Georgetown, Texas – The Centenary men's and women's swimming teams opened their 2021-22 season this weekend in a double dual meet versus fellow Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference members, Southwestern University and Colorado College at Walzel Natatorium.
The competition began on Friday and wrapped up on Saturday. Each day featured 24 different events with a total of 48 for the weekend. Centenary recorded six top-five individual finishes on Friday and seven on Saturday. The Maroon and White also earned six team top-five finishes during the weekend.
Senior Mitchell Lulich (New Orleans, La.) placed fourth in the 200 breast (2:23.45) and ninth in the 200 free (1:58.93) on Friday. He was also a member of the 400-medley relay team that finished sixth with a time of 4:01.21. On Saturday, Lulich finished fourth in both the 1000 free (11:09.11) and 100 breast (1:03.80) and was part of the Gents' team that placed fifth in the 200-free relay (1:39.05).
Senior Daniel Lewis (Alexandria, La.) recorded a pair of top-10 finishes on Friday as he placed eighth in the 100 free (53.86) and 10th in the 200 free on Friday as he swam a time of 2:01.07. Lewis was part of the Gents' 400-free relay team that finished fifth in a time of 3:43.14. Lewis was part of the Gents' team that placed fifth in the 200-free relay on Saturday and he also earned two more top-10 finishes as he finished eighth in the 100 back (1:04.77 and ninth in the 100 fly (58.77).
Fellow senior Tripp Montgomery (New Iberia, La.) placed ninth in the 200 IM on Friday (2:20.31) and teamed with three others to place sixth in the 400-medley relay as the Gents' team swam a time of 4:01.21. Montgomery recorded a pair of top-10 finishes on Saturday, placing eighth in the 100 breast (1:08.60) and 10th in the 100 free (56.04). Montgomery was also part of the Gents' team that placed fifth in the 200-free relay (1:39.05).
Sophomore Aiden Peterkin (Zachary, La.) just missed a top-10 finish in the 100 free on Friday as he swam time of 56.28 good for 11th place. He was also part of the Gents' 400-free relay team that finished fifth in a time of 3:43.14. On Saturday, he was part of the Gents' 200-medley relay team that swam a time of 1:55.19 to place fifth. He earned a pair of top-10 finishes in the 200 free as he placed ninth with a time of 2:05.09 and in the 100 back (1:09.81) where he also finished ninth.
Sophomore Antonio Barbee (Plaquemine, La.) finished sixth in the 200-yard fly on Friday, swimming a time of 2:11.92 and 11th in the 200 free, swimming a time of 2:01.93. He teamed with Lulich, Montgomery, and freshman Cash Coats (Andrews, Texas) to place sixth in the 400-medley relay. Barbee placed eighth in the 100 fly on Saturday as he swam a time of 58.00 and also finished 11th in the 50 free as he swam a time of 24.43. He was also part of the Gents' team that placed fifth in the 200-free relay.
Coats had an impressive debut as he finished 10th in the 100 free (55.97), 11th in the 50 free with a time of 24.44 on Friday, and tied Barbee for 11th in the 50 free on Saturday, as he swam a time of 24.43. He placed ninth in the 100 free with a time of 55.45 and teamed with Barbee, Lulich, and Montgomery for a fifth-place finish in the 200-free relay. Sophomore Kenan Cooper (St. Francisville, La.) finished 10th in the 200 IM on Friday, swimming a time of 2:34.69 and then earned another too-10 finish in the 200 breast, placing 10th with a time of 2:45.97. Cooper placed 14th in the 50 free on Saturday with a time of 27.18.
Jules Reny, another newcomer along with Coats, placed sixth in the 500 free (6:09.67) and finished 12th in the 200 free on Friday, swimming a time of 2:10.13. He was also part of the Gents' 400-free relay team that finished fifth in a time of 3:43.14. On Saturday, Reny finished sixth in the 1000 free (12:36.31), 14th in the 100 fly (1:08.37) and swam one leg of the 200-medley relay to help the Gents place fifth.
A third newcomer, Nathaniel Batiste, made his Centenary debut on Friday as he finished 13th in both the 50 free (25.52) and 100 free (56.82). He also swam a leg of the Gents' 400-free relay team that finished fifth in a time of 3:43.14. He finished 10th in both the 200 free (2:07.07) and 100 breast (1:13.26).
The Gents will host McMurry in their home opener on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. The Maroon and White then welcome Hendrix to town on Saturday, Nov. 13 on Homecoming weekend for a meet scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Maroon and White begin the New Year at home on Saturday, Jan. 8 versus Millsaps at 1 p.m. and then a week later head to the Austin College Invitational in Sherman, Texas. Centenary then faces Austin College at home on Jan. 22 at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. The SCAC Championships are scheduled for Feb. 16-19 in Garland, Texas.
See the Gents' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mswim/2021-22/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
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