Friday, March 6
Carbondale, IL
Southern Illinois University
vs
MAC Championships (MEN)
Cernek breaks school record on Day three at MAC Championships
03/06/2020 | 10:40:00 | Swimming & Diving
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois swimmer Adam Cernek broke the 100-yard backstroke school record on Day three at the Mid-American Conference Championships inside Shea Natatorium. The Salukis remain in third place with 370 points. Missouri State leads the five-team field with 607 points.
"Our athletes keep fighting," first-year head coach Geoff Hanson said. "It hasn't been perfect. There have been great highs and aspects that we need to adjust. But they have continued to work hard all day long."
Cernek stood out on Day three with a SIU-record and NCAA "B" cut time of 47.64 in the 100-back preliminaries. The time edged former MAC Swimmer of the Year Till Pallmann's mark of 47.79 set in 2016. Cernek claimed his first-career MAC title in the finals with a winning time of 47.69. The Turany, Slovakia native now holds both backstroke school records. He broke the 200-yard backstroke record at the SIU Invitational (11/17/19).
"It is a big deal to do something like that as a freshman," Hanson said. "I think he has shown signs of his talent all year. Adam was really challenged by the runner-up finisher. He could have easily panicked, but he swam a really mature race and brought it home."
Tamas Hajtman came just shy of the top spot in the 100-yard butterfly, as he finished runner-up in the event with a season-best time of 48.53. Miami (OH) swimmer Spencer Klinsky won the race with a time of 48.75. It marked the second-straight day Hajtman garnered a top-five finish.
"The race came down to a touch," Hanson said. "I know he was disappointed to not get the title, but he was still happy with the time and his highest-ever placing at conferences."
The Salukis went six-seven in the 400-yard individual medley A-final. Chris Phillips finished in sixth place with a career-best time of 3:58.79. Ian Marshall followed Phillips in seventh at 4:01.09.
Southern garnered another medal finish in the 400-yard individual medley relay. The team of Cernek, Jimmy Dooley, Hajtman and Zheng Yang Yeap swam to a season-best mark of 3:16.74 in the relay.
A pair of SIU swimmers, Yeap and Kyle Berquist, placed eighth in an A-final event. Yeap finished with a mark of 1:40.17 in the 200-yard freestyle while Berquist was timed at 57.16 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Three Salukis captured impressive finishes in B-final action. Sam Flessner (4:02.40) and Drake Manuello (4:03.59) went one-two in the 400-IM. Jimmy Dooley was second in the 100-breast with a time of 57.04.
SIU will be back in action tomorrow for Day four at the MAC Championships, which will feature six finals events. Preliminary events will begin at 10:30 a.m, followed by finals events at 4:45 p.m.
"We talked to the team about being sharp tomorrow morning," Hanson said. "Today's prelims was a lot better than yesterday's. If we take another step tomorrow, then we will have a chance to score a lot of points."
Follow @SIU_SwimDive on twitter, @SIUSwimandDive on Instagram and Saluki Swimming and Diving on Facebook for the latest updates on the Salukis.
Day 3 Standings
Missouri State - 607
Miami (OH) - 527
Southern Illinois - 370
Ball State - 286
Evansville - 239
"Our athletes keep fighting," first-year head coach Geoff Hanson said. "It hasn't been perfect. There have been great highs and aspects that we need to adjust. But they have continued to work hard all day long."
Cernek stood out on Day three with a SIU-record and NCAA "B" cut time of 47.64 in the 100-back preliminaries. The time edged former MAC Swimmer of the Year Till Pallmann's mark of 47.79 set in 2016. Cernek claimed his first-career MAC title in the finals with a winning time of 47.69. The Turany, Slovakia native now holds both backstroke school records. He broke the 200-yard backstroke record at the SIU Invitational (11/17/19).
"It is a big deal to do something like that as a freshman," Hanson said. "I think he has shown signs of his talent all year. Adam was really challenged by the runner-up finisher. He could have easily panicked, but he swam a really mature race and brought it home."
Tamas Hajtman came just shy of the top spot in the 100-yard butterfly, as he finished runner-up in the event with a season-best time of 48.53. Miami (OH) swimmer Spencer Klinsky won the race with a time of 48.75. It marked the second-straight day Hajtman garnered a top-five finish.
"The race came down to a touch," Hanson said. "I know he was disappointed to not get the title, but he was still happy with the time and his highest-ever placing at conferences."
The Salukis went six-seven in the 400-yard individual medley A-final. Chris Phillips finished in sixth place with a career-best time of 3:58.79. Ian Marshall followed Phillips in seventh at 4:01.09.
Southern garnered another medal finish in the 400-yard individual medley relay. The team of Cernek, Jimmy Dooley, Hajtman and Zheng Yang Yeap swam to a season-best mark of 3:16.74 in the relay.
A pair of SIU swimmers, Yeap and Kyle Berquist, placed eighth in an A-final event. Yeap finished with a mark of 1:40.17 in the 200-yard freestyle while Berquist was timed at 57.16 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Three Salukis captured impressive finishes in B-final action. Sam Flessner (4:02.40) and Drake Manuello (4:03.59) went one-two in the 400-IM. Jimmy Dooley was second in the 100-breast with a time of 57.04.
SIU will be back in action tomorrow for Day four at the MAC Championships, which will feature six finals events. Preliminary events will begin at 10:30 a.m, followed by finals events at 4:45 p.m.
"We talked to the team about being sharp tomorrow morning," Hanson said. "Today's prelims was a lot better than yesterday's. If we take another step tomorrow, then we will have a chance to score a lot of points."
Follow @SIU_SwimDive on twitter, @SIUSwimandDive on Instagram and Saluki Swimming and Diving on Facebook for the latest updates on the Salukis.
Day 3 Standings
Missouri State - 607
Miami (OH) - 527
Southern Illinois - 370
Ball State - 286
Evansville - 239
Players Mentioned
Back/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
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