^th in XU records.

Paxtyn Drew set a time of 23.56 in the Championship final of the 50 free to set a new school record. Claire Brolsma and Laura Dicus competed in the "B" final, with qualifying with a personal record of 23.94 to move up to a tie for fifth.

The Xavier women closed out the evening with a school record time in the 200 free relay, with Paxtyn Drew, Claire Brolsma, Laura Dicus and Caroline Gaertner finishing in a time of 1:33.74 for third place.

The women finished the day with 150.50 points, moving up two spots to third after finishing day one in fifth place.

The Xavier men took two of the top four spots in the 500 free, led in by Alex Wolfred's time of 4:31.46 for third place after Wolfred qualified with a prelim time 4:30.01, the second fastest time in school history. Nick Foster touched just behind him for fourth place with a time of 4:32.18.

In the 200 IM, Erik Biernat took fourth with a time of 1:51.52. Matthew Dyer set a time of 1:52.52 in the championship final, ninth fastest in XU records. In the "B" final, four Musketeers set top-20 times in Xavier records, Chase Baldwin (1:52.18), Eric Futscher (1:52.23), Nathan Runyon (1:52.68) and Michael Pettinichi (1:53.96).

Luke Johanns collected a BIG EAST Championship and a school record in the 50 free with a time of 20.10, topping his own record of 20.25. Rodrigo Suriano placed second, and set the second fastest time in XU records, with a time of 20.36. Knox Hitt finished third and moved to third in the school's records with a time of 20.44. Sam Johanns also competed in the Championship final after setting the 11^th fastest time in school history in the prelims, with a time of 20.98.

The Xavier men closed out the evening with Luke Johanns, Sam Johanns, Knox Hitt and Rodrigo Suriano matching the school record and take first in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:21.23.

The Xavier men finished with a score of 287, 24 points ahead of second place Georgetown.

Day three includes the men's and women's 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 400 medley relay. Prelims for day three begin at 10:00 a.m. with finals set to begin at 6:00 p.m.