Carson Hick wins 500 Free, Kentucky Swim & Dive Ends Day One of Tennessee Invitational

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Kentucky sophomore Carson Hick earned the lone win for the Wildcats to open the Tennessee Invitational taking the men’s 500 freestyle with an NCAA B-Standard time of 4:15.45. Hick is one of five Wildcats who posted NCAA B-Standard times on the first day of the Tennessee Invitational at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Following Wednesday’s action, the men trail Tennessee 98-29 and Virginia 76-49. The women trail Tennessee 105-23 and Virginia 87-37.

Hick was a standout performer today, winning the 500 free prelim and final with two NCAA B-Standard times. Hick produced a quick 4:16.64 to take the prelim and improved to a 4:15.45 besting Tennessee’s Joaquin Vargas in a head-to-head dual for the victory.

UK ended the day with four additional NCAA B-cuts, one each from Libby Grether, Sammie Hamilton, Levi Sandidge, and Caue Gluck. Grether, a sophomore out of Dublin, Ohio clocked a 4:45.51 for the standard and was the seventh fastest among all finals’ participants in the women’s 500 free. Hamilton was just behind in eighth with a time of 4:47.13 for her first B-Standard of the season. For Sandidge, his pace of 4:18.80 in the 500 free not only secured his first B-cut of the season but also clinched a new personal best mark for the junior. Gluck notched the first B-standard of his career in the 500 free, swimming a 4:18.99 in the prelims for the eighth fastest time in program history.

The Tennessee Invite will resume tomorrow with the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, men’s one-meter diving, women’s three-meter diving, and 200 medley relay.

Kentucky Event Winners:

• Men’s 500 Free: Carson Hick (4:15.45)

NCAA B Standards:

• Women’s 500 Free: Libby Grether (4:45.51), Sammie Hamilton (4:47.13)
• Men’s 500 Free: Levi Sandidge (4:18.80), Caue Gluck (4:18.99)

Top-10 Times in Program History 

• 7th – Men’s 200 IM: Logan Ingerick (1:45.08)
• 8th – Men’s 500 Free: Levi Sandidge (4:18.80)
• 9th – Men’s 500 Free: Caue Gluck (4:18.99)
• 9th – Men’s 200 IM: Adomas Gatulis (1:46.56)

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