CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Augustana Vikings men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed in their first invitational of the season on Saturday and Sunday, showing great progress as a unit as they continue to prepare for the CCIW Championships in a couple of months.

Overall, the women placed third out of six teams present, while the men finished fifth. The Vikings did not compete in the invitational on Friday and were there just two of the three days.

"I am very proud of the way our team raced in our first prelim/final invitational of the season," said head coach Dan Lloyd. "Being the only team that was not tapered or wearing championship tech suits we stepped up to the challenge and performed extremely well. As it has always been in our program, we are focused on hitting peak performance at the CCIW Championship in February."

On the women's side, freshman Brooke Walker was the team's top point scorer over the two-day event. Walker scored 52 points individually for the Vikings and competed in three A finals, placing sixth in the 500 free, fourth in the 200 breast, and fourth in the 100 breast. She also participated in and one B final, taking ninth in the 200 free.

Relays:

• The women's 200 freestyle relay made up of Aviana Zahara, Isabelle Sansom, Zoe Heiar, and Megan Frost took fourth (1:43.84)

• The 400 medley relay made up of Hailey Glasnovich (back), Madelynn Marunde (breast), Heiar (fly), and Zahara (free) took fourth (4:11.13)

• The 200 medley composed of Zahara (back), Marunde (breast), Heiar (fly), and Glasnovich (free) took fourth (1:53.30)

• The 400 Freestyle relay made up of Zahara, Sansom, Heiar, and Glasnovich relay took third (3:44.16)

Day 1

The first individual event of the meet was the 200 IM. In the A final, Bella Valenti took fifth with a time of 2:18.13. Emily Martin was not far behind and swam a 2:18.89, which landed her seventh overall. Heiar swam in the B final and took 10th with a mark of 2:20.97.

In the 500 freestyle A final, Bella Casanovas took eighth at 5:30.36, while in the B final Marunde moved up a spot to take 10th, swimming a 5:33.43. Addison Larson moved up two spots to take 13th with a time of 5:39.92.

In the 100 Backstroke, the duo of Zahara (1:00.92) and Glasnovich (1:01.97) took fourth and fifth. In the B final, Megan Frost (1:05.51), Valenti (1:05.82), and Olivia White (1:07.75) took 13th, 14th, and 16th, respectively. 

Augie scored major points in the 200 Breast, having four A finalists. Walker (2:32.08), Lauren Raike (2:33.98), Marunde (2:35.37), and Heiar (2:35.92) finished 4-7.

Zahara (56.52) and Glasnovich (56.72) took sixth and seventh in the 100 freestyle A final.

The Vikings who competed in the 200 Butterfly finished off the first day strong as Dominique Valentine took third in the A final with a finish of 2:19.74, while Casanovas finished 8th with a mark of 2:22.09. Bryanna Matkovich moved up three spots in the B final and took 10th with a time of 2:27.83. 

Day 2

In the 400 IM Lauren Raike took fouth, barely out-touching teammate Casanovas, who took fifth. Raike ended with a 4:55.11, while Casanovas secured a time of 4:55.84. In 100 fly, Heiar took fifth (1:01.92) and Sansom took 8th (1:04.35). In the B Final, Valentine took 11th (1:03.33). 

Joining Walker with success in the 100 Breaststroke was senior Marunde, who earned sixth (1:11.77) overall, followed by Heiar in seventh (1:12.16). In the 200 Backstroke, Glasnovich took sixth (2:16.03).

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For the men, four swimmers made their debut at this meet.

Relays 

• The men's 200 Freestyle relay made up of Albert Buvary, Nick Phillips, Jack Blumenfeld, and Max Rybchuk took third (1:28.53).

• The men's 400 Medley relay made up of Phillips (back), Kacper Cebula (breast), Terrin Boehmer (fly), and Buvary (free) took third (3:39.68).

• The men's 200 medley relay made up of Phillips (back), Cebula (breast), Jack Brandt (fly), and Buvary took third (1:39.05).

• The 400 Freestyle relay team of Blumenfeld, Phillips, Bulvary, and Rybchuk took third (3:13.72).

Day 1

• In the 200 IM A final, Cebula moved up 3 spots to take sixth (2:00.41), while teammate Joseph Addison took eighth (2:04.38). In the B final Nathan Mesina took 16th (2:08.35)

• Scott Dunham took 16th in the 500 (5:46.01)

• In the 100 Back, Phillips took fifth (53.88) in the A final. In the B final, Cebula (55.08) took 10th followed by Terrin Boehmer in 16th (57.78)

• In the 200 Breast Tommy Anderson took 8th (2:28.63)

• In the 100 Free B final, Blumenfeld took 13th (48.95), followed by Buvary in 15th (49.83)

• In the 200 Fly, Holden Siena took 14th (2:09.60) and Jack Brandy (2:14.31) took 16th. 

Day 2

• In the 400 IM, Sienna took 11th (4:41.57) and Isaiah Valentine 12th (4:44.16)

• In the 200 Freestyle, Joshua Valentine took 12th (1:52.01) and Gavin McCorry took 14th (1:52.81)

• In the 100 Fly, Boehmer and Phillips tied for 12th (55.90). Jack Brandt took 14th (56.00) and Rybchuk took 15th (56.36)

• In the 100 Breast, Cebula took ninth (1:00.41), Buvary finished 13th (1:03.02), Addison 14th (1:03.6), and Anderson in 16th (1:07.75).

• In the 200 Back, Aidan McConkey took 13th (2:05.73) and McCory took 14th (2:06.39)

• In the 50 Free, Blumenfeld took 11th (22.20) and Rybchuk took 15th (22.60)

The Vikings are back in action on December 3-4 at the Wheaton Invitational.