LSU Dominates Tri Meet Against Cincinnati and Delta State, Sweeps Final Regular Season Meet

01/26/2025 03:16 PM

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

Delta State vs. Cincinnati vs. LSU

• January 25, 2025
• Baton Rouge, LA
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Full Results

LSU Swimming and Diving hosted the University of Cincinnati and Delta State for its senior day and final regular season meet of the 2024-25 season. The Tigers swept the meet, winning 24 of the 32 events.

Women's Recap

The LSU women won the first four events of the meet. The 'A' squad of Zoe Carlos-Bloc, Grace Palmer, Avery Littlefield, and Michaela De Villiersswam 1:40.62 in the 200 medley relay, winning by 2.39 seconds as the Tigers went 1-2. They earned another 1-2 finish in the 1000 freestyle, led by Nicole Santuliana(10:00.08), then Megan Barnesspearheaded a 1-2-3-4 finish in the 200 freestyle with a 1:48.61.

Carlos Broc then won the 100 backstroke with a 54.20, picking up her first of two individual event wins as she later claimed the 100 butterfly. The French freshman swam 55.64 for first in the 100 fly, holding off a late charge from Cincinnati's Joleigh Cryeto win by six-hundredths in one of the closest women's races of the meet.

Crye, a 2024 NCAA 'B' finalist in the 100 breaststroke, was one of the highlights of the meet for Cincinnati. In addition to her second-place finish in the 100 fly, she disrupted LSU's event win streak by clocking 1:02.84 to win the 100 breaststroke.

After that, the Tigers went right back to work, though Cincinnati did earn top marks in three other events: the 200 breaststroke, 400 IM, and 400 freestyle relay. Libby Michel grabbed first in the 400 IM (4:23.48), while Julie Roseand the 400 freestyle 'A' relay earned first-place points after the fastest swimmers were Tigers swimming exhibition.

De Villiers swept the sprint freestyle events after helping the Tigers win the opening 200 medley relay. She swam 22.81 to win the 50 freestyle ahead of a tie between LSU's Jessie Liao and Cincinnati's Jessica Davis. After the diving break, De Villiers was back on the blocks for the 100 freestyle. She swam 50.33, winning by .33 seconds as the Tigers went 1-2-3-4.

Another close race on the women's side was the 200 butterfly as teammates Sofia Sartoriand Giulia Zambelliwent head-to-head. Sartori, an SEC finalist in the 200 fly, held out against a strong finish from Zambelli, earning the win in 2:01.77. Zambelli touched second with a 2:01.82, five-hundredths behind Sartori.

Santuliana picked up her second individual event win in the 200 backstroke (2:00.24) and Grace Palmerrounds out LSU's event winners in the pool. She won the 500 freestyle in 4:52.59.

Men's Recap

LSU was similarly dominant on the men's side, claiming a 186-110 victory over Cincinnati and a 215-74 win over Delta State. Combined, the Tigers won the first eight events of the meet. The men surpassed the women's four straight event wins with eight to open the meet.

Jere Hribarwas key to the Tigers' victory, winning two individual events and helping the team win the 200 medley relay. The Croatian sophomore has been excellent this season as LSU's top sprinter; He swept the 50/100 freestyle at the meet, clocking 19.71/43.05. He anchored the 200 medley relay in 19.03, stopping the clock at 1:27.06 as he followed Stepan Goncharov, Mitch Mason, and Griffin Curtis.

Goncharov and Mason also added individual event wins to the team's opening win streak. Goncharov won the 100 backstroke (47.81), and Mason clocked 54.89 to win the 100 breaststroke ahead of teammate Levi Thome's 54.98. Silas Beth (1000 free, 9:14.06), Karlo Percinic (200 free, 1:39.82), and Jacob Pishko(200 fly, 1:48.68).

Cincinnati's Hunter Gubenobroke LSU's streak by winning the 200 backstroke. Gubeno is the 2024 Big 12 runner-up in the event, and he came from behind for the win, passing Curtis for the win in 1:44.59. Gubeno also took third in the 50 freestyle (21.05).

Cincinnati earned back-to-back event wins as Kyle Bumgardnerfollowed Gubeno's win by touching first in the 200 breaststroke. He ran away with the event win, leading a Cincinnati 1-2 finish with a 2:00.23. Bumgardner was the only man other than Hribar and Pishko to win two individual events; later, he won the 400 IM in 3:55.89 and was the only man to break 4:06. Between Bumgardner's wins, LSU got back in the win column thanks to a 4:25.99 from Pishko to win the 500 freestyle and a 49.50 from Stuart Higdon to win the 100 fly.

LSU swam exhibition for the last two events. That gave Delta State the opportunity it needed to put up its first event win in the final event of the meet. Though LSU posted the top two times, Delta State's Jake Runyon, Mateus Franco, Ethan Baylin, and Michael Robinson grabbed the maximum points in the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:07.06.

Up Next

LSU will send some swimmers to the Auburn First Chance Invite on Feb. 7-8, which is the team's final time to suit up before the 2025 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships. Cincinnati and Delta State still have regular season meets on the schedule. Cincinnati hosts Louisville on Feb. 1, while Delta State hosts Ouachita Baptist University for a two-day meet from Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: LSU Dominates Tri Meet Against Cincinnati and Delta State, Sweeps Final Regular Season Meet