14 Team Records, 56 DA Top 5 times set in December meets

Duke Aquatics swimmers combined to set 14 team records and record 56 swims that posted onto the DA All-Time Top 5 list during the team’s recent December meets.  These meets served as a checkpoint and rehearsal of championship racing as we head into the 2^nd half of the short course season.  Going forward we will look to build upon our successes and improve upon our weaknesses as revealed by these meets, though it is always nice to recognize some milestones along the way…

Seven DA swimmers competed at Junior Nationals in Columbus , Ohio (18 & under National Championships) .  Maija Roses set new 13-14 and Senior Girls team records in both the 100 & 200 breaststroke (1:04.52 & 2:18.02).  Andrew McKenzie reset the 17-18 & Senior Boys team record in the 100 fly (:49.26) and Chris Dong bested the 100 breast team mark for 15-16 & Senior Boys (:57.49).  Each of these swimmers scored points at the Junior Nationals meet by placing in the top 20.  Dania Marinshaw contributed a 17-18 Girls team record in the 100 Back (:58.09), while teammates Chelsea Howard, Meghan Smith, and Mackenzie Robinson also got into the action with individual and relay swims that made the DA All-Time Top 5 list.  A complete list of finalists:
 

Chris Dong – 100 Breast (14^th), 200 Breast (22^nd)

Chelsea Howard – 100 Fly (26^th)

Andrew McKenzie – 100 Fly (9^th)

Maija Roses – 200 Breast (8^th), 100 Breast (26^th)

Marinshaw, Roses, Howard, Smith – 400 Medley Relay (14^th)

The WAVE Winter Invitational in Cary hosted many of North Carolina ’s fastest age group swimmers, in a unique format that had swimmers compete in age divisions of 12, 11, 10, and 9 & under.  Michael Li led the charge with 10 & under Boys team records in the 100 Fly, 100 IM, and 200 IM.  Teammate Connor Sept actually broke the 200 IM record first, only to have Michael better it in a later heat.  The 11-12 Boys 200 back was broken by the 4^th different swimmer over the past 3 seasons, this time by Tommy Bilden.  Emily Liu added an 8 & under Girls team record in the 100 breast.  100% best times were achieved by Tommy Bilden and Corri Sept, with Nathan Greeley, CeCe Marzinsky, Alex Schneider, Morgan Smith, Lucy Stuart, and Jennifer Xu improving in all but one of their events.  All 22 swimmers had best times in at least half of their events or more.  A complete list of scoring swims at the meet:

Tommy Bilden (12) – 100 Fly (2^nd), 50 Fly (2^nd), 500 Free (3^rd), 200 Back (4^th), 200 Free (4^th), 100 Free (4^th), 50 Back (6^th), 100 Back (8^th), 200 IM (9^th), 50 Free (9^th)

Becca Churchill (12) – 100 Breast (2^nd), 200 Breast (3^rd), 50 Breast (7^th)

Michael Li (10) – 100 Fly (4^th), 50 Fly (5^th), 100 IM (6^th), 50 Breast (7^th), 200 IM (9^th)

Caroline Liu (12) – 200 Breast (1^st), 200 Back (4^th), 50 Breast (4^th), 50 Back (5^th), 200 IM (7^th), 100 Back (7^th), 100 IM (9^th)

Emily Liu (8) – 100 Breast (7^th)

CeCe Marzinsky (12) – 200 Fly (3rd), 100 Fly (4^th), 200 IM (9^th), 500 Free (10^th), 100 Free (10^th), 50 Free (10^th)

Gracie Morris (9) – 500 Free (7^th)

Connor Sept (10) – 100 Breast (3^rd), 100 Back (6^th), 50 Breast (6^th), 50 Back (7^th)

Morgan Smith (12) – 200 Fly (2^nd), 100 Breast (3^rd), 200 IM (6^th), 200 Breast (6^th), 500 Free (8^th), 200 Free (9^th), 100 IM (10^th)

Lucy Stuart (12) – 100 Fly (3^rd), 50 Fly (4^th), 200 Fly (9^th)

Jennifer Xu (11) – 200 IM (1^st), 200 Free (1^st), 200 Back (1^st), 50 Free (1^st), 100 IM (2^nd), 50 Back (2^nd), 100 Free (3^rd), 100 Back (3^rd), 500 Free (4^th), 100 Fly (7^th)

11-12 Girls – 200 Medley Relay (2^nd), 200 Freestyle Relay (4^th)

10&U Boys – 200 Freestyle Relay (9^th)

The NSS Senior Circuit Invitational in Charlotte saw Garrett House, Emily Sarratt and Jacob Vosburgh record 100% lifetime bests, with Kate Hein and Michaela Nolte coming within a fraction of a second from doing the same.  Garrett, Emily, Jacob, and Michaela were also top 8 finalists, along with Supriya Davis, Michael Thomson, and Conor Hoffman, who won the 13-14 100 and 200 breaststrokes.  Connor Williams was a top 16 finalist and may have turned in the swim of the meet when he improved his 1650 time by 1 minute 17 seconds from October.  Reilly Butler, Scott McDonald, and Jamie Schaefer also had swims placing them in the top 16.  
 

At the Racin’ Rudolph Meet in Rocky Mount , Paul Helmich went 100% lifetime bests and Camil Craciunescu, Emily Falise, Emma Helmich, Matt Jacobs, and Harry Schrickx posted best times in all but one event.  In addition to these swimmers, Colin Bunner, Brynne Clayton, Eugene Craciunescu, Nicholas Falise, Gareth Ferguson, David Greeley, Matthew Greeley, Trey Harris, Gabrielle McArdle, Thomas Pritchard, Robby Schaefer, and Gabe Shepherd took home ribbons by finishing in the top 8 at the meet.  All swimmers in attendance showed improvement in both time and technique as they took the skills they’ve been working on in practice to the blocks. 
 

The team website has been updated with the most current results, top times, team records, and meet eligibility charts.  We look forward to continued growth and achievements by Duke Aquatics swimmers in the months (and years) to come!