MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- In a one-day, two-session invitational hosted by West Virginia University at Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park, the Fairmont State women came away with a second-place finish, while Vladimir Fedoseev picked up a win in the 100 freestyle and a runner-up finish in the 50 freestyle.
The meet featured an eight-team field that included NCAA Division I West Virginia, Division II programs Wheeling, Davis & Elkins, Salem, and West Virginia Wesleyan, Division III Bethany, and NAIA West Virginia Tech. The Falcon women placed second only to WVU, outscoring six other programs.
Leading the way for Fairmont State was Delaney Householder, who tallied 42 individual points—the most among all Division II, Division III, and NAIA competitors. She placed fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:10.37), fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:31.20), and sixth in the 100 backstroke (59.81). In these events, only Mountaineer competitors touched before Householder and she moves to fifth in Falcon history in the 100 backstroke and third in the 200 backstroke.
Mia Abruzzino and Rachel Shryock scored 28 individual points apiece. Abruzzino finished fourth in the 1000 freestyle (11:19.98) and sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:34.07), while Shryock finished eighth in the 500 freestyle (5:37.17), and ninth in the 100 (57.14) and 200 (2:05.67) freestyle events.
Additional top ten finishes were achieved by Maitlyn Miller, Olivia Ridenour, Alicia Perez, Veronica Mann, Zoe Hoover, and Tori Anderson.
Miller finished sixth in the 100 freestyle (56.95) and ninth in the 100 butterfly (1:06.59). Ridenour finished eighth in the 200 breaststroke (2:42.50) and ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:13.66). Perez finished ninth in the 500 freestyle (5:37.91) and tenth in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.92). Mann finished seventh in the 1000 freestyle. Hoover finished tenth in the 50 freestyle (25.81). Anderson finished ninth in the 1000 freestyle (12:50.70).
Fairmont State's team of Hoover, Miller, Abruzzino, and Householder finished fourth in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:47.79. The group finished fifth in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.77.
In the men's competition, where the Falcons finished fifth overall, Vlad Fedoseev finished second in the 50 freestyle in 21.19 and won the 100 freestyle in 46.35. His time in the 100 freestyle moves him to ninth in school history.
Grant Ridenour added top ten finishes in the 100 (sixth – 58.01) and 200 backstroke (eighth – 2:09.05). George Ferguson finished eighth in the 200 butterfly in 2:11.02. Adam Fubio added a ninth-place finish in the 1000 freestyle (12:08.44). Gabriel Noguera finished tenth in the 500 freestyle in 5:16.00.
The Falcons now head into Homecoming Week with activities planned to honor Bill Cushing (All-American diver – 1984-88), Ed Denny (head coach – 1992-2001), and the 1975, 1995, and 2005 WVIAC Championship men's teams at the Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, and pool dedication ceremony and Varsity/Alumni meet Saturday morning at Mahaney Natatorium.
The following week, the Falcons host Shippensburg and California (Pa.) on Friday, October 17 at 5:00 p.m.
