Get ready for an exhilarating evening of swimming as we dive into the first night of finals at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center! The 2025 Minnesota Invite is about to heat up, and we've got all the action covered for you.
The Golden Bears Shine in Prelims
Cal's swimmers had a golden start to the day, with Claire Weinstein and Ryan Erisman maintaining their top-seeded positions in the 500 free prelims. Mia West, another Cal swimmer, made waves by lowering her lifetime best in the 200 IM, securing the top seed for tonight's final. But here's where it gets controversial: West's time of 1:55.25 puts her nearly two and a half seconds ahead of Kiley Wilhelm of Harvard. Will this advantage hold up in the final?
In the men's 200 IM, Kenneth Barnicle led a trio of Cal freshmen to the top of the prelims. Barnicle, Casper Puggaard, and Caiden Bowers showcased their talent, with just two-tenths of a second separating the top four swimmers. It's a tight race, and we can't wait to see how it unfolds tonight.
Mary-Ambre Moluh's Lightning-Fast 50 Free
Cal's Mary-Ambre Moluh dominated the women's 50 free prelims, clocking the only sub-22-second time of the morning with an impressive 21.94. This performance sets her up as the top seed for the final, and we're eager to see if she can maintain her speed and claim the victory.
But wait, there's more! Lucca Battaglini, a sophomore Golden Bear, swam a lifetime best in the men's 50 free prelims, clocking an impressive 18.78. This swim not only secured him the top seed for tonight but also made him the sixth fastest performer in Cal's history. Talk about a breakthrough performance!
Relay Drama and Record-Breaking Potential
The women's 200 free relay kicked off Night 1 with a bang, as Cal's 'A' relay, which would have finished first in 1:26.27, was disqualified. This left their 'B' relay as the victors, with a strong performance from Gracyn Aquino, who led off with a quick 22.51. The race was tight, with the top three teams within a second of each other, and five teams touching within a second for fourth place. It's anyone's game!
In the men's 200 free relay, Cal's 'A' relay tied for the fifth fastest time in the country this year with a blazing 1:15.74. Lucca Battaglini, the top seed in the 50 free, kept up his momentum with a strong 18.45 split on the second leg. Nans Mazellier also contributed a sub-19 leg, anchoring in a scorching 18.98. Harvard and UNLV's relays gave it their all, but Cal's anchor legs proved too fast to catch.
Individual Events Take Center Stage
The women's 500 free final saw Cal dominate with a 6-2 advantage over Harvard. Claire Weinstein, the pre-finals favorite, lived up to expectations, touching the wall in a final time of 4:34.81, the fourth fastest time in the country this year. Ella Cosgrove, a first-year Cal swimmer, put up an impressive performance, finishing second and setting a new season best. Camille Henveaux completed the Cal sweep by jumping from seventh in prelims to third in the final.
In the men's 500 free, Cal freshman Ryan Erisman entered the final with a near four-second cushion between himself and teammate Nathan Wiffen. Erisman's finals swim of 4:12.78 was just a few ticks better than his prelims best, and he established himself as the man to beat by the 200-meter mark. Wiffen and Freddy Klein battled it out for second and third, with Wiffen pulling away at the 400-meter mark.
The women's 200 IM final was a Cal showcase, with Teagan O'Dell taking the win in a season-best 1:54.49. Mia West, who dominated the prelims, finished second, but still managed to put up her fastest performance ever. O'Dell's backstroke and breaststroke splits were particularly impressive, and she outperformed her morning swim by nearly two seconds on the final 50.
In the men's 200 IM, Cal's freshman trio of Kenneth Barnicle, Caiden Bowers, and Casper Puggaard finished top three, just as they did in prelims. Barnicle flew to a lifetime best in 1:44.81, bettering his previous mark by nearly half a second. Bowers also knocked down his best time, with a final time of 1:45.65.
The women's 50 free final saw Cal's Mary-Ambre Moluh clock an even better sub-22 time of 21.79, an improvement on her morning swim. Cal senior Sydney Griscavage continued to lower her lifetime best, finishing second in 22.13. Morgan Thomas of Minnesota jumped up two spots to finish third, improving on her morning performance.
In the men's 50 free, Lucca Battaglini, the top seed, touched the wall just one hundredth of a second slower than his prelims time, finishing in 18.79. UNLV's Bryson Huey lowered his best time to take second in 19.02, while Evan Petty of Cal also notched a new lifetime best for third place.
Medley Relays Wrap Up Night 1
The women's 400 medley relay was all Cal, with the 'A' relay never trailing after Mary-Ambre Moluh's quick 50.92 backstroke leg. Silje Slyngstadli, Annie Jia, and Mia West continued the dominance, with West providing the anchor leg to cement the win in 3:28.54. Cal's 'B' relay also clocked a fast time, with Claire Weinstein contributing a strong closing split.
In the men's 400 medley relay, Harvard's 'A' relay managed to capture the crown, finishing just under a second ahead of Minnesota in 3:09.23. The anchor swim from Sonny Wang was crucial, as he charged to the wall in 42.36, over a second and a half faster than Minnesota's Ian Steffen. Harvard's Joshua Chen also outpaced Minnesota's Max Scheurer in the 100 breast, contributing to the winning margin.
As we wrap up Night 1 of the 2025 Minnesota Invite, it's clear that Cal's Golden Bears are a force to be reckoned with. But Harvard and Minnesota are not far behind, and we can expect some fierce competition as the meet progresses. Who will emerge as the overall champions? Stay tuned to find out!
