Purdue Invite: Boilermakers Win Women’s Meet Big, Grand Canyon Edges Men’s Meet

Celia Pulido swept the backstroke events, securing NCAA B-cuts in both.

The 2024 Purdue Invite has officially wrapped up competition, putting an end to a weekend of midseason racing.

The Boilermakers women won by nearly 600 points ahead of second-place Florida International. Grand Canyon took third in a tightly contested race with Southern Illinois. Purdue’s dominance was on full display, as the Boilermakers had multiple A-finalists across nearly every event.

The men’s side of the meet saw a close battle for the top spot. Grand Canyon would end up winning by just 25 points against the home team, as McKendree finished in third. In the end, GCU’s depth would be the difference maker. They came into the final night five points behind and took the meet title without an event win on the final day.

Purdue Invite: Men’s Highlights

Christian Davidson kicked thing off for McKendree, taking the 500 free in a 4:24.52. Finishing nearly three seconds ahead of second, Davidson still has some time to drop to hit the B-Cut of 4:21.28. The 200 IM was considerably tighter, as Purdue’s Matheo Mateos took the win against McKendree’s Vova Gavrysh, 1:46.29 to 1:46.67.

Alex Santiago of Southern Illinois took the win in the 50 freestyle at a 19.45, coming in two tenths under the B-Cut of 19.69.

GCU would make it a sweep of the medley relays on Day two, as Alex Volkov (21.71), Harper Houk (24.17), Jasu Ovaskainen (20.75) and Mario Perez (19.49) combined for the win in a 1:26.12. Despite SIU’s Donat Csuvarszki mounting a late charge (19.29), they settled for silver in a 1:26.34.

Colin Campbell extended the win streak for GCU in the 400 IM in a 3:52.93. Januari Pachecho led the race early for SIU, but was relegated to silver in a 3:53.35. The men’s 100 butterfly saw some B-cuts thrown down, as Alex Santiago won for Southern Illinois in a 46.25. Jack Lustig joined him in second with a 46.60.

Despite a 52.80 split the previous night, GCU’s Houk took bronze in the 100 breaststroke in a 54.27. It would be Purdue’s Max Blume winning in a 54.05. Santiago would secure a second B-cut a 100 backstroke victory at a 45.93. Two events later, he’d lead off the Boilermaker 200 freestyle relay en route to another victory. Santiago (19.62), Csuvarszki (19.72), A.J. Terry (19.29) and Willem Huggins (19.67) combined for a 1:18.30.

Freshman Blake Rowe took the win in the 200 backstroke in a B-cut 1:43.12. It’d be a clean sweep for Santiago, well under the 100 freestyle B-cut in a 42.32.

Men’s Final Results

Grand Canyon- 949
Purdue- 924
McKendree- 746
Southern Illinois

Purdue Invite: Women’s Highlights

Kate Mouser got things off to a bang for Purdue, leading a 1-2-3-4-5-6-8 finish for the Boilermakers in a 4:46.11. Olivia Herron secured an NCAA B-cut with her 200 Individual medley win at a 1:57.70. Mar Brunlehner snuck just under the B-cut by nine hundredths at a 1:59.26.

Southern Illinois fell just short of the B-cut but took the win in the 400 medley relay. Celia Pulido (52.10), Olivia Heron (1:00.09), Salazararia Padron (53.38), and Barriela Hernandez (49.28) locked up a 3:34.85. Sophia McAfee added more points to the Boilermaker haul in a 1-2-3-5 finish on the 3-meter platform.

Purdue’s Kathryn Ackerman, a grad transfer from Michigan, secured a new team record in the 400 Individual medley at a 4:10.61, six seconds under the B-cut. Last year’s surprise NCAA finalist in the 100 backstroke, Pulido, locked up a B-cut win in a 51.41. Herron added another gold to SIU’s tally in the 100 breaststroke in a 1:00.84. Purdue’s A, B, and C relays swept the 800 freestyle relay. Adele Sands was the highlight split on the A squad, leading off in a 1:48.43.

Pulido swept the backstrokes, winning the 200 in another B-cut time of 1:53.67. Purdue’s Marcukaitis added a B-cut in second with a 1:54.86. Hannah Hill led a three-women race under the 50 second mark, taking the win in a 49.49. Brunlehner of Grand Canyon took silver, just five hundredths behind in a 49.54. Lara Phipps and Barra Hernandez duked it out for third, with Phipps out touching, 49.95 to 50.01.

Southern Illinois took the final event of the meet. Pulido (49.66), Aria Salazar Padron (50.06), Zaria Terry (49.53), Hernandez (49.45) won the 400 freestyle relay in a 3:18.70.

Women’s Final Results

Purdue- 1,326.5
Florida International- 737
Grand Canyon- 476.5
Southern Illinois- 449
Illinois State- 361
McKendree- 199

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