MANSFIELD, Texas --- The Texas A&M women's swimming team tallied four race victories and nearly 20 individual NCAA qualifying cuts on day one of the Art Adamson Invitational on Thursday at the Mansfield ISD Natatorium.
The host Aggies logged victories in the 500-yard freestyle, the 200 IM, the 50 free and the 400 medley relay and stand atop the team standings with 649 points. Chasing the Aggies are LSU (410), Arizona State (335), Boise State (190), TCU (121), SMU (106) and Incarnate Word (49).
Senior Sarah Gibson dominated the field in the 500 free with a winning time of 4:40.69, which was over three seconds ahead of the runner-up finisher. Also tallying NCAA "B" cuts in the race were senior Sycerika McMahon, sophomore Claire Rasmus and freshman Katie Portz.
Just like at last year's SEC Championships, the Aggies' IM crew was dominant at the Adamson with sophomore Sydney Pickrem and juniors Lisa Bratton and Bethany Galat grabbing the top three spots in the 200 IM. Pickrem grabbed first in 1:56.14 and was followed closely by Bratton in 1:57.58 and Galat in 1:57.68. Also going faster than the 2:01.59 NCAA "B" cut time were junior Esther Gonzalez, sophomore Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo, junior Kristin Malone and senior Ashley McGregor.
Junior Beryl Gastaldello won the 50 freestyle by over a half-second with a swift time of 21.94, which was less than .20 of a second off her school record in the race. Also tallying NCAA "B" cuts were Gibson, Galat and redshirt freshman Raena Eldridge.
The Aggies closed day one with a strong victory in the 400-yard medley relay. The foursome of Bratton, junior Jorie Caneta, Gibson and Gastaldello touched the wall in 3:32.89, which was over two seconds faster than the second place finisher. In the lone race that they didn't win, the Aggie foursome of Gastaldello, Gibson, Galat and Malone placed second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:29.99.
The Art Adamson Invitational continues on Friday with the prelims starting at 9:30 a.m. and the finals at 6 p.m.
The host Aggies logged victories in the 500-yard freestyle, the 200 IM, the 50 free and the 400 medley relay and stand atop the team standings with 649 points. Chasing the Aggies are LSU (410), Arizona State (335), Boise State (190), TCU (121), SMU (106) and Incarnate Word (49).
Senior Sarah Gibson dominated the field in the 500 free with a winning time of 4:40.69, which was over three seconds ahead of the runner-up finisher. Also tallying NCAA "B" cuts in the race were senior Sycerika McMahon, sophomore Claire Rasmus and freshman Katie Portz.
Just like at last year's SEC Championships, the Aggies' IM crew was dominant at the Adamson with sophomore Sydney Pickrem and juniors Lisa Bratton and Bethany Galat grabbing the top three spots in the 200 IM. Pickrem grabbed first in 1:56.14 and was followed closely by Bratton in 1:57.58 and Galat in 1:57.68. Also going faster than the 2:01.59 NCAA "B" cut time were junior Esther Gonzalez, sophomore Monika Gonzalez-Hermosillo, junior Kristin Malone and senior Ashley McGregor.
Junior Beryl Gastaldello won the 50 freestyle by over a half-second with a swift time of 21.94, which was less than .20 of a second off her school record in the race. Also tallying NCAA "B" cuts were Gibson, Galat and redshirt freshman Raena Eldridge.
The Aggies closed day one with a strong victory in the 400-yard medley relay. The foursome of Bratton, junior Jorie Caneta, Gibson and Gastaldello touched the wall in 3:32.89, which was over two seconds faster than the second place finisher. In the lone race that they didn't win, the Aggie foursome of Gastaldello, Gibson, Galat and Malone placed second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:29.99.
The Art Adamson Invitational continues on Friday with the prelims starting at 9:30 a.m. and the finals at 6 p.m.