CARBONDALE, Ill. — For the second consecutive season, Bellarmine swimming traveled to the A3 Performance Invitational hosted by Southern Illinois and set six new records in the process.
 
Senior Jacob Dray broke his old record in the 100 butterfly, setting the new mark at 48.25.  Sam Jones claimed a new program record in the 500 freestyle at 4:32.50 (prelims) – breaking the old mark by over three seconds.  Jones also set a new freshman record in the 200 freestyle (1:42.16). 
 
The men also broke multiple team records.  The 200 freestyle relay squad of Will O'Connor, John Paul Metzner, Keegan Henderson, and Jacob Dray set a new program best at 1:23.18.  The 200 medley relay team of Blake Whiteley, John Paul Metzner, Jacob Dray, and Will O'Connor combined for a program record time of 1:30.62.  Finally, the 800 freestyle relay team of Blake Whiteley, Sam Jones, Brandon Thomas, and Greyson Williams set a new program best at 6:54.76.
 
For the weekend, the BU men's team earned third place, while the women's team claimed fourth place competing against SIU, Evansville, Eastern Illinois, Southern Indiana, and Valparaiso:
 
 
Women's Team Scores:
Southern Illinois – 1441.5
Evansville – 529.5
Eastern Illinois – 422
Bellarmine – 342
Southern Indiana – 245
Valparaiso - 214

Men's Team Scores:
Southern Illinois – 1114
Evansville – 656
Bellarmine – 503
Valparaiso – 320
Eastern Illinois – 283
Southern Indiana - 219
 
Individually, freshman Lauren Diercks recorded the top finish of the weekend for the women, earning fourth in the 100 backstroke.  Senior Anna Holt claimed the most top-eight finishes, swimming to fifth in the 200 butterfly, seventh in the 500 freestyle, and eighth in the 1650 freestyle. 
 
For the men, freshman Liam Connelly held the best individual finish of the weekend with a second place swim in the 1650 freestyle.  Fellow freshman Blake Whiteley had the most top-eight finishes, earning sixth in the 200 backstroke, seventh in the 100 butterfly, and seventh in the 100 backstroke.
 
Notable individual finishes for the women's team included:
Lauren Diercks – 4^th in the 100 backstroke (58.16), 7^th in the 200 backstroke (2:07.92)
Anna Holt – 5^th in the 200 butterfly (2:05.97), 7^th in the 500 freestyle (5:07.69), 8^th in 1650 freestyle (18:14.20)
Luiza Bonardi – 6^th in 1650 freestyle (18:10.85), 8^th in the 400 IM (4:48.17)
Caroline Mcmillin – 6^th in the 400 IM (4:37.51), 8^th in the 200 backstroke (2:07.95)
Elizabeth Stevenson – 7^th in the 50 freestyle (24.70)
Alexandra Pierce – 7^th in the 200 breaststroke (2:22.88)

Notable individual finishes for the men's team included:
Liam Connelly – 2^nd in the 1650 freestyle (16:19.88), 5^th in the 400 IM (4:05.02)
Brandon Thomas – 3^rd in the 400 IM (4:02.85)
Sam Russell – 3^rd in the 1650 freestyle (16:32.76)
Jacob Dray – 3^rd in the 100 butterfly (48.25), 5^th in the 200 butterfly (1:51.24)
Sam Jones – 4^th in the 500 freestyle (4:35.25), 7^th in the 200 freestyle (1:42.92)
John Paul Metzner – 6^th in the 100 butterfly (49.42), 7^th in the 100 breaststroke (57.21)
Blake Whiteley – 6^th in the 200 backstroke (1:51.98), 7^th in the 100 butterfly (49.99), 7^th in the 100 backstroke (51.36)
Cason Henderson – 6^th in the 200 butterfly (1:52.89), 8^th in the 400 IM (4:10.35)
Kenton Whiteley – 7^th in the 200 IM (1:54.72)
Greyson Williams – 8^th in the 200 backstroke (1:55.84)

 
Both swim teams will now take time off before competing next semester at the Evansville Invitational on Jan. 14, 2023. 

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights) and Facebook (BUKnights).