University of Georgia
Georgia Fall Invitational (finals)
Georgia Posts Three A Cuts During Invite
December 02, 2016 | Swimming & Diving
Highlights from day one of the Georgia Bulldog Fall Invitational swimming and diving meet held at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.
Dec. 2, 2016
Complete Results | Photo Gallery 
ATHENS, Ga. --- Seniors Chase Kalisz, Olivia Smoliga and Chantal Van Landeghem earned Georgia's first NCAA qualifying times of the season during the UGA Fall Invitational on Friday at Gabrielsen Natatorium.
Following one day of competition, the Lady Bulldogs are second with 270 points, trailing Cal's 285 and leading Virginia's 218. The Bulldogs also stand second with 223 points behind Cal's 259, while Auburn sits in third with 209 points.
"I was really pleased with the way we competed today," Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. "We're certainly better than we were just a month ago. Everyone has been putting in the work, and it showed in the pool today."
Kalisz won the signature race of the evening as he took the 200 individual medley featuring four United States Olympians with an A-cut time of 1:41.26. Fellow Rio competitors Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland were fourth in 1:43.63 and fifth in 1:44.57, respectively.
Smoliga and Van Landeghem went 1-2 in the 50 freestyle, which also featured four Olympians, with A cuts of 21.58 and 21.76, respectively. Veronica Burchill took 10th in 22.21.
Smoliga and Van Landeghem also bookended the 200 freestyle relay (along with Burchill and Emily Cameron) that set the school record with a second-place effort of 1:26.79. That broke the mark of 1:26.89 set in 2013. Katherine Aikins, Meaghan Raab, Kylie Stewart and Chelsea Britt took sixth in 1:31.05.
Madison Duvall came in second on the 3-meter springboard as she rolled up 301.00 points.
Stephanie Peters placed third in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:38.48, followed by Meryn McCann in fourth in 4:38.62 and Rachel Zilinskas in seventh in 4:44.25. Jordan Stout took 10th as she reached the wall in 4:47.17 and Meg Finnon was 12th in 4:47.78.
Meaghan Raab came in fourth in the 200 individual medley in 1:56.26 and Cameron claimed seventh in 1:56.85. Caitlyn Casazza was 10th in 1:59.09 and Stewart took 11th in 1:59.35.
Smoliga, Cameron, Burchill and Van Landeghem got back in 3:30.34 to place third in the 400 medley relay, while Stewart, Raab, Britt and McCann placed eighth in 3:36.63.
Kevin Litherland and Walker Higgins went 1-2 in the 500 freestyle with times of 4:15.33 and 4:16.91, respectively, while Aidan Burns came in eighth in 4:23.93.
Ian Forlini came in second on the 1-meter springboard with 304.85 points. Charlie Clifton took seventh with 291.05 and Walker Wheeler came in 12th with 267.60.
Dale, Kalisz, Clark, and Acevedo placed second in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:04:94, while Jay Litherland, Guest, Bentz and Higgins placed 12th in 3:12:81.
The Bulldogs placed eighth in the 200 freestyle relay as Javier Acevedo, Dale, Chris Powell and Bentz stopped the clock in 1:19.55. The quartet of John Wesley, Pace Clark, Jay Litherland and Mick Litherland took 12th in 1:31.13.
The UGA Fall Invitational will continue on Saturday with prelims at 9:30 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m. Admission to Gabrielsen Natatorium is free.
Players Mentioned
