Scot Swimmers Perform Well At Allegheny Invite

Jenny Bayuk

"I was very pleased with the performance this weekend," commented Wooster's head coach Keith Beckett about his women's team. "This meet was a good preparation for the December Invite. Every women contributed to these wins, and I'm happy with the results."

Highlighting Friday's individual results for the Scot women was sophomore Jenny Bayuk, who won the 100 breaststroke and qualified for the NCAA Championships in that event (1:08.55). Also playing an instrumental role in the relays, Bayuk combined with junior Jessica Ritchie, sophomore Erin Popelka, and freshman Kayla Heising to win the 200 medley relay and better their national qualifying time (1:50.71).

Four noteworthy wins on the women's side in Saturday's action came from sophomore Jody Bray, Popelka, Ritchie, and junior Beth Starling. Bray topped the field in the mile (18:29.12), Popelka led the way in the 400 individual medley (4:50.73), Ritchie posted a first-place finish in the 200 backstroke (2:15.61), and Starling won the 200 breaststroke (2:31.06).

In men's action, freshman Jim Gilchrist had a strong weekend by winning the 200 individual medley during Friday's sprint invite (2:05.21) and then following that with Wooster's lone first-place showing on Saturday, claiming victory in the 400 individual medley (4:31.11).

Other notable individual performances for the Scots included senior Wes Bennett's victory in the 100 freestyle on Friday (49.29) and sophomore Alex Hastie's three runner-up finishes on Saturday. Hastie was second in the 200 butterfly (2:09.41), 500 freestyle (5:08.19), and the mile (18:17.05).

Beckett stated, "The men scored more points than ever before (at this meet). I was very pleased with the second-place finish on Friday."

Both Wooster's men's and women's teams return to action this Saturday (Nov. 18) when it hosts John Carroll University in a dual-meet, starting at 1 p.m.