Valpo swimming freshman Jackson Oostman (Aurora, Ill./Marmion Academy) lowered the program’s record in the 200 IM on Thursday, one of six efforts from the Beacons to crack the program’s record books as Valpo kicked off the A3 Performance Invitational in Carbondale, Ill. on Thursday.

How It Happened

• The day was highlighted by Oostman setting his first school record at Valpo. After swimming a prelim time of 1:54.08 in the 200 IM Thursday morning, a time which was already third-best in program history, the freshman lowered his time by over a second Thursday evening, becoming the first Valpo swimmer to crack the 1:53 barrier in the event with a time of 1:52.97. Oostman finished in fifth place in the event, the Beacons’ best individual finish on Thursday.
• Oostman was joined by sophomore Andrew Berzai (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) with a record book placement in the 200 IM Thursday. While his spot on the Beacons’ top-10 chart dropped one spot due to Oostman’s record-setting swim, Berzai improved on his PR as he touched the wall in 1:54.93, now fourth-best in program history and good for a 10^th-place finish on Thursday.
• Oostman also swam the leadoff leg of Valpo’s 400 medley relay to crack another top-10. The freshman’s time of 52.67 in his 100 back leg to start the race is sixth-fastest in program history.
• Freshman Tim Mai (St. Johns, Fla./Creekside) moved into the top-10 in program history in the 500 free with a time of 4:44.83 Thursday evening, while senior Brian Daniels (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield) was the team’s top finisher in the event as he qualified for the ‘B’ final.
• The Beacons’ 200 free relay of Oostman, freshman Jeremy Suarez (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East), junior Brett Little (Princeton, Iowa/North Scott) and freshman Anthony Martin (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) combined to swim the event in 1:25.57, ninth-fastest in program history.
• On the women’s side, Valpo’s 400 medley relay of senior Sophie Morelock (Milan, Mich./Milan), sophomore Sara Strauss (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake), sophomore Bridget Pollard (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) and sophomore Dot Chislett (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) came home in 4:02.74, moving into 10^th in program history in the event.
• The Beacons’ 200 free relay on the women’s side came home fifth in 1:40.45, less than a second out of fourth place.
• Chislett was part of a top-10 relay squad and narrowly missed earning a spot on one of Valpo’s top-10 charts individually as well on Thursday, as her team-best time of 2:14.55 in the 200 IM was just .07 away from the 10^th-fastest time in program history in the event.
• Strauss earned a spot in the ‘B’ final of the 50 free with a prelim time of 24.89, while freshman Emma Schmidt (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley) posted a team-best time of 5:14.50 in the ‘B’ final of the 500 free. On the men’s side, Martin paced Valpo with a prelim time of 21.90 in the 50 free.

Next Up

Valpo will continue action from Carbondale with the second of three days of competition on Friday. Prelims start at 10 a.m. and event finals begin at 5 p.m.