Southern Illinois University
Butler Invite
Swim and Dive places fourth at the Butler Invite
01/27/2019 | 11:34:00 | Swimming & Diving
FISHERS, Ind. - The Southern Illinois swimming and diving program competed at the Butler Invitational Sunday afternoon at Fishers High School. Both the men's and women's team placed fourth with 496.5 points and 351 points in a field of 10 teams. The Salukis swam against Ball State, Butler, IUPUI, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Valparaiso, Western Illinois, Xavier and Youngstown State at the invite. Â
On the men's side, Fu Kang and Kai Hoffmann-Dussome led the Salukis with two wins each in their respective events. Beibei Ji and Baobao Ji each collected wins in diving events on the women's side. Â
"We swam really well today," said assistant coach Ivan Sanchez. "We swam better than yesterday and coming back today and doing it again was a good test for us in terms of what to expect at conference. In a few weeks, we will have to swim one day, come back the next day and race at a high level again."
EVENT WINS
Men's team
Kai Hoffmann-DussomeÂ
• One-meter dive (283.40)
• Three-meter dive (321.90)
Chris Cole
• 1650-free (16:11.64)
Fu KangÂ
• 100-breast (55.19)
• 200-breast (2:02.40)
Zheng Yang YeapÂ
• 100-yard freestyle (46.86)
Garman, Yeap, Kang, Hajtman
• 400-free relay (3:06.07)
Women's team
Baobao JiÂ
• One-meter dive (291.55)
Beibei JiÂ
• Three-meter dive (305.30)
MEET HIGHLIGHTS
Men's team
The Southern quartet of Ryan Lehane, Fu Kang, Tamas Hajtman and Reilly Garman opened the meet with a second-place finish out of 17 teams in the 200-yard medley relay (1:34.40).Â
The distance trio of Chris Cole, Kevin Kluge and Zheng Yang Yeap went one-three-four in the 1650-yard freestyle (16:11.64, 16:30.62, 16:34.77). Cole swam away to first with the closest competitor finishing 14 seconds later.
Reilly Garman took third in a field of 35 swimmers in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:42.44. The senior was under a second shy of the first and second placers in the event.Â
Saluki newcomer Fu Kang earned wins in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke (55.19 & 2:02.40), He claimed a career-best in the 100-yard breaststroke for the second-consecutive day with a mark of 55.19. The time is the third-fastest in SIU history. Kang swam a time of 55.20 yesterday versus Ball State, which is now the fourth-fastest all-time at SIU.
Yeap and Hajtman were neck and neck in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing in fourth and fifth place (21.67 & 21.69).Â
Junior diver Kai Hoffmann-Dussome stringed his third and fourth victories of the weekend in the one- and three-meter dive with a scores of 283.40 and 321.90. Teammate Eli Mercado took second in both events (282.30 & 299.45) for SIU. On the weekend, the duo went one-two in all four diving events.Â
Yeap collected his first victory in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46.86. Close behind in second was Garman (47.28).Â
Cole's quality day continued in the 200-yard backstroke, where he took third (1:53.77) out of 16 swimmers.Â
Garman, Yeap, Kang and Hajtman swam to victory for Southern in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:06.07. It was the final win of the evening for the Salukis.Â
Women's team
Audrey Snyder took second for the Salukis in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:08.36. She has placed second or better in the event five times this season.Â
Junior diver Baobao Ji gained the upper hand over twin sister Beibei Ji in the one-meter dive, winning the event with a score of 291.55. Beibei finished in second with a score of 287.30. In the three-meter, Beibei won (305.30), outlasting Baobao who took second (282.35).Â
Southern swimmer Samantha Parsons swam to a third-place finish in the 200-breast with a time of 2:27.65.Â
Emma Brazeau garnered fifth-place finishes in the 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard butterfly (1:08.88 & 58.19) at the invite.Â
MORE THOUGHTS FROM COACH SANCHEZ
Fu Kang and Chris Cole had an outstanding weekend. Kang swam the same events today as he did yesterday and was able to improve on the 100-breast by .01 and went the exact same time in the 200-breast today. He had a different strategy today on the 200-breast than yesterday and we are looking at what strategy works best him. He is in route to an exciting championship season. Cole won three events Saturday and today he won the 1650 and took third in 200-back improving his time from yesterday. He is looking better and better as weeks go by. Keep an eye on him at the end of the season.
NEXT UP
The Salukis return to Shea Natatorium next Saturday, Feb. 2 to host Evansville. The meet begins at 11 a.m. and Southern will honor its 13 seniors prior to the meet.
Players Mentioned
