The now-No. 21 Alabama Crimson Tide women’s swim and dive team and the now-No. 22 men’s team competed in the Tennessee Invite this week, each earning third-place spots.
On the opening night of the Tennessee Invite, junior Charlie Hawke competed in the 500-yard freestyle and broke the school record of 4:13.05 with a time of 4:12.91. Hawke is ranked nationally this year for this performance.
Freshman Cadence Vincent, when competing in the 50-meter freestyle in the morning preliminary session, secured an Olympic Trial mark. She secured the spot with a time of 25.34. Vincent later competed in the 50-yard freestyle final and placed third with a time of 22.10. With this time, she is fifth on Alabama’s all-time top 10 list.
The Crimson Tide women’s team scored a total of 591 points over the course of the three-day invite.
On the first day, sophomore Mackenzie Brandt earned her career-best time in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:42.55 to achieve a third-place finish. Senior Liberty Williams earned her season best in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:47.01, clocking the fastest time in the B final. On the second day, freshman Ella Menear earned third place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.67. Vincent earned fifth place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.83. On the final day, Vincent received another third place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 48.44.
The Crimson Tide men’s team scored a total of 702.5 points over the course of the three-day invite.
On the first day, in the 200-yard freestyle relay, with a time of 1:17.48, the team of sophomore Tim Korstanje, junior Kaique Alves, Hawke and freshman Zarek Wilson earned second place. Alves placed third in the 200-yard individual medley, breaking a career best with a time of 1:46.21. For the second night of the invite, Hawke captured another meet record. In the 200-yard freestyle, he clocked a time of 1:31.30, the fastest time clocked nationally this season. Sophomore Ethan Otten received first place with a time of 53.36 in the B final of the 100-yard breaststroke. Senior Joey Wachter won the B final of the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 47.67. On the final night, Wilson, Hawke, Alves, and Korstanje broke a two-year-old school record in the 400-yard freestyle relay. They went 2:47.95 for the second place finish. In the 200-yard backstroke, freshman Tommy Hagar placed first with a time of 1:41.65. Hawke swam a 42.31, a career best, in the 100-yard freestyle, landing him third place.
On the first night of diving, for the women’s diving, sophomore Ryleigh Rodgers dove from the 3m 3-meter board. She placed eighth with a score of 285.35. For the men’s diving, junior Peter Edin dove from the 1-meter board. He placed seventh with a score of 306.40. On the second night, senior Courtney Russo earned fifth place with a score of 250.30 points.
The Crimson Tide swim and dive team will be back in action on Nov. 29 at the U.S. Open in Greensboro, North Carolina.
