SAN ANTONIO – The 24th-ranked Trinity men's swimming & diving team had another strong day and continued to lead after the second day at the weekend's Tiger Invitational on Saturday.
The Trinity men more than doubled their lead from day one, finishing tonight's finals with a whopping 833 points scored. University of Texas-Permian Basin has scored 648 to stand second after two days, while Loyola University-New Orleans (LA) is third with 391 points. Southwestern University (TX) is third with 234 points, followed by McMurry University (TX) in fifth with 87 points.
Another day of dominant performances in the morning prelims left the Tigers set up nicely for the finals session in the evening. Prior to the finals, though,
Max Rolla-Mullis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) had a strong day in the men's 1-meter diving event. He finished second with a score of 231.65 that was just over five points from the top spot on the low board.
The swim finals began with Trinity winning the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:32.29 that is the eighth-fastest time in school history. The team consisted of
Enzo Fiorese (McKinney, Texas / Heritage),
John Key (El Paso, Texas / Franklin),
William Walker (Houston, Texas / Westside), and
Nathan Perez (Alpharetta, Ga. / Johns Creek). The team of
John Fontenot (Austin, Texas / St. Andrew's),
Caleb Del Rosario (Sudbury, Mass. / Lincoln-Sudbury),
Trace Briones (San Antonio, Texas / Health Careers), and
Daniel Itkins (Houston, Texas / The Village School) touched in third place with a time of 1:34.71.
Perez followed with a second-place finish in the 100 butterfly, clocking in a time of 50.18 seconds that puts him ninth on Trinity's all-time list. Walker was fifth in the event with a time of 50.70 seconds. Fiorese was fifth in the prelims this morning with a time of 50.58 seconds, but he didn't race in tonight's final.
William Kitto IV (Prairieview, La. / Catholic High School) finished eighth in 52.04 seconds and Briones won the B final to finish ninth in a time of 51.63 to lead four Tigers in the consolation race.
Maybe the best event of the night for the Tigers was the 400 individual medley, which featured four Tiger swimmers in the finals. Key won the race with a time of 4:01.62 that is less than two seconds off his Trinity record time.
Grant Bibza (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) was second with a time of 4:03.20 that moves him up to fourth on the school record board.
Ryan O'Leary (Austin, Texas / Austin) was fourth in 4:04.80 and he was also less than two seconds from his personal-best time that ranks second in school history.
William Sikes (Pittsboro, N.C. / Woods Charter) rounded out the Tiger finalists in the event by finishing seventh in 4:18.03.
Luke Fender (Jackson, Miss. / St. Andrew's Episcopal) continued to impress in his first season, setting a new personal record to win the 200 freestyle. Fender's time of 1:38.71 improves his time that is still third in school history. Walker swam third in the prelims with a time of 1:42.07, but Perez was the next Tiger finisher in the finals. Perez was fifth in a time of 1:43.09 in the race.
Key won the 100 breaststroke race with a time of 56.35 seconds that is a mere 0.03 from his previous best that ranks third on the Trinity list. Coming in second was del Rosario in a time of 56.37 seconds that vaults him up to fourth in school history.
The final event of the evening was the 100 backstroke and was won by Fiorese. He finished in 50.74 seconds to take gold, which is just 0.18 from his personal record that was set last night at the Tiger Invite while racing the leadoff of the 400 medley relay. Fontenot was sixth in the race with a time of 53.13, followed by
Owen Flynn (Guthrie, Okla. / Heritage Hall) in seventh. Itkins won the B final with a time of 52.96 seconds.
Coach Speak
While we're starting to feel the effects of a short rest on a championship meet format, the guys didn't let fatigue get in their way," said Head Coach
Cathleen Pruden. "We still saw improvement from prelims to finals as well as a few lifetime best times. Tomorrow will be a challenge, but a great preview of the grit SCAC Championships will require."
Up Next
Trinity will complete the final day at the Tiger Invite on Sunday, as both teams look to finish off the team victories. With diving finishing its competition today, just the swim teams will compete in prelims at 10:00 a.m., and then finals at 5:00 p.m.
