Duke Women and Men Win Easily at UNC-Wilmington
The Duke Blue Devils opened their 2022-23 season last week at home against Virginia Tech, with the Duke women coming out on top and the men falling to the Hokies, and this week, they traveled southeast on I-40 to Wilmington to face the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks. The Duke women won 187 to 107 over UNC-Wilmington, while the men won 181 to 110.
Duke’s women were led by McKenna Smith, who swept the 50 freestyle (23.29) and 100 free (50.54), while 2022 NCAA finalist Sarah Foley grabbed the top spot in the 200 breaststroke (2:17.45) and 400 IM (4:13.18). Kate Mullin won 1-meter (296.25) and 3-meter (322.13) diving. Yixuan Chang was victorious in the 200 free (1:50.98), and Emma Shuppert won the 100 back (55.05) before Kaelyn Gridley edged out Foley to take the 100 breast (1:01.28) and Martina Peroni touched first in the 200 butterfly (1:59.26).
Easop Lee took the 200 back in 2:00.14, and Aleyna Ozkan took the 100 fly (54.85). Shuppert, Gridley, Ozkan and Smith won the 200 medley relay in 1:40.29, and at the end of the meet, Smith, Sarah Snyder, Tatum Wall and Chang swam a time of 1:33.32 to win the 200 free relay. The only UNCW swimmer to win a women’s event was Brooke Knisely, who topped the 1000 free (10:13.55) and 500 free (4:57.27).
On the men’s side, Cole Reznick and Jack Christian each topped multiple individual events. Reznick tied with teammate Michael Volpe to win the 100 breast in 56.72 before winning the 200 breast (2:05.30) and 400 IM (4:02.29). Christian touched first in the 100 back (49.40) and 200 back (1:49.27), and in diving, Seamus Harding was first on 1-meter (309.30) and 3-meter (332.33). David Hallaron won the 200 free (1;39.59), and Chris Valle Dalla took the 200 fly (1:51.41). Coleman Kredich (50 free, 20.61), Matt Knox (500 free, 4:39.14) and Brad Sanford (100 fly, 48.77) were also winners for the Blue Devils.
David Chang, Reznick, Charlie Gingrich and Kredich won the 200 medley relay in 1:30.40, and the 200 free relay went to Kredich, Sanford, Gingrich and Christian in 1:21.85. Sam O’Brien won the 1000 free for UNC-Wilmington in 9:32.18, edging Duke’s Brendan Driscoll by less than a tenth, and Jacob Duracinsky took the 100 free in 45.09.
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