Super Saturday | Comerford Shreds 47.00 100 Freestyle

Super Saturday | Comerford Shreds 47.00 100 Freestyle

Recap of NCAA Swimming and Diving results from over the weekend including SMU Classic, Auburn, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, TCU, and Michigan State. Louisville's Mallory Comerford went 47.00 in the 100 freestyle.

Oct 15, 2017 by Ben Colin
Super Saturday | Comerford Shreds 47.00 100 Freestyle
In a weekend that included three high-profile double duals, the women's-only SMU Classic stole the show.

It's to be expected when three of our top six preseason teams -- Louisville, Michigan, and Southern California -- are in the water.


USC Captures SMU Classic By Half Point


​RESULTS

In a meet with so many powerful teams, it only makes sense the final margin of victory would be a half point. Southern California edged Louisville by the narrowest possible point value to win the SMU Classic on Saturday in Lewisville, Texas.

The runner-up Cardinals weren't able to close the full 4 1/2 point difference from Friday. Michigan was also only nine points behind the first-place Trojans.

Louisville won both relays on Saturday night, with the 200-yard freestyle relay coming in convincing fashion. Mallory Comerford led off in a 22.04 in the meet's final race.

Comerford also swam the 500 and 100 freestyles to close the SMU Classic. She won both events despite pressure from Michigan's Rose Bi and Siobhan Haughey. Comerford claimed a total of five events this weekend.

Her times of 4:39.24 and 47.00 placed her first nationally in both events.

Beyond Comerford though, USC won every individual swimming event Saturday. Riley Scott backed up her 100 breaststroke victory with a win in the 200, and Maddie Wright barely took the 200 butterfly.

Trojans sophomore Louise Hansson doubled up wins last night in the 200 IM and 200 backstroke. Michigan's Clara Smiddy finished second in both races.


Texas A&M Men, Women Sweep Notre Dame  


​Day One Results
​Day Two Results

Texas A&M dominated the three-team meet in South Bend, IN, while only winning nine total swimming events on Saturday. Michigan State joined Friday, but the meet's second day included only Notre Dame and the Aggies.

The meet concluded on the men's side with a Notre Dame victory in the 400 freestyle relay due to a Texas A&M disqualification. The Irish men swam a 2:58.29. Notre Dame's women also won the 400 freestyle relay while the Aggies took both medleys.

Another event impacted by a disqualification was the women's 400 IM. Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo moved into first after teammate Bethany Galat was disqualified in a back-and-forth race between the two.

Texas A&M's Beryl Gastaldello and Notre Dame's Justin Plaschka both won the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. Gastaldello broke Chase Kinney of Wisconsin's pool record in the 50 free with a time of 22.40.

Notre Dame distance swimmer Zachary Yeadon excelled in the long events. He won the 200, 500, and 1000 freestyles. His 1000 freestyle time of 9:03.25 is just short of his season best from last week against Louisville. He currently ranks third in the nation.


Auburn, Tennessee Split 3-Team Season Opener


​RESULTS

Among the aforementioned double dual meets, Tennessee and Wisconsin traveling to Auburn produced quick early-season times and an intense opener at the Martin Aquatics Center.

After leading all four meets through Friday's first night of competition, the host Tigers dropped the men's dual against SEC foe Tennessee by seven points. Auburn's women edged Tennessee by nine points. Both handedly beat Wisconsin.

For the women, Erika Brown's dominating 52.99 performance in the 100 butterfly stuck out as the morning's top individual swim. She won the event by over a second.

The men's 400 individual medley highlighted Saturday's half for the men. Auburn's Hugo Gonzalez narrowly led throughout the race against Tennessee's Sam McHugh. Gonzalez swam a 3:47.78, the nation's new fastest time in this early young season.

Gonzalez was also the day's only double winner, claiming the 100 backstroke by a slim margin of 0.05 seconds. No women doubled as winners on the meet's second day.

