Crye, Gubeno, Balcerak each claim AAC title Three school records fall on day five of AAC championships

Author: Henry Lenhardt

DALLAS, Texas Freshman Joleigh Crye (100 breast), junior Hunter Gubeno (100 Back) and older Michael Balcerak (100 Fly) each to clinch the American Athletic Conference title on day five of the AAC Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday.

The Bearcats have earned 15 medals, seven on day five, as the men’s team is second in the team standings with 772 points, while the UC women finished fifth with 586 points.

“Tonight was incredible,” the head coach Mandy Commons-DiSalle said. I thought we had a solid morning swim and then tonight we had time improvements, personal bests, some school records and a meet record. It was awesome.”

Crye had a day to remember as she broke the AAC Championship record and the Cincinnati record in the women’s 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 59.07. Cry bested his previous school record time of 59.57 to claim his first AAC title. His time currently ranks 14th in the NCAA and is a B standard time.

Crye was also the only Bearcat to appear in multiple individual finals, finishing sixth in the women’s 100-yard butterfly in 53.88. His time is a personal best and the sixth fastest time in program history.

Gubeno turned in a record performance on day four to win the AAC 100-yard backstroke on day five at the Robson and Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium. Gubeno swam 47.64 in the men’s 100-yard backstroke to claim his first career individual gold medal.

On day four, the Howell, Mich. native won bronze in the men’s 200-yard medley in 1:45.16, breaking the Cincinnati program record. He originally broke the record in the preliminary round with a time of 1:45.16 and then broke it again in the final. His final time is also an NCAA ‘B’ standard time.

Balcerak earned his second 2023 AAC conference title by winning the men’s 100-yard butterfly in 46.72. It will be the second time in his career that he has won the 100-yard crown after winning the title in 2021. Balcerak is now one of the most decorated AAC championship athletes, having now won eight individual gold medals in his four career seasons. .

The Arlington Heights, Ill., native’s butterfly time is an NCAA ‘B’ standard time, her second ‘B’ standard time of the meet after swimming 4:20.65 in the 500-yard freestyle.

Freshman Lily Jones broke the Cincinnati 100-yard backstroke record with a time of 54.34 in the preliminaries, then broke the record again in the finals with a time of 54.24 to claim the bronze medal in the event. The UC record previously belonged to a fellow freshman Grace Gavin, who also competed in the 100-yard backstroke final. Gavin finished a tenth of a second behind Jones to finish fourth in 54.25, the second-fastest time in school history.

Both seniors Calvin Coetzee and Spencer Sehlhorst won bronze in their respective sports. Sehlhorst finished third in the men’s 400-yard IM with an NCAA B standard time of 3:48.54. Coetzee’s medal came in the 200-yard freestyle, when he recorded a time of 1:37.64.

Second year student Annabelle Young swam the second-fastest women’s 400-yard medley in school history in 4:17.66 and finished ninth overall.

Rounding out the fifth day is the men’s 400-yard medley relay, juniors Drew Harris, Drew Hawthornefreshman Brogan Robinson and Michael Balcerak finished second overall with a time of 3:12.84, which is the second fastest time in program history.

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The final day of competition at the AAC Championships begins at 11 a.m. and consists of the men’s and women’s 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard butterfly. The finals begin at 6 p.m. ET and will also feature the 400-yard freestyle relays. All events will be streamed on ESPN+.

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// team PLACEMENT- Through day 5

gentlemen

1. Southern Methodist 899
2. Cincinnati-772

Ladies

1. Houston 972
2. Florida International (FIU) – 957
3. Southern Methodist- 863
4. Rice – 789
5. Cincinnati-586
6. East Carolina – 505
7. Florida Atlantic (FAU) – 417
8. North Texas- 364
9. Tulane- 283