Miami University
Miami Invitational
Women Win Miami Swimming Invitational
12/4/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
Dec. 4, 2010
OXFORD, Ohio - Sophomore Leah Thornton broke a meet record in the 200 backstroke, pacing the RedHawks to victory in the 17th annual Miami Invitational at the Nixon Aquatic Center. Miami outdistanced second-place Emory, 2,604 to 1,706.
Miami's men placed second among seven teams in the meet, getting a meet-record performances from diver JIMMY BERES in the three-meter event. Emory University won the men's competition, out-distancing runner-up Miami, 1,754 to 1,421.
Miami's Women
Thornton 's effort of 1:57.82 in the 200 back knocked nearly three seconds off of her previous personal record. Her performance was a NCAA Division 1 B cut time.
Miami's women led off the night with a victory in the 200 medley relay, recording a time of 1:42.21. Thornton, Kelsey Vehr, Nicole Roddenbery and Bekka Westrick were members of the winning squad.
Chelsey Bruington was a sixth-place finisher in the finals of the 500 freestyle.
In the 200 breaststroke, RedHawk aces Vehr (2:13.55) and Megan Brunn (2:14.27) both eclipsed the meet record and made the NCAA B cut.
A few events later, in the 200 IM, Vehr and Brunn again took center stage. Vehr nipped her teammate by 12/100ths of a second, 2:03.35 to 2:03.57.
Corrine Bangs placed second in the one-meter diving event.
Miami completely dominated the 100 butterfly finals, placing individuals in seven of the nine slots. Westrick, MAEGAN O'CONNOR, Nicole Roddenbery, Thornton and BRITTANY ROHR placed first through fifth.
The 100 freestyle saw Westrick take third place.
In the last women's final event of Saturday evening, the quartet of Westrick, Maddie Kete, Ellen Barhorst and Bruington swam the 400 freestyle relay in a time of 3:25.55.
Coach Dave Jennings won't compete again until after the first of the year.
MEN'S EVENTS
Saturday's events for Coach PETE LINDSAY's squad featured a first-place and meet-record performance by three-meter diver JIMMY BERES. Beres' point total of 423.45 was ahead of the second- and third-place finishers and his teammates Mike Grainger (392.20) and Chris Hoppler (386.80).
The other big highlight was a second-place effort by the 400 freestyle relay team of Chris Gunnels, Dan Nemeth, Anderson Whipp and Mark Healey. They were runners-up to a relay squad from Ohio State, 3:02.84 to 3:04.94. Their time was an NCAA B cut.
The evening began for Miami with a sixth-place finishes by the RedHawks' 200 medley relay squad and by Chris Gunnels in the 200 backstroke.
Senior Jason Hass was sixth in the 100 butterfly with a time of :50.61, while Gunnels placed eighth in the 100 freestyle.
Like the women, Miami's men won't swim again until after the first of the year.
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Photo Gallery to come soon!
Players Mentioned
