Cleveland, Ohio ----- San Jose State University heads into the third and final day of the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Championships firmly entrenched in fourth place.
The Spartans again turned to their scoring formula of strong relay finishes and senior Brenna Bushey leading the way to reach to their point total of 256.5. Akron is the second day team leader at 410. Rice at 390 and Florida International at 309 also are ahead of San Jose State.
"We had another tremendous night highlighted by Brenna's silver medal performance (in the 100 fly) and two very good relays," said San Jose State women's swimming and diving head coach Sage Hopkins whose team remains the top-scoring Mountain West squad ahead of ninth-place Boise State, 18th-place New Mexico and 31st-place UNLV.
Bushey swam the butterfly leg of the Spartans 200 medley relay that placed fourth with a season-best 1:40.87, #6 on the school's all-time list. Taylor Lehr and freshman Chloe Limargo preceded Bushey in the pool with Madelyn Sailors swimming the anchor leg.
The senior from Littleton, Colo., concluded her night placing second in the 100 butterfly, her specialty, in 53.65. She now has a second, a third (50 butterfly) and a fourth (50 backstroke) in three individual events.
Limargo was the Spartans' other top-10 individual event finisher on day two. She posted a season-best 1:02.37 time in the 100 breaststroke, good for eighth place and the #3-spot on San Jose State career chart.
The Spartans closed out their second successful night at the national meet with Lehr, Katie McIntee, Kendal Guy and Gabby Heng teaming up for fifth place in the 800 freestyle relay. In four relays, San Jose State has two fourths and two fifth-place finishes. Team leader Akron and the Spartans are the only two schools with a top-five finish in the four relay races the first two days.
"I'd especially like to acknowledge the tremendous performance and leadership of our three senior captains (Bushey, Lehr and Guy)," Hopkins added.
The meet concludes on Saturday, March 16 with eight swimming and four diving events.
CSCAA National Invitational Championships
Robert F. Busbey Natatorium, Cleveland, Ohio
March 15, 2019
Day Two of Three
Team scores through 15 events (57 competing teams) – 1, Akron, 410. 2, Rice, 390. 3, Florida International, 309. 4, San Jose State, 256.5. 5, Buffalo, 210.
200 medley relay (34 teams competing) – 1, Akron, 1:39.18 (new meet record). 2, Florida International, 1:40.45. 3, Denver, 1:40.74. 4, San Jose State (Taylor Lehr, Chloe Limargo, Brenna Bushey, Madelyn Sailors), 1:40.87. 5, Rice, 1:41.42.
400 individual medley – no San Jose State entries
100 butterfly – 1, Autumn D'Arcy, CSU Bakersfield, 52.95. 2, Brenna Bushey, 53.65. 3, Delaney Walz, Navy, 53.72. More San Jose State entries – 48, tie, Antoinette Loya, 57.09.
200 freestyle – San Jose State entries – 22, Katie McIntee, 1:50.67. 34, Taylor Lehr, 1:51.63. 35, Gabby Heng, 1:51.65.
100 breaststroke – 1. Abigail Kirkpatrick, Indiana, 1:00.51 (new meet record). 2, Sara Gyertyanffy, Florida International, 1:01.32. San Jose State entry – 8, Chloe Limargo, 1:02.37.
100 backstroke – no San Jose State entries
800 freestyle relay (24 teams competing) – 1, Rice, 7:15.81. 2, Denver, 7:17.32. 3, Akron, 7:19.29. 4, Florida International, 7:19.56. 5, San Jose State (Taylor Lehr, Katie McIntee, Kendal Guy, Gabby Heng, 7:20.88). 6, South Carolina, 7:22.98.
