There is arguably nothing better on a frigid weekend in Ohio than breaking records. That is just what the swimming team did this past weekend at the Zippy Invitational.
The three-day event took place at the Ocasek Natatorium, the home of the Akron Zips. The Bulls have a history of success competing in the Zippy Invitational, an event notorious for hosting stiff competition, and have usually posted season-best times and set school records. In this year's edition, the men's team placed first and the women's team finished third.
From the start of the tournament on Friday, the four-man team of freshman Phil Aronica and sophomores Josh Meints, Cory Zorsch, and Matt Hogan posted a season-best time of 3:24.05 in the 400-yard medley relay. The time was fast enough to take first in the competition, beating out second-place Xavier by nine tenths of a second.
Despite placing second, Hogan would make another season-best time in this first day of competition in the 200-yard individual medley. Hogan's time of 1:53.18 was only 3.33 seconds away from first place.
On the women's side, sophomore Caroline Simmons had a season-best time of 23.57 in the women's 50-yard freestyle.
On the second day, Aronica and Hogan joined sophomore Matt Schwippert and junior Jared Heine in the 200-yard medley relay. Aronica and Hogan ignited impressive team chemistry with Schwippert and Heine. The team accomplished not only a season-best time, but the group broke a pool and meet record with a time of 1:32.06, topping the previous record held by Xavier by eight tenths of a second.
On his successful streak, Aronica also won an individual title in the backstroke with a season-best time of 50.11 seconds.
Junior Colin Patrican of the diving team won a title with a six-dive total of 302.35 points.
As the invitational came to a close on Sunday, the Bulls showed no intention of slowing down.
In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Hogan and Heine, along with freshman Mike Dugan and junior Simon Proudfoot, claimed first place with a meet record time of 3:03.88.
In the 200-yard freestyle, Schwippert won with a season-best time of 1:50.43.
Freshman Eric Culver won the 1,650-yard freestyle race with a time of 16:08.90.
At the end of the tournament, the men's team totaled 1,626 points, beating out second-place Xavier by 157 points. The women's team came in third, only 145.5 points out of second place. Ohio took first with 1,562 points, and Illinois State finished second with 1,146 points.
The season will come to a brief pause, as the next time the Bulls will dive into action will be on Jan. 15, when they will host the Binghamton Bearcats at Alumni Arena Natatorium.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com