MINNEAPOLIS – The first session of racing at the two-day Minnesota Challenge saw the Carleton College men's swimming & diving team compete in five events: the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard breaststroke, 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard IM, and 50-yard freestyle. This year's field includes some of the top programs in the MIAC plus two NCAA Division I programs.
The unscored competition serves as the final meet of the season for some squad members, while the rest of the roster uses the weekend as a final tune-up for the upcoming MIAC Championships to be held on Feb. 16-19.
Collin Eldridge (Fy./Cameron Park, Calif./Union Mine) was Carleton's top finisher in the 100 fly with a season-best time of 55.53. He placed 17th overall.
Nathan Hedgecock (Jr./Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) took seventh place in the 100 breast at 1:00.30, establishing a new season best.
Teagan Johnson (Jr./Byron Center, Mich./Byron Center) finished 17th in the 500 free (5:05.09), reaching the wall ahead of
Jamie Willmore (Sr./Salt Lake City, Utah/Rowland Hall St. Marks),
Max Serota (Fy./Philadelphia, Penn./Lower Merion) and Eldrige, who placed 18th, 19th, and 20th, respectively, with times of 5:05.93, 5:08.25, and 5:09.40. All four Knights established new season-bests after dropping significant time.
Carl Zhang (Jr./Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron) earned 11th place in the 200-yard IM (season-best 2:02.77), while five of those ahead of him were D-I swimmers.
Hedgecock turned in Carleton's top result in the 50 free, finishing in a three-way tie for 23rd at 22.98, once again his top time of the year.
Up Next for the Knights
Session II is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. on Saturday with the 400 IM, 200 free, 100 back and 1650 free. The weekend concludes Saturday night with Session III at 6 p.m. which features the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and 200 fly.
