FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Another solid day of competition for the Roadrunner swimmers was highlighted by Jake Priest and Chad McKenzie reaching the finals of their respective events, along with the 200 medley relay team, at the 2009 US Short Course Nationals Friday at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.
The 200 medley relay team of Luka Leskur, McKenzie, Matt Parsonage and Malcolm Reid opened the morning session with a 1:33.21, 11th place preliminary finish. The time was good enough to qualify for the “B” finals, where the Roadrunners placed second, and moved up to 10th overall with a 1:32.75 finish.
In the 400 individual medley, Priest placed 16th in 3:58.54 in the preliminaries, earning a spot in the “B” finals. There, the freshman from Las Vegas lowered his time once again, swimming a personal best 3:58.19 to place 13th overall. The time now also ranks Priest No. 3 in the nation amongst 18-year-olds.
In the 100 breaststroke, McKenzie reached the “C” finals and placed 19th overall in a season-best 55.68. The time also moves the Limestone College transfer into the CSUB all-time record book, ranking third and just .46 seconds behind the school record.
“Jake and Chad had big time swims tonight,” said men's Head Coach Chris Hansen. “And for Chad to crack the top five in December is huge.”
Five Roadrunners competed in the 100 butterfly, led by Parsonages 39th place finish in 50.28. Reid placed 41st in 50.33, while Dan Wickensheimer (51.41, 43rd place) and Keenan Natyzak (51.75, 70th place) each recorded season best times. Michael Schwartz rounded things out with a time of 53.39.
Other times for CSUB included Natyzak's 1:41.79 in the 200 free, Leskur's 51.99 in the 100 breast, Schwartz's 55.56 in the 100 back and Mark Silvius' personal-best 1:44.99 in the 200 free.
The Roadrunner men wrapped up the night with a 6:56.72, 13th place finish in the 800 freestyle relay.
On the women's side, Rachel McCall had a standout swim in the 100 breaststroke. The sophomore finished in 1:05.34, setting a CSUB all-time record. The previous best mark was 1:05.40 set by Amy Mitchell in 2007.
“It's been fun to have 12 guys excited to be here and competing hard,” said Hansen. “To come here this year and have a guy place 13th in the nation after having no one make the finals last year is a great accomplishment for us as a program.”
