Mustang men compete in KCAC Championships

FREMONT, NEB. – Morningside swimmers traveled to Dillon Family Aquatics Center in Fremont, Neb. to compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Swimming Championships. With the last chance to qualify for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championships looming, the pressure was on to surpass qualifying standards.

In the first evening of finals, JR Albers, Caden Morton, MK Mkhize, and Willy Pinnow swam a time of 1:27.07 in the 200-yard freestyle relay, good for a third place spot on the podium.

In the individual events Pinnow swam his way to the finals in the 500-yard freestyle, placing sixth overall with a time of 4:48.43.

In the 200-yard individual medley Morton placed eighth in finals with a time of 2:00.88. 

Continuing to the 50-yard freestyle sprint, Albers was the top mustang in the event swimming a time of 21.44, good for a fifth place spot on the podium.

To conclude the first day of finals, Cody Natali, Morton, Mkhize, and Albers had a sixth place spot on the podium in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:33.91.

Moving ahead to the finals on day two of the meet, Natali, Morton, Mkhize, and Albers performed well in the 200-yard medley relay, placing third with a time of 1:37.16.

Walker Goebel was the top Mustang in the consolation finals for the 400-yard individual medley, placing ninth with a time of 4:28.46. Ben No and Gabe Marthaler placed 12th and 14th in the same event.

Pinnow had another great swim placing sixth in the 200-yard freestyle finals with a time of 1:45.60.

Morton also represented Morningside well, placing eighth in the 100-yard breaststroke finals with a time of 1:00.97.

In the 100-yard backstroke finals Albers and Natali made it to the podium in third and seventh places with times of 52.45 and 53.92.

On the third and final evening of finals, Pinnow and Natali were back on the podium for the 200-yard backstroke finals, placing fourth and eighth with times of 1:58.40 and 2:01.00.

In the 100-yard freestyle finals Albers was the top Mustang in the event placing fifth with a time of 47.18. Mkhize and Easton Gelinne placed 12th and 13th in consolation finals.

Goebel swam a time of 2:05.30 in the 200-yard butterfly finals, good for a sixth place spot on the podium.

In the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, Albers, Pinnow, Mkhize, and Morton swam a time of 3:12.32, good for another third place spot on the podium.

After an outstanding three days of swimming, the Morningside men's team scored 377 points putting them in fifth place among team scores. The Mustangs have one more chance to achieve national cuts at Midland's Last Chance Meet on Feb.14.