CHICAGO – Despite just three events taking place, and only one as a part of the men's competition, the University of Rochester swimming and diving team saw one school record fall on day one of the 2024 University Athletic Association Championships at the University of Chicago on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Rochester's men combined to set a new team record in the 800 freestyle relay, highlighting the first of four days in the pool in the Windy City.
 
The Yellowjacket quartet of Max McClung, Venden Berge, Michael Scholz and Bryce Berkhof combined for the record, swimming a time of 6:52.41 to close out Wednesday's schedule of events.
 
UR's time broke the old school mark of 6:53.26 set back at the 2014 UAA Championships by the team of Dylan Sharkey, Chris Doser, Oliver Geiger and James Frauen. It was the oldest relay school record standing in the UR men's swimming and diving record book.
 
Overall in the competition, UR's men placed seventh in the race, with the men's 'B' relay of Ben Friedberg, Johnathan Wu, Nate Attwell and Nate Pollitt ending 15th overall. That group touched the wall in 7:05.47.
 
Rochester's relay teams combined to score 70 team points, ranking seventh among the eight schools after the opening event of the competition.
 

UR's women took part in two events on Wednesday, the 800 freestyle relay and the 1-meter diving competition.
 
In the relay, the 'Jacket women also finished in seventh place, posting a time of 7:50.77. The members of UR's top team were Alicia Albuquerque, Simone Lin, Ariana Pasquella and Leah Tang.
 
The women's 'B' relay ended 15th in 8:01.19, with Adele Hellstrom, Morgan Edstrom, Paige Lovelace and Katherine Hegblom making up that group.
 
Three divers also scored points for the women's team, moving UR's total to 80 after day one, good for seventh on the team leaderboard.
 
First-year Zuzu Bailey was 20th with a score of 337.95 points to lead to group. Classmate Julia Sides ended 22nd at 318.75 points, while junior Lizzie Budde wrapped up the 11-dive competition in 23rd with a 318.35 point total.
 
Day two of the competition at Chicago's Ratner Athletics Center begins on Thursday at 10 am central time.