Swimming Travels to Akron for Weekend Classic

Friday, October 18

Akron, Ohio

6 PM

Xavier University

Akron Zips Invite

Swimming Travels to Akron for Weekend Classic

10.16.19 | Swimming

Swimming looks to bounce back after falling to strong Louisville program last time out.

By: Laura Topp, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI – Men's and women's swim gets back into the water after enjoying a weekend off, traveling to Akron, Ohio to participate in the two-day Akron Zips Invitational. Miami (Ohio), Cleveland State, Denison and Akron are the other schools who will be partaking in the meet. Last season, both the men and women claimed a fifth place finish in the Akron Invite.

The first race is set for Friday, October 18 at 5 p.m. The Musketeers will start the second day on Saturday, October 19 at 9 a.m. followed by another session starting at 4p.m. The invitational will take place at Ocasek Natatorium.

THE MEET

Xavier Musketeers at
Akron Zips Invitational
Friday, Oct. 18 - Saturday, Oct. 19
Ocasek Natatorium

OPPONENTS

On the women's side, Xavier will compete against Akron, Cleveland State, Denison and Miami (Ohio).
Xavier's men will compete against Cleveland State, Denison and Miami (Ohio).

AKRON

Last season, Akron women competed in the NIC for the first time in program history securing first place.
The Zips also sent seven swimmers to compete in the 2019 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships for the fourth consecutive year, this also was the first time Akron earned qualifying times in three different relays while also having a record high of four competing.
Xavier's women will also go against Akron at the CSU Magnus Cup in mid-November.

CLEVELAND STATE

Cleveland State University men's swimming & diving team was selected to finish second in the league in 2019-20 while the CSU women's squad was projected to tie for third place.
CSU men finished second at the league championships in 2018-19, surpassing the 600-point threshold for the third straight season.
The Viking women took fourth place at the league meet last season, finishing 20.5 points out of third place.
Xavier will also face Cleveland State on Oct. 27 in Cleveland, and travel back to CSU in mid-November for the CSU Magnus Cup.

DENISON

The men's program enters the 2019-20 campaign with three national championships in the last four years while the women's team has finished in the top-four in each of the last 12 seasons.
This is the Big Red's first meet of the season.
Last season, the Big Red Women finished in fifth place on the first day of the Akron Invite and fourth on the second day.
On the men's side last season, Denison finished in third on the first day at the Akron Invite and fourth to close the meet.

MIAMI (OHIO)

The Redhawk men ended the 2018-19 season clinching the MAC Championship, its first championship since 2006.
At the meet last season, the Miami men won the men's field with 1079 points. The Miami women took second among women's teams with 983 points.
The RedHawks finished fourth with 486 points in the 2018-19 MAC Championship.

WOMEN'S LAST TIME OUT

Xavier was last in action at Louisville, against a Cardinals squad that finished fourth in the NCAA Championships last season. The Musketeers fell by a score of 194-62.
Brooke Atkins, Julianne Libler, Lorelei Gaertner and Erin Merke finished the 200 medley relay in 1:46.23, the top time by a Musketeer squad in the event this season.
Emma Kauffeld had a season-best time of 10:55.30 in the 1000 free.
Freshman Clare Bosse continued to lead the Musketeers in the 200 free, leading Xavier with a time of 1:56.05.
Brooke Atkins led the Musketeers in the backstroke events, placing third in the 100 back with a time of 57.46 and then taking fifth in the 200 back with a time of 2:08.44.
Julianne Libler led Xavier in the 100 breast with a time of 1:06.44.
Taylor Hogan led the Musketeers in the fly events, placing third in the 200 fly with a time of 2:05.26 and scoring in second place in the 100 fly with a time of 57.25.
Emily Conners set a season best time in the 50 free (23.81) and also led Xavier in the 100 free with a time of 52.19
Kelly Harris set her season-best time in the 200 breast, touching the wall in 2:27.08.
Abigail Garner's time of 5:16.79 in the 500 free scored in second place and is the top time by a Musketeer this season.
Alison Herman scored in second place in the 200 IM with a time of 2:12.42.
Xavier's team of Emily Conners, Clare Bosse, Emily Saugstad and Abigail Garner set the top time for the Musketeers so far this season in the 400 free relay, 3:33.77, scoring in second.

MEN'S LAST TIME OUT

Xavier's men were last in action against Louisville, who played fifth in last year's NCAA Championships, and fell by a score of 177-81.
Alex Sironen, Jon Bernard, Brandon Abboud and Christian Thomas led off the meet with a time of 1:33.61 in the 200 yard medley relay, placing fourth.
Andrew Martin set the top time by a Musketeer in the 1000 free so far this season, finishing in 9:34.14. Martin also led Xavier in the 500 free, scoring in second place with a time of 4:45.47.
Jared Ritz led the Musketeers in the 200 free with a time fo 1:44.86.
Christian Thomas placed fourth with a time of 52.26 in the 100 back.
Jon Bernard picked up the first of three top-two finishes in the 100 breast, winning the event in a time of 57.15. Bernard also led Xavier in the 200 breast and the 200 IM, placing second in both.
Brandon Abboud followed up Bernard's win with a second event win for the Musketeers, taking the top spot in the 200 fly with a time of 1:55.04. Abboud also scored in the top two in the 100 fly with a time of 51.07.
Ethan Wing led Xavier with a time of 21.99 in the 50 free.
Christian Thomas set the top time by a Musketeer so far this season in the 100 free, 46.98, then followed that time up with a split of 46.57 in the 400 free relay.
Nick Mahoney scored in third place in the 200 back with a time of 1:55.85.
Christian Thomas' 46.57 split in led off a second-place scoring 400 free relay. Jared Ritz, Brandon Abboud and Ben Quon followed Thomas into the water, finishing in 3:06.84.