For the women, Erika Brown's dominating 52.99 performance in the 100 butterfly stuck out as the morning's top individual swim. The Tennessee sophomore won the event by over a second.

The Volunteers substantially won the men's 200 medley relay along with taking first in the women's 400 freestyle relay. Wisconsin's women won the 200 medley, and the Auburn men claimed the 400 freestyle relay to close out the meet.


Hokies Score Mild Upset Over Blue Devils, 'Noles


​RESULTS

Virginia Tech captured two pairs of wins in a two-day, double dual against ACC rivals Florida State and host Duke on Saturday in Durham, NC. The Seminoles and Blue Devils split their sections.

Both Virginia Tech and Florida State were members of our preseason top 25 -- although they both landed below 20 -- so the Hokies' win this weekend technically qualifies as an upset.

Duke opened the day with close relay victories. FSU and Virginia Tech split the final relays.

Although it didn't change the final outcome, Florida State's men were able to claim a one-two-three finish in the 100 butterfly with Kanoa Kaleoaloha winning in a 47.53. Virginia Tech went on to win four events on Saturday.

Duke's Alyssa Marsh brought home two victories on day two. She won the 50 freestyle with a 22.91 and the 100 butterfly with a 54.52, just beating out Virginia Tech flier Maggie Gruber.


Missouri Men Knock Off South Carolina In Dual


​RESULTS

The Missouri Tigers, at home in Columbia, MO, upset men's preseason top 10-ranked and SEC opponent South Carolina by 10 points. On the flip side, both Arkansas and South Carolina defeated the Missouri women.

South Carolina won against the Arkansas women.

Missouri helped itself by taking 3 of 4 relays. The Tigers only lost the women's 400 freestyle relay to South Carolina. As in any upset, the wins weren't by a huge amount.

South Carolina's men leaned on their strengths, including the distance freestyle. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to overcome Missouri's depth, the key element to the Tigers' win Saturday.

Missouri's Giovanny Lima helped his team's efforts with a crucial victory over Tom Peribonio in the 200 freestyle with a 1:36.80.


Virginia Opens Season By Sweeping Penn State


​RESULTS

While the Virginia women blew out Penn State, the men's meet was separated by only two points Saturday in University Park, PA.  The Cavaliers men clinched UVA's sweep after winning the meet-ending 400 freestyle relay.

Virginia's women won all but the 1000 freestyle and the 200 IM. The dagger came early as the Cavaliers took the top three in the 100 backstroke and two events later a 1-4 finish in the 200 butterfly.

Jennifer Marrkand's 1:57.89 victory in the 200 fly moved her into the top five times for that event nationally. Her teammate Emma Seiberlich rose into the top 10 as well with her sub-two-minute swim.

Seiberlich went on to win the 200 backstroke and the 100 butterfly later in the session.

Impressive performances from both Penn State and Virginia in the men's distance freestyle events propelled the close matchup. Three swimmers swam times under 4:32 in the 500 freestyle.

The meet's top swim came from Penn State's Kaelen Freund in the 100 breaststroke. His dominating 54.20 is the nation's fastest swim thus far, just edging out Tennessee's Peter Stevens. ​PSU won five of the first seven events but wasn't able to hold on and win.


Arizona Tallies 9 Event Wins To Beat Wazzu


​RESULTS

The Arizona women claimed a 61-point victory over Pac-12 opponent Washington State in Pullman, WA. The Wildcats won nine events on the way to their season-opening win.

The two split the relays. Washington State opened the meet with a last-lap pass to win the 200 medley relay. Arizona finished one-two in the 400 freestyle relay to close the day.

Wildcats sophomore Hannah Cox completed a gruesome triple by winning the 1000 and 500 freestyles and the 400 IM. Her 9:58 in the 1000 was the most impressive time among the three events.

Arizona's Cameron McHugh was a double winner, taking the 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke.