The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Zippy Invitational
Akron Wins 2023 Zippy Invitational, Daniel Eclipses Second MAC Record
December 03 | Women's Swimming & Diving
AKRON, Ohio – The Akron women's swimming and diving team won the 2023 Zippy Invitational with 2,086 points and a 316-point lead over the field behind a pair of Mid-American Conference record-breaking performances and several meet, school and pool records this weekend at Ocasek Natatorium.
Abigail Daniel had another record-breaking performance as she rewrote the Mid-American Conference mark and meet records in the 200-yard butterfly with a 1:55.87 time. The previous MAC record was held by Akron's Sarah Watson since 2021 (1:55.98) and the Zippy Invitational mark was set by Akron's Paulina Nogaj (1:56.49) in 2019. Rachel Sabotin earned silver with a 1:58.37 (NCAA B Cut).
The Akron 400-yard freestyle relay squad ended the meet in dominant fashion as Madelyn Gatrall (50.05), Daniel (48.74), Weronika Gorecka (49.15) and Rebecca Reid (48.97) set a new meet record, eclipsing the 3:16.95 mark set by Buffalo in 2021. The Zips also earned runner-up with Kaja Reinhardt (51.20), Mia Latimer (50.48), Brienne Trumpower (50.15) and Rachel Sabotin (49.65) on a 3:21.48 time.
Akron posted wins in the 200-yard backstroke and breaststroke events as Gorecka won with a 1:54.38 NCAA B Cut time followed by Gatrall in second with a 1:55.86 NCAA standard. Reid added a fourth-place finish with a 1:57.75 time.
In the 200 Breast event, Madeline Dyer led the three-medal sweep, claiming gold with a 2:13.11 NCAA B Cut ledger. Sara Bozso claimed silver with a 2:13.62 (NCAA B Cut) and Giovanna Cappabianca captured bronze (2:14.65).
Adding to the Zips' medal count were Ella Couture and Mia Latimer as Couture clocked a 16:53.43 time in the 1650-yard freestyle and Latimer posted a 50.70 bronze medal showing.
On the men's side, five of six records fell on the final day of competition. Cornell's Joseph Gurski broke the 200-yard butterfly pool and meet record with a 1:45.25 in prelims, replacing the 1:45.95 mark set in 2022 by Andrew Dai of Penn. He replaced his mark in the finals with a 1:44.85 record time. The men's 1650-yard freestyle saw UCSB'sTaberdaCosta post a new pool and meet record with a 15:08.16 time, surpassing the 15:13.49 time set in 2022 by Keiser's Aaron Williams. UCSB's Matt Driscoll broke the pool and meet records in the 200-yard backstroke with a 1:42.70 time replacing the 1:43.26 mark set in 2022 by Penn's Mark McCrary. Oakland's Christian Bart posted a 43.26 which stands as new pool and meet records, erasing the 43.66 set in 2013 by St. Bonaventure's ViacheslavShchukin. Cornell's 400-yard freestyle relay team captured the final record of the meet with a 2:54.43 time, replacing the 2:55.49 time set by Oakland in 2022.
The Akron divers will be back in action on Friday through Sunday, Jan. 12-14 at the Buffalo Diving Invite hosted by Buffalo at Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool. The swimmers and divers hit the water the following week as the Zips host Eastern Michigan for a dual meet at 5 p.m. at Ocasek Natatorium.
2023 New Meet Records
Women –
Abigail Daniel (Akron) - 200 yard Individual Medley - 1:56.78 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Madelyn Gatrall, Madeline Dyer, Abigail Daniel, Rebecca Reid (Akron) – 400 yard Medley Relay – 3:34.22
Abigail Daniel - 100 yard Butterfly – 51.31 (NCAA DI B Standard) + MAC Record
Abigail Daniel (Akron) – 200-Yard Butterfly – 1:55.87 (NCAA DI B Standard) + MAC Record
Maddy Gatrall, Abigail Daniel, Weronika Gorecka, Rebecca Reid – 400-Yard Freestyle Relay (Akron)
Men –
Jonas Cantrell (Oakland) – 500 yard Freestyle – 4:18.47 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Matt Driscoll (UCSB) – 100 yard Backstroke – 46.31 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Austin Sparrow (UCSB) – 200 yard Freestyle – 1:35.26 (NCAA DI B Standarn)
Harry Nicholson, Charlie Brown, Jack Wike, Christian Bart (Oakland) – 200 yard Freestyle Relay – 1:18.34
Joseph Gurski (Cornell) – 200 yard Butterfly – 1:45.25 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Dominic Edwards, Paige Dacosta, Sebastian Wolf, Jacques Grove (Cornell) 400-yard Freestyle Relay – 2:54.43
Joseph Gurski (Cornell) – 200-Yard Butterfly – 1:44.85 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Christian Bart (Oakland) – 100-Yard Freestyle – 43.26 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Matt Driscoll (USCB) – 200-Yard Backstroke – 1:42.70 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Tabor daCosta (USCB) -1650-Yard Freestyle – 15:08.16 (NCAA DI B Standard)
2023 New Pool Records
Women –
Abigail Daniel - 100 yard Butterfly – 51.31 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Men –
Jonas Cantrell (Oakland) – 500 yard Freestyle – 4:18.47 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Matt Driscoll (UCSB) – 100 yard backstroke – 46.31 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Austin Sparrow (UCSB) – 200 yard freestyle – 1:35.26 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Harry Nicholson, Charlie Brown, Jack Wike, Christian Bart (Oakland) – 200 yard Freestyle Relay – 1:18.34
Joseph Gurski (Cornell) – 200 yard Butterfly – 1:45.25 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Joseph Gurski (Cornell) – 200-Yard Butterfly – 1:44.85 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Christian Bart (Oakland) – 100-Yard Freestyle – 43.26 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Matt Driscoll (USCB) – 200-Yard Backstroke – 1:42.70 (NCAA DI B Standard)
Tabor daCosta (USCB) -1650-Yard Freestyle – 15:08.16 (NCAA DI B Standard)
| Akron | 2,086 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 1,770 |
| Cornell | 1,491 |
| Oakland | 1,136 |
| Keiser | 704 |
| Clarion | 544 |
| Eastern Illinois | 242 |
Players Mentioned
