Cleveland, Ohio----- Opening day of the 2019 Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Championship meet belonged to San Jose State University senior Brenna Bushey.
No other swimmer in the meet had six races and could plan for multiple trips to the victory stand on the first of the three-day national meet consisting of 57 NCAA Division I programs at the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium.
A meet and school record in the 50 butterfly prelims, a fourth-place finish in the 50 backstroke championship final, swimming on two top-five finishing relay teams and a third in the 50 butterfly championship final summarized her day.
"I'd say that along with qualifying for the (2016) Olympic trials, this was Brenna's greatest day as a Spartan," said San Jose State women's swimming and diving head coach Sage Hopkins.
Bushey began with a bang posting a 24.05 her 50-butterfly heat. The old San Jose State record was 25.63 set by Ashlyn Acosta on October 14, 2011. Bushey shattered the meet mark of 24.72 set by Brigham Young's Haley Bertoldo at the 2015 championships. Her championship finals swim of 24.06 was nearly as fast and good for third place. New Mexico's Hedda Oristland posting a meet-record winning time of 23.83.
The Spartan senior from Littleton, Colo., placed fourth in the 50 backstroke final with a 25.18, now #2 on the school's all-time list.
Bushey swam the second leg of the 200 freestyle relay that was fourth and closed out her night on the 400 medley relay team that finished fifth.
With the help of relay teammates Antoinette Loya, Madelyn Sailors, Gabby Heng, Taylor Lehr and Chloe Limargo, San Jose State is fourth in the team standings after the first of the three-day championship with 146.5 points. The Spartans are ahead of Mountain West schools Boise State, seventh; New Mexico, 16th; and UNLV, 35th.
Loya, Sailors and Heng scored points for the Spartans in the 50 free. Lehr did the same placing 13th in the 50 back. Limargo was 15th in the 50 breaststroke.
"We had a tremendous day of racing led by Brenna competing in four separate events and breaking both a meet and SJSU record in the 50 fly. We had great swims across the board and are looking forward to getting back at it tomorrow (Friday) morning," concluded the Spartans head coach.
CSCAA National Invitational Championship
Robert F. Busbey Natatorium, Cleveland, Ohio
March 14, 2019
First of Three Days
Team scores (57 teams competing) – 1, Rice, 207. 2, Akron, 190. 3, Oakland, 149.5. 4, San Jose State, 146.5. 5, Florida International, 146. 6, Buffalo, 122. 7, Boise State, 121. 8, George Washington, 117.5. 9, tie, Ohio State, North Texas, 97.
200 freestyle relay (35 entries) – 1, Akron, 1:31.70. 2, Rice, 1:31.78. 3, Buffalo, 1:31.89. 4, San Jose State (Antoinette Loya, Brenna Bushey, Madelyn Sailors, Gabby Heng), 1:32.24.
50 butterfly final – 1, Hedda Oristland, New Mexico, 23.83, (new meet record, old record, 24.05, by Brenna Bushey, San Jose State, 2019). 2, Autumn D'Arcy, CSU Bakersfield, 23.85. 3, Brenna Bushey, San Jose State, 24.06. 4, Micaela Roemer, TCU, 24.23. 5, Britt Thurstin, North Texas, 24.40. More San Jose State entries – 43, Katie McIntee, 25.53.
50 breaststroke – 1, Elsa Lindberg, Washington State, 28.10. San Jose State entries – 15, Chloe Limargo, 29.38.
500 freestyle – No San Jose State entries
50 backstroke – 1, Devin Landstra, Ohio State, 24.70. 2, Tonner Debeer, Vanderbilt, 25.12. 3, Lauren Cooper, Akron, 25.14. 4, Brenna Bushey, San Jose State, 25.18. 5, Claire Young, Eastern Michigan, 25.27. More San Jose State entries – 13, Taylor Lehr, 25.74.
200 individual medley – 1, Abby Kirkpatrick, Indiana, 1:59.01. San Jose State entry – 33, Chloe Limargo, 2:05.95.
50 freestyle – 1, Katie Colwell, Oakland U., 22.80. San Jose State entries – 10, Antoinette Loya, 23.41. 17, Madelyn Sailors, 23.42. 18, Gabby Heng, 23.48. 29, tie, Katie McIntee, 23.70.
400 medley relay – 1, Akron, 3:39.54 (new meet record). 2, Florida International, 3:39.64. 3, Oakland, 3:39.90. 4, North Texas, 3:40.92. 5, San Jose State (Taylor Lehr, Chloe Limargo, Brenna Bushey, Gabby Heng), 3:41.87. 6, Rice, 3:41.87.