Indiana Men, Ohio State Women Extend Leads Thursday Evening in Columbus
On the third evening of racing at the Ohio State Invitational, the host team continues to perform well in the women’s team competition. The Buckeyes have 1402 points, leading Louisville (1364) and Indiana (1296.5). The Hoosiers have been dominant for the men, with 1769 points annihilating the totals of Louisville (1295.5) and Ohio State (1121).
Owen McDonald came up just short in the 100 butterfly Wednesday, but he had no competition in the men’s 100 backstroke final. The Indiana junior clocked 44.19, quicker than the nation’s No. 1 time entering the day before Will Modglin blasted the American record at the Texas Invite. McDonald was followed by teammate Raekwon Noel (45.16) and Penn State’s Cooper Morley (45.37).
The Hoosiers dominated the scoring in the 500 freestyle, with Zalan Sarkany leading the way. The two-time national champion in the 1650free clocked 4:09.57 for the top spot while teammate Aaron Shackell went 4:11.14 for second place. Ohio State’s Jordi Vilchez took third (4:11.79) while Indiana’s Luke Whitlock (4:11.82) and Andrew Shackell (4:15.19) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Indiana would then pick up first place in the 400 medley relay by almost two seconds. McDonald led off in 44.13, and Dylan Smiley came home in 41.01, with Alexei Avakov and Noel handling the middle legs on the way to a time of 3:01.97. Louisville placed second in 3:03.74, with Penn State third in 3:04.13.
Penn State’s Marino Lazzerini completed the sweep of the men’s breaststroke events with a 200-yard time of 1:50.93, quicker than any other swimmer had been entering Thursday’s competition. Indiana’s Noah Cakir (1:51.68) and Louisville’s Jake Eccleston (1:52.10) rounded out the top-three. Louisville freshman Nikita Sheremet won the 50 free by one hundredth over Yale’s Nicholas Finch, 18.95 to 18.96, with Ohio State’s Matthew Klinge third (19.06).
Ohio State put up a 1-2 finish in the women’s 500 free. Sophomore Mila Nikanarov, a top-eight finisher in both the 500 and 1650 at last season’s NCAA Championships, won by three seconds with a time of 4:37.22, while freshman Adair Shaw held on to finish second in 4:40.84. Just behind was Louisville’s Daria Golavaty (4:40.98).
Indiana’s Miranda Grana went under 50 seconds in her 100 fly victory Wednesday, and she pulled off the same accomplishment in Thursday’s final of the 100 back . Grana touched in 49.89, joining Michigan’s Bella Sims as the only swimmers to go under 50 seconds thus far in the 2025-26 season. Grana’s teammate Mya DeWitt took second in 51.37, followed by Louisville’s Julie Mishler (51.90).
Louisville’s Mia Cheatwood took the win in the 200 breast in 2:07.14, with Ohio State’s Maria Ramos Najii second (2:07.82) and Louisville’s Kim Herkle third (2:09.07). Later on, Julia Dennis won the 50 freefor the Cardinals in 21.36. Dennis is the country’s second-ranked swimmer at 21.21, sitting only three hundredths behind Virginia’s Sara Curtis. Indiana’s Liberty Clark, fresh off two days of stellar efforts in the 200 free, came in second (21.54) ahead of Louisville’s Caroline Larsen (21.54).
Indiana would put a stamp on the evening with a 400 medley relay victory. The Hoosiers were behind at the halfway point before Grana split 49.92 on fly and Clark came home in 45.87 to secure the victory. Mya DeWitt and Jonette Lagreid supplied the first two legs, and the team’s final time was 3:27.20. Louisville’s time of 3:28.11 was good enough for second while Ohio State came in third (3:30.67).