West Virginia Invitational: Navy Runs Away With Men’s Title; William & Mary Earns Women’s Crown
The 2024 West Virginia Invitational has wrapped up competition, adding its name to a week of incredibly fast swimming. Navy won the men’s edition of the meet with a decisive total of 2,600 points, nearly 900 points ahead of second place West Virginia (1,754). Villanova finished in third at 1,200 points, while Old Dominion was the only other team with more than 1,000 points at 1,045.
The women’s edition of the meet saw a somewhat tighter team battle for the top four. In the end, it was William & Mary taking the title with 1,853 points. Villanova, after passing Navy for second on Day Two, took the silver position with 1,753.5 points. Navy (1,621.5) took third over West Virginia (1,530).
Men’s Highlights
West Virginia opened Night One with a bang, winning the 200 freestyle relay in a 1:19.32. Connor McBeth’s 19.17 anchor split sealed the deal to help WVU top Navy.
West Virginia’s Danny Berlitz recorded an impressive win in the 400 individual medley on Day Two, clocking a 3:48.29. That swim slides just under the NCAA B-cut of 3:49.53. Berlitz added the individual medley double after his 1:45.90 on Day One in the 200 distance.
Relay hero McBeth tied with William & Mary’s Aiden Bond in the 50 freestyle, clocking a dead heat 19.93 as the only athletes under 20 seconds.
Navy got back at WVU in the 400 medley relay, winning by a wide margin thanks to a game changing breaststroke leg of 52.76 from Juan Mora in a 3:11.57 overall mark. Owen Richter added much needed diving points for the Mountaineers by taking the three meter platform.
Navy extended its lead from the get-go on Day Two, swimming to a 1:26.47 time in the 200 yard medley relay. The men’s 100 butterfly saw a win for fifth place Old Dominion, as Zach Redding out-touched Navy’s Ben Irwin, 47.12 to 47.67.
Redding pulled a double, taking the 200 freestyle just three events after his 100 butterfly win. Mora won the 100 breaststroke after putting up the fastest split on the 400 medley relay the night before in a 52.82, leading a 1-2 sweep for Navy. The Midshipmen also won the 800 freestyle relay, going 6:30.67, two tenths ahead of WVU.
Irwin secured the backstroke double with a victory in the 200 backstroke in a 1:42.53. Mora made it a double with a 1:55.32 to take the 200 breaststroke. Despite Navy’s overwhelming victory, WVU took the meet out on a high note, winning the 400 freestyle relay.
Final Results
- Navy- 2,600
- West Virginia- 1,754
- Villanova- 1,200
- William & Mary- 894
- Clarion- 212
Women’s Highlights
William & Mary gave early signs of its victory on Day One, winning the 200 freestyle relay by four tenths. Caroline Burgeson (23.27), Sarah Dunham (23.29), Zoe Arakelian (23.29) and Flynn Truskett (22.62) were the foursome that got it done for a combined time of 1:32.47.
Maddie Smutny was the victor in the 500 free by two seconds in a 4:51.02, representing the sole win the Mountaineers of the day.
Truskett followed through on her relay swim with a nail biting victory in the 50 freestyle at a 23.00. Carlota Colomer Guasch was just sixth hundredths behind for second. The women’s 400 medley relay was blown wide open when Burgeson anchored a 49.28 to make it a two second win for William & Mary.
Extending their streak on Day Two, the Griffins took the 200 medley relay by a second and a half margin, anchored again by Burgeson in a 22.60.
Arabella Lee was the victor in the 100 butterfly for Villanova in a 53.71, a half second ahead of W&M’s Lindsay Juhlin. It was back to the top spot for the Griffins just one event later, as Claire Neilly took the 400 individual medley by five seconds at a 4:15.28.
The Mountaineers picked up their second win from Gabriela Martin De La Torre in the 200 freestyle. Her 1:49.56 represented the only time under 1:50 in the field. Navy found its way onto the top of the podium by virtue of Lauren Walsh in the 100 breaststroke. She won a tight contest by two tenths over Ellie Scherer. WVU capped the night off with a win in the 800 yard freestyle relay.
Villanova took another victory from Peri Gaguzis in the mile, winning in a 16:51.79. Smutny showed her grit with a 200 butterfly victory, swimming to a 1:59.23.
Final Results
- William & Mary- 1,853
- Villanova- 1,753.50
- Navy- 1,621.50
- West Virginia- 1,530
- Old Dominion- 504
- James Madison- 187
- Clarion-160
- Duquesne- 72