Wingate Leads Men's and Women's SAC Swimming Championship After Day One

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Wingate Bulldogs lead both the men's and women's standings after the first day of the South Atlantic Conference Swimming Championships.

The Bulldogs kicked off finals session one with a win in the Women's 200 Medley Relay. The team of Vera Karlsson, Amanda Wenhold, Hana Kubalova and Natalia Dwojak claimed gold with a time of 1:42.08. Carson-Newman followed closely behind as Kyla Blakemore, Breanna Belcher, Chrisman Rand and Lily Parr earned silver with a time of 1:42.29. Catawba rounded out the podium as the team of Diamond Mosley, Hannah Koopmans, Brinkley Watson and Marit Reckmann collected silver with a time of 1:45.58.

Wingate took the top spot in the Men's 200 Medley Relay, as Ney Chagas Filho, Andres Martijena, Mike Topchanalis and Manoel Silva finished with a time of 1:28.28. Carson-Newman's Tyler Schehr, Asger Hartvig, Daniel de Oliveira and Benaiah McDowell finished second with a time of 1:29.67. Catawba took third as Isaac Haut, Rowan Viles, Maks Minichowski and Ryan Case touched the wall at 1:30.21.

Catawba's Fiona Byrne was named the Women's 1000 Freestyle champion, touching the wall at 10:19.88 and earning an NCAA DII B Cut. Wingate's Grace Wilson followed in second, also earning a B Cut with a time of 10:23.56. Ella Gutenwik took third for Catawba, following closely with a time of 10:24.53.

Wingate's Ipkaev Damir earned gold in the Men's 1000 Freestyle with a time of 9:10.67. Teammate Miguel Marcos took second with a time of 9:18.57 while Mars Hill's Andres Bodington earned third with a time of 9:20.41. All three men earned an NCAA DII B Cut in the event.

In the Women's 200 IM, Wingate took the top two spots as Nadia Kertynska earned the gold medal with a time of 2:03.82 and Natalia Dwojak earned silver with a time of 2:04.37. Carson-Newman's Chrisman Rand earned third with a time of 2:04.93. All three women earned an NCAA DII B Cut in the event.

Wingate's Kacper Korona swam the top time in the Men's 200 IM, winning the event with a time of 1:48.49. Catawba's Balazs Meszaros took second, toucing the wall at 1:50.61. Wingate's Balint Kovacs followed closely behind in third with a time of 1:50.84. All three men earned an NCAA DII B Cut in the event.

Wingate's Lucie Andrews was named the Women's 50 Freestyle Champion after touching the wall at 23.32 seconds. Catawba's Alix Henras-Marouf followed at 23.35, while Wingate's Amanda Wenhold rounded out the top three at 23.38.

In the Men's 50 Freestyle, Catawba's Maks Minichowski took gold with a time of 20.11. Mars Hill's Thomas Gibson earned second place with a time of 20.13, and Wingate's Manoel Silva took third with a time of 20.28.

In the final women's event of the evening, Carson-Newman earned first place as the team of Chrisman Rand, Kennadi King, Antonia Sanint and Lily Parr finished the 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:33.14. Wingate earned a close second as Lucie Andrews, Amanda Wenhold, Natalia Dwojak and Nadia Kertynska touched the wall at 1:33.82. Catawba took third in the event, as Brinkley Watson, Alix Henras-Marouf, Marit Reckmann and Taylor Wilson finished with a time of 1:35.51.

Wingate's Silva Manoel, Ney Chagas Filho, Mike Topchanalis and Alex Smyre earned the final gold medal of the night in the Men's 200 Freestyle Relay with a time of 1:21.06. Carson-Newman took second as Daniel Ribeiro, Daniel de Oliveira, Tyler Schehr and Arthur Gluzman touched the wall at 1:21.34. Catawba claimed third, as the team of Maks Minichowski, Ryan Case, Isaac Haut and Balazs Meszaros finished with a time of 1:21.78.

Results at the conclusion of day one can be found below. Day two begins tomorrow with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m.

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 10
1. Wingate University 540

2. Catawba College 384

3. Carson-Newman University 351

4. Lenoir Rhyne University 155

5. Emory & Henry College 153

6. Mars Hill University 148

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 10
1. Wingate University 481

2. Catawba College 367

3. Carson-Newman University 305

4. Mars Hill University 247

5. Lenoir Rhyne University 188

6. Emory & Henry College 123

- #MakeSACYours -