Wildcats Claim Third, Fifth at Ohio St. Invitational

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kentucky swimming & diving closed its first invitational meet of the season on Saturday, clinching third place in the women’s division and fifth in the men’s at the 2022 Ohio St. Invitational inside McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.

The 22nd ranked UK women tallied a three-day total of 1,984 finishing behind only No. 6 Ohio State and No. 10 Indiana. The men, meanwhile, completed the competition with a score of 1,028.5, climbing up from sixth-place on the final day.

“It was a pretty good meet overall,” head coach Lars Jorgensen said. “Midseason meets are always a little bit tricky. We had a few people qualify for NCAA’s and I thought we had some outstanding performances this weekend. We’ll get better over the next couple weeks with training and hopefully be a lot better come February and March.”

The meet’s final day saw the several notable performances from the Wildcats, including one from fifth-year diver Kyndal Knight, who set her third personal best of the weekend with a score of 314.45 on the platform. Knight placed second in the event, adding on to an already terrific meet for the native of North Carolina. Knight’s platform score moves her into second on the UK all-time list.

Fellow divers Abby Devereaux and Claire McDaniels also achieved NCAA zone standards in their first platform efforts of the season, posting scores of 240.45 and 236.15 to place sixth and seventh respectively.

Freshman Levi Sandidge registered a terrific swim in the men’s 1650 freestyle, clocking the second-best time in program history with a 14.51.24. Sandidge finished second in the race, one of four podium swims for Kentucky on Saturday alongside Mason Wilby (200 fly), Gillian Davey (200 breast) and Caitlin Brooks (200 back). In all, 15 Cats met NCAA B-standards on the day.

Kentucky will send representatives to both swimming and diving nationals in the weeks ahead before returning to the Lancaster Aquatic Center for a dual meet against Georgia, Dec. 19 at 11 a.m.

NCAA B Cuts

• Caitlin Brooks – 200 back (1:53.36)
• Torie Buerger – 200 back (1:56.05) *prelims
• Lydia Hanlon –  200 back (1:56.26)
• Kaitlin Wheeler – 100 free (49.38)
• Max Berg – 100 free (43.46) *prelims
• Gillian Davey – 200 breast (2:09.05) *prelims
• Denise Phelan – 200 breast (2:12.10)
• Beth McNeese – 1650 free (16:23.93)
• Caroline Benda – 1650 free (16:27.70)
• Levi Sandidge – 1650 free (14:51.24)
• Nick Caruso – 1650 free (15:13.49)
• Izzy Gati – 200 fly (1:58.21)
• Kristyn Sabol – 200 fly (1:58.90)
• Beth McNeese – 200 fly (1:59.12)
• Mason Wilby – 200 fly (1:44.73)

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