The nationally-ranked Florida State swimming and diving teams traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they split a dual meet with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The 25th-ranked women’s team upset the No. 13 Gophers 176-124 (3-0, 2-0 ACC), while the No. 20 men fell to No. 18 Minnesota 181-119 (1-2, 1-1 ACC).
“I am so proud of this team,” FSU head coach Neal Studd said. “They stepped up to the challenge and beat the No. 13 team (in the nation) in their own pool. They supported each other and they raced tough. After the disruption of the hurricane last week, their performance today shows a lot about this group.”
The women came off the blocks strong, winning the 200 medley relay. The team of sophomore Madeline Cohen, freshman Ida Hulkko, senior Leila Johnston and junior Nika Blank tapped in at 1:40.99, edging out the Gophers by 0.26 of a second.
Minnesota took home the 1650 free, but the Noles rebounded in the 200 free. Freshman Kertu Alnek placed second with a time of 1:50.00, while freshman Laura Jensen and senior Shelly Drozda took third and fourth with times of 1:50.95 and 1:52.43 respectively.
Hulkko continued her dominating first semester on campus, winning the 100 breast with a time of 1:00.77. The Seminoles followed suit in the event, where freshman Nina Kucheran (1:02.11) and senior Natalie Purnell (1:03.54) took third and fourth.
Hulkko’s time of 1:00.77 moves her up to fifth place on FSU’s all-time top 10 list.
The Noles earned their first sweep on the day in the 200 fly as freshman Hannah Womer won the event, touching at 2:03.09. Freshman Boglarka Bonecz finished just behind in second (2:03.24) and junior Dorothy Halmy placed third (2:04.57).
Carrying momentum, FSU controlled the 50 free as Blank won the event with a time of 23.24, with Alnek finishing second at 23.39. Sophomore Elise Olsen earned points, finishing fourth with a time of 23.78.
Alnek continued her dominating performance, earning a victory in the 100 free with a time of 50.44.
Minnesota answered with a one-two finish in the 200 back, but Kucheran responded with a victory in the 200 breast (2:14.46), while Purnell followed in third (2:17.03) and Hulkko in fourth (2:21.36).
Olsen led the charge in a successful 100 fly, winning the event with a time of 54.91. Womer placed second with a time of 56.29, while Johnston earned team points by finishing fourth (56.75).
The women capped a successful day between the lanes, winning the 200 free relay with a time of 1:32.77. The team of Blank, Olsen, Johnston and Alnek edged the Gophers, who finished at 1:32.98.
On the boards, junior Molly Carlson led the charge. Behind her first place finish in the 3-meter (327.45), the Noles would sweep the event, where freshman Grace Cable finished second (297.30) and junior Ayla Bonniwell finished third (296.40).
Carlson led all Seminoles in the 1-meter, finishing with a score of 273.08 for second place. Bonniwell placed fourth (261.23) and Cable finished fifth (247.88).
“I am really happy with where our divers are at this point in the season,” FSU head diving coach John Proctor said. “All is going according to plan. If we can stay healthy and keep on this trajectory it should be a fun year.”
Despite the loss, the men showed several bright spots throughout the day.
The men opened up competition by finishing second in the 200 medley relay. Senior Emir Muratovic, freshman Izaak Bastian, senior Kanoa Kaleoaloha and senior Will Pisani tapped in at a time of 1:28.43, three seconds faster than third place competition.
After suffering sweeps in the 1650 free and the 200 free, the Noles picked up some momentum in the 100 back behind a one-two punch as Muratovic earned the victory with a time of 49.39, followed by junior Griffin Alaniz in second at 49.90.
The men took three of the top four in the 50 free, where Kaleoaloha was second with a time of 19.94. Pisani took third place (20.33) while freshman Cooper DeRyk finished fourth at 20.78.
Muratovic led the Noles in the 100 free, placing second with a time of 45.03. Alaniz would follow in the 200 back, earning the victory by over a second (1:48.99).
The Noles showed their strength in the 100 fly as Kaleoaloha was the winner with a time of 47.66, while Pisani placed third at 48.63.
In the final individual event, the men earned a second and third place finish in the 200 IM. Sophomore Ryan Telford placed a time of 1:52.86, while junior Max Polianski clocked in at 1:52.92.
The men took the 200 free relay behind the team of Kaleoaloha, Deryk, Pisani and Muratovic finished at 1:20.19, a whole second faster than the second place Gophers.
On the boards, sophomore Joshua Davidson led the way with a victory in the 1-meter. Davidson placed a score of 336.83, while sophomore Aidan Faminoff finished fourth with a score of 294.60.
In the 3-meter, Davidson led all Noles with a third place finish (314.48). Faminoff finished fourth with a score of 303.75 and junior Cameron Thatcher placed fifth with a score of 300.75.
The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Florida State Swimming and Diving. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
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