Xavier University Athletics
Men's Swimming Wins Third-Straight BIG EAST Championship
02.27.16 | Swimming
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. – Xavier men's swimming held off Georgetown to win its third-straight BIG EAST Championship. The Musketeers have won the title each year since joining the conference for the 2013-14 season.
Xavier took a narrow 74-72 lead over GU on Wednesday, the first night of competition, after taking second and first in a pair of relays to start the event
The Musketeers came out of day two with a 24-point cushion, 287-263, on the Hoyas after sweeping the top three spots in the 50 yard freestyle, led by three-time champion in the event Luke Johanns' school record setting time of 20.10. The Musketeers also picked up a win in the 200 freestyle relay.
Three individual championships on Friday extend the Musketeers' lead to 585-489 over second place Georgetown. Knox Hitt (100 fly), Michael Pettinichi (100 breast) and Nathan Runyon (100 back) each earned their first individual BIG EAST Championship.
On the final day of the competition, the Musketeers collected four more individual championships. Nick Foster started the day by defending his 1,650 free title, winning for the third straight year with a time of 15:47.76. Luke Johanns continued his dominance in the freestyle sprints, winning the 100 free with a time of 44.60. Runyon and Pettinichi swept their events, with Runyon taking first in the 200 back with a time of 1:47.97 and Pettinichi touching the wall first with a time of 2:01.89 in the 200 breast.
The Xavier men closed the event with a win in the 400 free relay, with Luke Johanns, Hitt, Sam Johanns and Rodrigo Suriano securing the 832-781 win over second place Georgetown with a time of 2:59.80.
Individual Champions
50 Free – Luke Johanns (Eagan, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy): 20.10 (school record / NCAA B-Cut time)
100 Butterfly – Knox Hitt (The Woodlands, Texas / The Woodlands): 48.50 (Set school record /NCAA B-Cut time of 48.13 in prelims)
100 Breast – Michael Pettinichi (Oakton, Va. / Oakton): 55.38 (school record)
100 Back – Nathan Runyon (Charleston, W.Va. / Charleston Catholic): 49.93
1,650 Free – Nick Foster (Leawood, Kan. / Rockhurst): 15:47.76
200 Back – Runyon: 1:47.97
100 Free – Luke Johanns: 44.60
200 Back – Pettinichi: 2:01.89 (school record)
Relay Champions
200 Medley Relay – Erik Biernat (Centennial, Colo. / Regis Jesuit), Michael Pettinichi, Knox Hitt, Luke Johanns: 1:29.50 (school record)
200 Free Relay – Luke Johanns, Sam Johanns (Eagan, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy), Knox Hitt, Rodrigo Suriano: 1:21.23 (matches school record)
400 Medley Relay – Nathan Runyon, Michael Pettinichi, Knox Hitt, Luke Johanns: 3:17.60 (school record)
400 Free Relay – Luke Johanns, Hitt, Sam Johanns, Rodrigo Suriano (San Salvador, El Salvador / Academia Británica Cuscatleca)
Xavier took a narrow 74-72 lead over GU on Wednesday, the first night of competition, after taking second and first in a pair of relays to start the event
The Musketeers came out of day two with a 24-point cushion, 287-263, on the Hoyas after sweeping the top three spots in the 50 yard freestyle, led by three-time champion in the event Luke Johanns' school record setting time of 20.10. The Musketeers also picked up a win in the 200 freestyle relay.
Three individual championships on Friday extend the Musketeers' lead to 585-489 over second place Georgetown. Knox Hitt (100 fly), Michael Pettinichi (100 breast) and Nathan Runyon (100 back) each earned their first individual BIG EAST Championship.
On the final day of the competition, the Musketeers collected four more individual championships. Nick Foster started the day by defending his 1,650 free title, winning for the third straight year with a time of 15:47.76. Luke Johanns continued his dominance in the freestyle sprints, winning the 100 free with a time of 44.60. Runyon and Pettinichi swept their events, with Runyon taking first in the 200 back with a time of 1:47.97 and Pettinichi touching the wall first with a time of 2:01.89 in the 200 breast.
The Xavier men closed the event with a win in the 400 free relay, with Luke Johanns, Hitt, Sam Johanns and Rodrigo Suriano securing the 832-781 win over second place Georgetown with a time of 2:59.80.
Individual Champions
50 Free – Luke Johanns (Eagan, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy): 20.10 (school record / NCAA B-Cut time)
100 Butterfly – Knox Hitt (The Woodlands, Texas / The Woodlands): 48.50 (Set school record /NCAA B-Cut time of 48.13 in prelims)
100 Breast – Michael Pettinichi (Oakton, Va. / Oakton): 55.38 (school record)
100 Back – Nathan Runyon (Charleston, W.Va. / Charleston Catholic): 49.93
1,650 Free – Nick Foster (Leawood, Kan. / Rockhurst): 15:47.76
200 Back – Runyon: 1:47.97
100 Free – Luke Johanns: 44.60
200 Back – Pettinichi: 2:01.89 (school record)
Relay Champions
200 Medley Relay – Erik Biernat (Centennial, Colo. / Regis Jesuit), Michael Pettinichi, Knox Hitt, Luke Johanns: 1:29.50 (school record)
200 Free Relay – Luke Johanns, Sam Johanns (Eagan, Minn. / St. Thomas Academy), Knox Hitt, Rodrigo Suriano: 1:21.23 (matches school record)
400 Medley Relay – Nathan Runyon, Michael Pettinichi, Knox Hitt, Luke Johanns: 3:17.60 (school record)
400 Free Relay – Luke Johanns, Hitt, Sam Johanns, Rodrigo Suriano (San Salvador, El Salvador / Academia Británica Cuscatleca)
Players Mentioned
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