Megan Van Berkom, Max McHugh Lead Minnesota Sweep of SMU

Photo Courtesy: NCAA Media

Megan Van Berkom, Max McHugh Lead Minnesota Sweep of SMU

Megan Van Berkom and Max McHugh posted big days, including NCAA B cuts, in leading Minnesota to a two-day sweep of SMU.

The women’s team rolled to a 260-93 decision, while the men claimed a 214-137 victory.

RESULTS

Van Berkom picked up the first NCAA B cut of the season for the women’s team when she won Friday’s 400 individual medley in 4:16.69. She had earlier won the 200 IM in 2:01.33 and finished third in the 100 butterfly. She also added a win in the 200 fly.

The Golden Gophers won all but one race over the two days at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Hannah Cornish won the 100 free and 200 free. The sophomore anchored Minnesota’s winning 200 medley relay and led off the 200 and 400 free relays that earned victories. Kate Sullivan won the 1,000 and 500 free and was second to Cornish in the 200 free.

Big Ten Swimming

Emma Lezer, who was part of the winning 200 medley relay, also won the 100 breast on Friday and was second to Grace Drabot in the 200 breast. Drabot, a freshman, assembled an impressive program, taking second in the 400 IM and third in the 1,000 free.

Freshman Ava Yablonski led off that 200 medley relay, then won the 100 fly. She was also second to teammate Paula Rodriguez Rivero in the 200 back, and Rivero in turn had been second in the 100 back to Faith Johnson. Olivia Bloomer won the 50 free for Minnesota, and Joy Zhu swept both diving events.

SMU’s lone women’s win came in the 400 medley relay, in which Minnesota’s A relay was disqualified. Sprinter Lucrezia Napoletano was second in both the 50 free and 100 free. Teammate Indra Vandenbussche, who anchored that 400 medley relay, was third in the 100 free and 200 free. Maddy Lewis was second in the 100 breast, Valentina Becerra finished second in the 100 fly and freshman backstroker Jimena Leguizamon finished third in both of those events.

McHugh was typically dominant for the Minnesota men. The NCAA champion won the 100 breast by nearly four seconds, his time of 53.07 leading a 1-2-3 with teammates Drew Kistler and Josh Johnston. He was similarly dominant in the 200 breast, swimming away with victory in 1:56.84. McHugh also swam breast on both winning medley relays.

McHugh was one of four double individual winners for the Golden Gophers. Dez Sachtjen swept the backstroke events and also led off the 400 medley relay. Bar Soloveychik won the 500 free and 1,000 free along with a third-place result in the 200 free. Kaiser Neverman swept the fly events to go with a pair of wining relay contributions.

SMU made headway in the IMs. Colin Feehery won the 200 IM in 1:49.25 and prevailed in a sensational race in the 400 IM. His time of 3:54.16 edged Minnesota’s William Christenson by just .16 seconds. Teammate Angus Corbeau was third in both.

Freshman Sage Sungail won the 200 free and 100 free. He led off the concluding 200 free relay as the Mustangs pulled a surprise, the foursome of Sungail, Lance Butler, Charlie Kaye and Justin Baker going 1:21.01 to nip Minnesota by two tenths.

The teams split diving, with SMU’s Peter Smithson winning on 1-meter and Drew Bennett of Minnesota taking 3-meter in 346.80 after having been the 1-meter runner-up.

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