Minnesota got a close look at nearby competition this weekend, racing against 15 other schools from the Midwest.
The Gophers cruised, taking home the team title at the Jean Freeman Invite.
Sophomore Daryl Turner contributed four individual titles, while adding first-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay.
Head coach Kelly Kremer said Turner did what he has done since arriving on campus his freshman year — swim like a competitor.
“He is so versatile,” Kremer said. “He can literally do any event that we put him in. Daryl is a kind of guy that just hates to lose, and he will do whatever it takes to get his hands on the wall. I am really impressed with his range of events, [and] he’s doing a great job for us.”
Turner said his main focus was to get the most practice out the invite as possible.
“This meet was basically [for me] to touch up on small things for the races,” Turner said. “I am pretty satisfied with my times so far in the midseason, but there is a lot more things that I need to work on going into the championship season. That’s why we do meets like [the Jean Freeman Invite].”
In diving, junior Manny Pollard won the 1- and 3-meter board, while teammate Dylan Zoe took first in the platform competition.
Women take second in team points
The Gophers didn’t have the same amount of success on the women’s side.
The women’s team finished second in total team points behind Boise State University.
Junior Lauren Votava performed well at the invite, finishing second in the 200-yard butterfly and third in the 100-yard butterfly.
“My coaches always emphasized to not think too much when I swim, and to just have fun and relax,” Votava said. “I focused on that this weekend, and it turned out decently well.”
Aquatic Center renamed
On Saturday, the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center was officially renamed the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, in honor of former coach Jean Freeman.
Freeman coached for the Gophers women’s swimming and diving team for more than 30 years and died in 2010.
Kremer said Freeman was a mentor to him.
“Jean was Minnesota, and Jean is Minnesota,” Kremer said. “She’s been the world to us, and we strive every day to continue on some of the things that Jean [accomplished]. I think that this is an honor that is certainly well deserved, and I wish Jean was here so I could see her reaction.”
