Men’s 200-yard freestyle relay leads memorable day one

FREMONT, NEB. – As the final event of the first day of the 2022 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships concluded, Morningside University head coach Bryan Farris couldn't help but smile.

"I'm extremely pleased with our start," he stated. "I and assistant coaches James Svoboda and Grace Nordquist honestly figured our best days were ahead with Friday and Saturday's set up. However, both teams went out and just competed. I'm so proud of what they accomplished."

From the first start to the end, the Mustangs resume featured an event victory, the first for either program as an affiliate KCAC member; three school records; and seven National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics provisional qualifying cuts. The team scores were just as glowing, with the men sitting atop the tote board (201 points) and the women in fifth (85 points). 

The event title was in the 200-yard freestyle relay, the meet's initial event. The quartet of junior J.R. Albers (Gillette, Wy.), junior Caleb Thomson (Libertyville, Ill.), senior James Camp (Brisbane, Australia), and sophomore Joe Ciriaco (Papillion, Neb.) hit the pad in 1:23.49, setting a new meet record and besting the former school mark by two-and-a-half seconds.

"I got a feel for what James did the leg before me and had to make some adjustment midrace," Ciriaco, the anchor, said. "Keeping your head down in the water to the end is important. I knew (Midland anchor) Scott Cain was very fast, but I knew I had to get into the wall. I wanted to make sure I finished what these guys built for me."

Albers, Camp, and Thomsen had similar thoughts of working together for the relay group and the overall men's team.

"Hey, it was my one shot with this relay this year," Albers said. "I had to make it count." 

"Swimming with these guys is so fun," Camp said. "They are all so dedicated. That work ethic and their speed help push me to be better." 

"These guys are some of the best friends I've ever had," Thomsen noted. "I just wanted to make sure what I contributed helped us. It feels good knowing our group are the best swimmers in the conference." 

Morningside's women's 200-meter freestyle relay was just as impressive. Sophomore Josie Dike (Riverton, Wy.), junior Makenna Laher (Omaha, Neb.), sophomore Mackenzie Campbell (Guthrie Center, Iowa), and sophomore Rachel Roose (Waverly, Iowa) placed fifth (1:41.35) but hit a provisional national qualifying mark.

Looking further, Camp returned later and took seven-hundredths of a second off his old record in the 50-yard freestyle (20.88) en route to a runner-up finish. He, Ciriaco, Thomson, Albers, and freshman Easton Gelinne (Sioux City, Iowa) reached national championship provisional qualifying territory in the 50 free. The men's 400-yard medley relay featuring Albers, Ciriaco, and Camp with freshman Kyler Severson (Casper, Wy.), placed third (3:29.83) to re-set a program record, too.

Day 2 competition Friday, Feb. 4, begins at 9 a.m. inside Dillon Family Aquatic Center.