Bennett, Grace, Holmberg & 400 Medley Set Records
Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney Aqualopers broke four school records and had 12 other all-time Top 10 efforts at the Augustana Invitational this weekend in Sioux Falls. The three-day meet ran from Thursday through Saturday and featured men's and women's squads. UNK faced Division I members South Dakota and South Dakota State as well as D2 brethren Augie, Minnesota State, Sioux Falls, Mary (N.D.), Northern State, Concordia-St. Paul and Southwest Minnesota State, D3 member Minnesota-Morris, Iowa Central C.C. and the College of Saint Mary. USD led the women's standings (1,664 points) with rival SDSU (1,082) close behind. UNK tallied 53 points to come in ahead of both St. Mary and Minnesota-Morris. On Friday the 400-medley relay team of Kansas freshman Gabby Grace, Columbus junior Emily Miksch, Colorado sophomore Karley Bennett and Colorado freshman Joy Graziano turned in a 4:01.90 to place 13th. It was UNK's highest finish in the relays with the time easily besting the school mark of 4:03.52 which was set in February 2020. The 200-meldey squad (21st/1:49.91) got close to the school record (1:49.87) but literally fell just short. Grace and Miksch swam the first two legs and were followed by Norfolk senior Audrey Stelling and Norfolk freshman Maggie Waddington. UNK had 16 top 10 all-time swims in individual events with Bennett first breaking a school record on Thursday in the 100-butterfly. Her 59.57 allowed her to finish 33rd and vault up four spots on the UNK top 10 and past record holder Cassie Bonds (59.84; Feb. 2012). She then had the program's fifth best effort in the 200-individual medley (2:16.64). Also in Thursday's prelims and finals, Waddington was 44th in the 50 free (24.58) with a time that places her third on the all-time list with Graziano one spot back (24.61). Finally, Colorado freshman Caralea Holmberg was 32nd in the 500 free with the UNK's fourth best all-time swim (5:24.36).
Grace took center stage Friday, breaking a 22-year-old school mark in the 100-backstroke. Her prelim time of 1:00.31 bests the 1:00.51 Sarah Seaman managed in February 1990. It was UNK's oldest record remaining. Earlier, Bennett reached the 100-breaststroke finals and swam an 1:08.38 to place 27th. The time moves into second place all-time, trailing only Aqualoper great Yohara Salians (1:06.30; March 1992). Finally on day two, both Graziano (2:00.65) and Waddington (2:00.68) moved into the top 10 in the 200-freeestyle. Holmberg broke the last record in Saturday's prelims, having a 1:02.08 in the 100-individual medley. She went on to place 22nd overall with her morning effort besting the 1:02.65 Rebecca Shaw swam in February 2017. Graziano (1:02.82) and Miksch (1:02.97) are right behind her in second and fourth place, respectively. Next, Holmberg moved up to fourth all-time in the 200-backstroke (prelim 2:13.68) with Graziano now second in the 100-free (prelim 53.62). Finally, Bennett is now seventh in Loper lore in the 200-breaststroke (2:35.96) with Colorado freshman Lauren Carlson (116.90) leading UNK on the 1-meter board and McCook freshman Shayann Parlier tops on the 3-meter board (124.05). Both came in 18th overall. UNK is now off until January when it heads to California for a training trip and the OC Invitational at D2-member Concordia-Irvine. The RMAC Championships are then back at Colorado Mesa in mid-February.
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