INFO | SCAD Invite Saturday PM results
INFO | SCAD Invite complete meet results
 
Savannah, Ga.----The Wingate University swimming teams concluded the 19th annual SCAD Savannah Invitational with nine event victories Saturday, clinching both team titles in the Chatham County Aquatic Center pool. The No. 7 Bulldog women have won 13 SCAD Swim Invite team crowns, while the No. 10 Wingate men have collected 12 first-place trophies in the annual competition.
 
The Wingate women won five events Saturday, while the Bulldog men earned four victories. The WU women finished with 1245 points. Emory (755) and SCAD Savannah (512) finished second and third, respectively. The WU men recorded 1114.5 points. Host SCAD Savannah took second with 720 points, while Emory finished third with 668.5 points.
 
Both Bulldog teams will take a break for final examinations Monday through Friday, December 4-8. Wingate returns to competition Friday, January 5, visiting Catawba for a 2 p.m. meet. UNC Pembroke will join in the action to make the women's event a tri-meet. Barton visits Wingate for a dual meet on Saturday, January 20. The WU Bulldogs will celebrate Senior Day at this event.
 
What They Are Saying
Wingate head coach Kevin Hennessy
 
"This weekend's SCAD Invitational completes our competitions for the first semester. We had some great swims in Savannah, but more important was the growth our team has shown throughout. During this first half of the season, the team has established a great foundation to spring board from for the rest of the year."
 
"We have picked up numerous NCAA B cuts and have many of our swimmers currently ranked in the top 10 or 15 nationally in their events. We have had a constant message of 'focus on what you should be doing, not what you feel like doing' and this team has done a great job embracing this. I am very proud of where we are, but there is plenty more to come. Now we shift our focus to final exams and getting into our winter training to kick off our second semester. WU WHAT? WU SWIM!"

Wingate senior student-athlete Amanda Wenhold
 
"Everyone raced very well and the energy was great. We are excited to see what more there is to come in the next couple of months."
 
Wingate junior student-athlete Jack Wisniewski
 
"This meet exhibited our team's determination and mental toughness. We came out of the gates a little slow our first session of the meet on Thursday night. After the session, Coach Kevin challenged us to face the adversity head-on and embrace the challenges encountered. We were able to do just that...no matter if we individually reached our mid-season goals or not, each team member brought a high level of energy the remainder of the meet. This response truly showed our identity as a team and our grit. I strongly believe that this defining moment put us in a great position as we shift our focus to championship season. I'm excited to see what this team can accomplish in the coming months!"
 
Wingate women's notes
 
- Sophomore Nina Azirovic contributed to two victories
- She won the 100 Freestyle (51.09), leading a 1-2-3 WU podium sweep
- Five Bulldog student-athletes swam in the 100 Free championship final
- Azirovic swam the first leg of the victorious 4x100 Free Relay (3:28.20)
- She was joined by Natalia Dwojak, Lucie Andrews and Nadia Kertynska
- Junior Marta Beesmans Barquero won the 200 Backstroke (1:59.35)
- The 'Dogs went 1-2-3 in the Saturday night-opening 200 Back event
- Freshman Cornelia Almqvist touched first in the 200 Breaststroke (2:19.64)
- Senior Hana Kubalova won the 200 Butterfly (2:04.56)
- Wingate finished first and third in the meet-concluding 4x100 Free Relay
 
Wingate men's notes
 
- Senior Gabriel da Costa and junior Alex Smyre contributed to two wins each
- Both veterans had a hand in the 'Dogs triumphant 4x100 Free Relay swim (3:02.96)
- They were joined by juniors Miguel Marcos and Jonathan Douib
- da Costa started Wingate's evening with a win in the 200 Backstroke (1:49.01)
- Smyre contributed an individual victory in the 200 Butterfly (1:47.73)
- The 'Dogs went 1-2-3-4 in the 200 Butterfly championship final
- Freshman Manoel Silva earned a gold medal in the 100 Freestyle (44.91)
- Five Bulldog student-athletes swam in the 100 Free championship final
- Wingate finished first and second in the meet-concluding 4x100 Free Relay
 
Wingate University
 
Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 15 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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