Mizzou Invite: Gaines Breaks Second School Record, No. 8 Kentucky Remains Undefeated
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Riley Gaines, a University of Kentucky junior swimmer, broke the second individual school record of her career on Saturday evening during the final session of the Mizzou Invite, helping the No. 8 Kentucky women’s swimming and diving team to a triumph over RV Arkansas and No. 13 Missouri (1,277 pts) to remain undefeated this season. The No. 25 Kentucky men’s swimming and diving team fell to No. 18 Missouri down the stretch, 1,275-1,057.
Gaines recorded the third-fastest time in the nation in the 100 freestyle on Saturday evening, touching the wall in 48.46. In doing so, the junior snapped a 14-year-old school record, previously set by Jenny Bradford in 2006 (48.53). The sensational swim came just one day after she set the first school record in her career when she recorded a 1:43.68 in the 200 freestyle during the Friday evening finals session.
Both of Gaines’ school records are 2021 NCAA Championship “B” standards.
The 100 freestyle wasn’t her only triumph of the evening though, as the Nashville, Tennessee, native earned first place in the 200 butterfly in 1:56.10, concluding the midseason invitational winning each of her individual events, the only Kentucky swimmer or diver to accomplish that task.
Following close behind Gaines, winning two wins through the weekend are Caitlin Brooks, Kyndal Knight, Beth McNeese and Danny Zhang.
Brooks, a sophomore from Gainesville, Florida, recorded the second-fastest time in the nation in the 200 backstroke this evening, touching the wall in a personal-record time 1:51.44, also an NCAA “B” cut time. McNeese also earned the second-fastest time in the nation in her event this evening, swimming the 1,650 freestyle in a personal-record time 16:04.07, another NCAA “B” standard.
In fact, McNeese’s mile time is the second-best time in program history.
Adam Rosipal, a junior transfer from Indianapolis, had an outstanding race in the men’s 1,650 freestyle, too, touching the wall in 15:10.38. He moved into the record book for the first time with his swim, becoming the sixth-fastest performer in the event in school history.
The diving squad had outstanding performances on the boards this weekend, winning five of six possible events, sweeping the men’s events and winning two women’s events.
During Saturday’s platform finals session, Knight, a junior from Stanley, North Carolina, recorded a personal-best 285.40 to earn the top score and her second first-place finish of the meet. With her performance, she moved up one spot to seventh on Kentucky’s all-time platform performance list, while she also recorded her third 2021 NCAA Zone “C” Championship Diving standard of the meet.
Chase Lane also stunned judges on the tower, earning 416.10 points to take first place. The score was more than 18 points improved from his preliminaries score, eight points off his career best and just less than 20 points off the school record (Greg Ferrucci, 435.50).
“Overall, I thought our group was dialed in and competed really well,” said head diving coach Ted Hautau. “This group is still getting their strength back after being out of the weight room for so long this year, but I saw some real improvement. I thought Kyndal (Knight) was really good today. She has been working more on tower this season, and she has a new dive on 10-meter that she just learned. Overall in the meet, she did great mentally, and she always brings it.
“Chase (Lane) had some notable dives on platform today. He is really dialed in and getting his list of dives back, improving in a lot of key areas. Danny (Zhang) is getting his body and fitness back, and he was really good in al three of his finals events this weekend.”
Finals First-Place Finishes
Riley Gaines 200 freestyle 1:43.68*
100 freestyle 48.46*
200 butterfly 1:56.10
800 freestyle-r 7:05.78
Gillian Davey 400 IM 4:09.68
Izzy Gati 100 butterfly 53.16
800 freestyle-r 7:05.78
Caitlin Brooks 100 backstroke 51.56
200 backstroke 1:51.44
Kyndal Knight 1-meter 292.70
platform 285.30
Danny Zhang 1-meter 343.05
3-meter 403.75
Beth McNeese 500 freestyle 4:40.69
1,650 freestyle 16:04.07
Hank Siefert 800 freestyle-r 6:32.28
Mason Wilby 800 freestyle-r 6:32.28
Adam Rosipal 800 freestyle-r 6:32.28
Jakob Clark 800 freestyle-r 6:32.28
Kaitlynn Wheeler 800 freestyle-r 7:05.78
Sophie Sorenson 800 freestyle-r 7:05.78
Chase Lane platform 416.10
* School record
NCAA Championship “B” Standards (39)
Beth McNeese 500 freestyle 4:40.69
1,650 freestyle 16:04.07
Kaitlynn Wheeler 500 freestyle 4:46.21
200 freestyle 1:46.69
Kaylee Williams 500 freestyle 4:46.59 (prelims)
Adam Rosipal 500 freestyle 4:22.52
1,650 freestyle 15:10.38
Hank Siefert 500 freestyle 4:21.48 (prelims)
Sophie Sorenson 200 IM 1:58.42 (prelims)
100 backstroke 52.75
200 backstroke 1:53.58 (prelims)
Lauren Poole 200 IM 1:59.34 (prelims)
200 breaststroke 2:11.01
Izzy Gati 200 IM 1:59.51 (prelims)
100 butterfly 52.61 (prelims)
200 butterfly 1:56.11 (prelims)
Bailey Bonnett 200 IM 1:59.75
400 IM 4:14.42
200 breaststroke 2:11.47
Kyle Barker 200 IM 1:46.36
400 IM 3:51.26
Mason WIlby 200 IM 1:46.57
200 butterfly 1:44.68
Caitlin Brooks 100 butterfly 53.23
100 backstroke 51.56
200 backstroke 1:51.44
Lauren Poole 400 IM 4:10.29
Gillian Davey 400 IM 4:09.68
100 breaststroke 1:00.51
200 breaststroke2:09.07
Zane Rosely 400 IM 3:50.88
Riley Gaines 200 freestyle 1:43.68
100 freestyle 48.46
200 butterfly 1:56.10
— 800 freestyle-r 7:05.78
Jakob Clark 1,650 freestyle 15:21.29
Torie Buerger 200 backstroke 1:56.31
Jodi Ogle 200 backstroke 1:56.84
Jaclyn Hill 200 breaststroke 2:12.58
NCAA Zone “C” Championship Diving Standards
Danny Zhang 1m 343.05
3m 403.75
platform 402.85
Chase Lane 1m 330.85
3m 382.50 (prelims)
platform 416.10
Rodrigo Romero 3m 348.15
Kyndal Knight 1m 292.70
3m 314.45 (prelims)
platform 285.40
Women’s Final Team Standings
- Kentucky 1,277
- Missouri 862
- Arkansas 822
- BYU 70
- Unattached 40
Men’s Final Team Standings
- Missouri 1,275
- Kentucky 1,057
- Unattached 119
- BYU 43
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
