The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Zippy Invitational – Day One
Zips Swimming and Diving in the Lead After Day One of Zippy Invitational
December 04 | Women's Swimming & Diving
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AKRON, Ohio – Day one of the annual Zippy Invitational is complete at the Ocasek Natatorium, with the Akron swimming and diving team in first place behind a 737 point performance from the Zips.
Akron is followed in the top three spots after day one by Bowling Green State University (520) and Oakland University (492).
The Invitational opened up with the 200 freestyle relay and a first and second place finish for the Zips A and B relay squads. Team A, consisting of senior Hannah Raspopovich (Crown Point, Ind.), sophomore Susan Franz (Canton, Ohio), freshman Sadie Fazekas (Sandwich High School), and freshman Madison Myers (Akron, Ohio) set a meet record and set the third-fastest time in program history with a time of 1:31.54 for the top finish. Team B which includes, freshman Victoria Shaffer (Upper St. Clair, Pa.), senior Ashley Niznik (McDonald, Pa.), junior Laura Savariau (Saint-Hilaire-La-Palud, France), and sophomore Paloma Marrero Munoz (Merida, Spain) were on the tails of team A and finished in 1:33.04.
Raspopovich swam the first leg of the 200 freestyle relay for team A, her spilt time of 22.71 puts her at the top of the program records for the fastest 50 free time.
Before the finals even began, Myers tied a program record in the 200 IM (2:01.56) in the preliminary events. Later in the evening, Myers broke her own record with a swift time of 2:00.18 to take over the fastest time in program history. That time also broke the meet record (2:01.92) set back in 2012.
All five of the Akron divers saw success in the preliminary rounds taking the top five spots. In the finals, the Zips claimed the top three scores in the one-meter dive. Senior Alice Hottensmith (Brunswick, Ohio) received a tally of 297.15 for first place, junior Paige Kelkenberg (Lockport, N.Y.) totaled a score of 284.40 to place second, and junior Rachel Aepelbacher (Novi, Mich.) scored the third-highest score of 276.50.
Freshman Kim Jones (Plainwell, Mich.) prelim score off 266.25 qualifies her for the NCAA Zone meet. To qualify for the one-meter dive, a diver had to earn a minimum score of 265.
Akron concluded day one placing first and third in the 400 medley relay. Junior Luka Szynal (Lublin, Poland), Raspopovich, senior Erin Seiler (Phoenixville, Pa.) and freshman Ragen Engel (Springfield, Ohio) clocked in at a time of 3:40.92 to break a meet record and the third-fastest time in program history.
Akron returns to the pool tomorrow for day two of the Zippy Invitational. Prelims begin at 9 a.m., diving will start at approximately 1 p.m., and the finals are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Tickets for each individual prelim session are $6, while tickets to the final sessions are $8 each. Spectators may also purchase a $35 pass, good for entry to each session throughout the weekend. Tickets must be paid for in cash and will be available 90 minutes prior to the start of each session.
Admission for Akron students is FREE with a valid Zip Card.
Women's Scores
1. Akron, University of 737
2. Bowling Green State Univ. 520
3. Oakland University 492
4. Bloomsburg University 284
5. Clarion University 268
6. Niagara University 154
7. West Virginia University-Tech 71
8. Cleveland State University 49
Men's Scores
1. Oakland University 712
2. Bloomsburg University 541
3. Niagara University 327
4. St. Bonaventure University 312
5. Clarion University 287
6. West Virginia University-Tech 179
7. Cleveland State University 72
