Ketcher wins 50-yard freestyle at MIAC Championships

Ketcher, who finished second in the event last season, finished the preliminaries with the fastest time in the conference at 24.47. In the finals, she was even better, improving her national 'B' cut qualifying time to 24.38. Both of those times beat Hamline school record of 24.48 set in 1986 by Mary Kavany. It was the first Hamline women's swimming and diving record to fall in 11 seasons.

The women finished the first day of competition in sixth place with 85 points. Gustavus is leading the team competition with 198 points.

First-year Renee Punyko finished sixth in the 200-yard individual medley. Punyko qualified for the 'A' finals with the eighth fastest preliminary time of 2:16.97. She improved the time to 2:15.06 in the finals to take sixth.

The Pipers were also strong in the relays, finishing sixth in both the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley relays.

On the men's side, the Pipers are fifth after the first day of competition with 85 points. Gustavus leads the way with 217 points.

Senior Ryan Beckman made the 'A' finals of the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.63 in the preliminaries. He finished seventh in the finals with a time of 21.96. Sophomore Jake Burgess was 11th overall with a time of 21.87 in the 'B' finals. He posted a time of 21.9 in the preliminaries.

Sophomore Jonathan Tapia-Rodriguez finished ninth in the 200-yard individual medley, winning the 'B' finals with a time of 1:57.96. First-year Teddy Paterson was 15th in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:59.67.

Senior Jake Kruger also qualified for the finals of the 1-meter dive with a score of 319.3 in the semifinals.

In relays, the team of Will Khoury-Hanold, Paterson, Patrick Swartzer, and Beckman was fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Burgess, Khoury-Hanold, Tapia-Rodriguez, and Beckman was fifth in the 400-yard medley relay.

The Pipers will continue at the MIAC Championships on Friday.