Photo Credit: Peter H. Bick
GAINESVILLE, Florida, October 5. For the fifth year in a row, the University of Florida men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams brought home the Pinch A Penny All-Florida Invitational titles. The Gators combined for 26 wins over the course of the three-day meet.
On the men’s side, Florida recorded 1,395 points to top Florida State (923) and Nova Southeastern (688). The Florida women notched 956 points to top California (861), Florida Gulf Coast (661), Florida State (634), Miami (389), Nova Southeastern (169) and North Florida (97).
Florida got the final night of racing off to a winning start as Jessica Thielmann swam away with the women’s 1650 free title in 16:27.06, three seconds under the NCAA B cut in the event. Cal freshman Cierra Runge finished second in 16:40.89, followed by Florida’s Megan Rankin in 16:50.40. The Gators kept the ball rolling as Blake Manganiello topped the men’s field in 15:50.76, comfortably ahead of teammates Arthur Frayler (15:55.25) and Eric Stobbe (16:00.15).
Cal teammates Missy Franklin and Elizabeth Pelton went head-to-head in the women’s 200 back final, with Pelton leading from start to finish and touching in 1:54.23. Franklin touched second in 1:56.62, with Florida’s Georgia-Mae Hohmann in third at 1:58.67. Corey Main of Florida picked up his third win of the weekend, topping the men’s 200 back in 1:45.51. Carlos Omana, also of Florida, posted a 1:48.25 to take second, while Florida State’s Kevin Rogers (1:49.69) finished third.
Florida’s Natalie Hinds swept the sprint freestyles this weekend, touching in 48.95 to win the 100 free. Kaitlyn Dressel of Florida State finished second in 49.20, while Missy Franklin finished third in 49.87, shortly after swimming the 200 back. Pawel Werner led a 1-2 Florida finish in the men’s 100 free as he and Caeleb Dressel touched first and second in 44.12 and 44.38, respectively. Thiago Sickert of Nova Southeastern earned another top-three finish with his 45.07.
Cal’s Marina Garcia scored a big win in the women’s 200 breast final as she touched three seconds in front of teammate Celina Li, 2:15.88 to 2:18.72. Paige Scheriger of Florida rounded out the top three in 2:19.56. Florida’s Matt Elliott claimed the men’s title in 1:58.05, the only sub-2:00 performance of the meet. Teammate Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez took second in 2:00.45, followed by Florida State’s Jason Coombs in 2:03.67.
Cal’s Celina Li earned another podium finish, this time in the 200 fly. Li had a strong final 100 to overtake Florida State’s Chelsea Britt, 1:58.38 to 2:00.03. Cal freshman Noemie Thomas wound up third in 2:01.45. Meanwhile, Florida State’s Connor Knight swam a 1:46.90 to win the men’s race ahead of Florida’s Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez (1:47.67) and FSU’s Cole Hensley (1:48.64).
Florida State’s foursome of Kaitlyn Dressel, Alexi Smith, Sami Pochowski and Brenna Ruth edged Cal’s Camille Cheng, Rachael Acker, Rachel Bootsma and Farida Osmun in the final 400 free relay, 3:21.51 to 3:21.63. Lindsey McKnight, Ashlee Linn, Natalie Hinds and Georgia-Mae Hohmann gave Florida a third place finish with their 3:22.95.
Corey Main, Pawel Werner, Caeleb Dressel and Matt Curby teamed up to win the men’s 400 free relay for Florida with a 2:57.61. No one else broke 3:00 as Florida State’s Jason McCormick, Jason Coombs, Jemal LeGrand and Connor Knight finished second (3:02.02) and Florida’s B squad of Mitch D’Arrigo, Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, Mark Szaranek and Enzo Martinez Scarpe took third in 3:02.27.
Results: Pinch A Penny All-Florida Invitational