UCLA
Ohio State Invitational
UCLA Wraps Up at the 2022 Ohio State Invite
November 19, 2022 | Swimming & Diving
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The UCLA swim team had a solid showing at the Ohio State Invitational over the weekend, finishing in fifth place overall out of 13 teams with a score of 1,004.50.
Over the course of the three-day meet, the Bruins set 17 new best times, had 10 separate top-10 individual finishes, and recorded season-best times in all five relay races.
The host Buckeyes finished first at the meet, followed by Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia Tech. Despite not entering any divers and scratching a large amount of swimmers on Saturday, UCLA was one of just five squads to break the 1,000-point barrier.
Day 1 Recap
The Bruins' first day at the Ohio State Invitational was highlighted by nine best times and pair of A Finalists in the 50 free finals.
UCLA opened the final sessions of day one with a fourth-place result in the 200 free, with the quartet of Rachel Rhee, Sophia Kosturos, Maddie Wright, and Claire Grover going a season-best 1:29.39.
Five Bruins qualified for finals in the 500 free, led by freshman Katrina Bellio who placed seventh overall at 4:45.07. Bellio went a best time of 4:47.59 in prelims, and then one-upped herself for a new best time in the finals session. Freshman Beril Bocekler also set a pair of best times in the 500 free, ending up at 4:49.19 in finals, good for 22nd place.
Sophomore Ana Jih-Schiff was UCLA's top performer in the 200 IM, breaking the two-minute barrier for the first time in her career during prelims (1:59.98) and placing 20th in finals at 2:02.34. Freshman Rosie Murphy also set a best time at 2:00.39 in the finals to take 23rd.
UCLA had eight individuals qualify for the 50 free finals, highlighted by A Finalists Rachel Rhee (22.31, fourth) and Claire Grover (22.36, fifth). A trio of Bruins set best times in the 50 free during prelims, including Rhee (22.28), Wright (22.82), and sophomore Eva Carlson (23.35).
The Bruins went on to close out day one with a top-five finish in the 400 medley relay. UCLA's top team – Kosturos, Carlson, Gabby Dang, and Grover – had a season-best time of 3:35.16, nearly 10 seconds faster than the squad's previous-best time this year.
Day 2 Recap
Gabby Dang led the Bruins at the second day of the Ohio State Invite with a highlight-reel performance in the 100 fly.
Dang went a best time of 52.00 flat to finish first in the 100 fly prelims. That time, easily an NCAA B Cut, would have made her the No. 22 seed in the 100 fly at last year's NCAA Championships. She followed up her prelims performance with a 53.19 in finals, good for seventh-place. Freshman Fay Lustria (54.99) and Grover (55.68) also qualified for the 100 fly finals.
The Bruins had a strong opening to day two finals, finishing runner-up in the 200 medley relay with a season-best time of 1:37.28.
Sophomore Paige MacEachern continued UCLA's strong day two showing in the next event, going a best time of 4:09.49 in the 400 IM to grab a third-place result. Kolessar also finished top-10 at 4:20.77.
Bellio was UCLA's top racer in the 200 free, notching a best time of 1:47.47 to place 11th. She led a contingent of five Bruins to qualify for finals in that event.
Jih-Schiff (1:01.36) and Carlson (1:02.20) placed 9-10 in the 100 breast to bring home a pair of top-10 finishes for UCLA. Jih-Schiff had previously recorded a best time (1:01.14) during prelims.
Kosturos was UCLA's top finisher in the 100 back finals, taking 10th at 53.83.
The Bruins closed out day two with another top-five relay finish, taking fifth in the 800 free relay at 7:17.78.
Day 3 Recap
UCLA wrapped up the OSU Invite with another season-best relay time and another top-10 individual finish.
A trio of Bruins finished in the top-17 in the mile, with MacEachern placing 13th at 16:37.91 and Bellio going a best time of 16:44.29 to place 16th.
Rosie Murphy led the way for UCLA in the 200 back, shaving over three seconds off her prelims time in the finals to take 22nd place at 1:57.04.
In the next race, Brooke Schaffer paced the Bruins with a 50.72 in the 100 free.
Jih-Schiff then had another standout performance in the breaststroke, posting a best time of 2:12.15 in prelims to make another A Final. She ultimately placed eighth at 2:13.56.
In the final individual race of the weekend, Kolessar broke the two-minute mark to lead the Bruins in the 200 fly (1:59.77).
UCLA then closed out the meet with a season-best time of 3:19.69 in the 400 free relay, good for seventh place.
Players Mentioned
