Boys, Combined swim team 3rd at Excel Invitational
Rusznak breaks 500 freestyle school record
The USN swimming Tigers traveled to Brentwood, TN to take part in the 2012 Excel Invitational. The boys team and combined team each earned third place out of 22 teams at the meet.
The boys were led by sophomore Mark Rusznak, who broke the school record in the 500 freestyle, finishing fourth in 5:00.32. The previous record belonged to Robert Stuhr ’07. Rusznak added a third place finish in the 100 backstroke shortly after the 500.
Other outstanding swims came from Kellon Patey, who dropped 7 seconds in his 500 freestyle and earned a spot on the USN All-time Top 10 list; William Doak and Justin Maffett, who earned new State qualifying times; and John Coogan, Bobby Wingo, Neil Zheng, and Will Jones, who all swam two lifetime bests.
Notably, the boys’ 200 medley (Rusznak, Nicholas Ng, Holt Akers-Campbell, Doak) and 400 freestyle relays (Ng, Coogan, Maffett, Rusznak) both finished third, earning times on the USN All-time Top 10 list.
The girls team finished 11th overall. They were led by freshman Elena Escalas, who finished second in the 100 butterfly and 10th in the 200 freestyle, earning USN all-time Top 10 swims in both. Her classmate Alexandria Yu earned a new Region qualifying time in the 50 freestyle. Senior Ellen Jones added a lifetime best swim in the 100 breaststroke, and sophomore Katie Hein added two lifetime bests in the 50 and 100 freestyles.
