The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Magnus Cup Invitational
Swimming and Diving Maintains Second Place in Magnus Cup Invitational
November 22 | Women's Swimming & Diving
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CLEVELAND – The University of Akron swimming and diving team held onto second place throughout day two at the Magnus Cup Invitational by posting three top finishes over eight events and continuing to set meet records at Cleveland State's Robert F. Busbey Natatorium on Saturday night.
The Zips have accumulated 701.5 points throughout the first two days while recording five first-place finishes and setting four meet records and one pool record.
Duquesne leads all ten women's teams at the event with 979 points. Xavier sits in third place with a tally of 595 while Cleveland State follows with 494.
Akron's divers dominated the three-meter dive by taking the top three spots, led by sophomore Rachel Aepelbacher who notched first place with a new meet record and career-high score of 299.60. Aepelbacher was followed by junior Alice Hottensmith in second with a score of 291.85 and sophomore Paige Kelkenberg with 286.30 for third place. Additionally, with their scores, each diver has qualified for the NCAA Diving Zone Championships in Columbus, Ohio later this season.
Junior Erin Seiler's first-place finish in the 100-yard fly highlighted the evening's swimming events as she set a new pool and meet record by posting a time of 54.60. Her time was just .08 seconds behind her career-best. Four other Zips recorded top-20 finishes in the event, contributing to Akron's team tally.
The final top finish of the evening came from sophomore Luka Szynal who posted a time of 56.19 in the 100-yard backstroke.
The 200-yard medley relay team of Ashley Niznik, Hannah Raspopovich, Seiler and Kelsey Ferrante recorded a second-place time of 1:42.59, finishing just .02 seconds shy of tying the meet record and first place. The team of Szynal, Mary Kallinicou, Susan Franz and Megan Schmalenberger were not far behind, taking sixth place with a time of 1:47.26.
Raspopovich took third in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:04.67 while Kallinicou took seventh at 1:06.15.
In the final event of the night, Niznik, Ashley Drazkowski, Ferrante and Natalie O'Brien posted a third-place time of 7:37.99 in the 800-yard freestyle relay.
The Magnus Cup Invitational concludes on Sunday with prelims beginning at 9 a.m. and finals at 3 p.m. at Busbey Natatorium.
