CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Vikings won the Magnus Cup for a seventh straight time after posting 1859 points. Xavier was the runner-up with 1332.50 points and Case Western was third with 956 points.

Timothy Kubacki recorded his third NCAA B-Standard time of the weekend, posting a meet-record time of 1:43.41 in the 200-yard backstroke.

WINNERS

• Josh Merchbaker in the 100-yard IM (51.69)
• Paddy Johnston in the 50-yard butterfly (21.36)
• Nathen Eberhardt in the 100-yard freestyle (44.69)
• Jack Krusinski in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:00.95)
• Bob Fick in the 200-yard butterfly (1:46.76)
• Paddy Johnston, Nathen Eberhardt, Kenny Thomas, Spencer Tussing in the 400-yard freestyle relay (2:58.19)

MEET RECORDS

• Timothy Kubacki in the 200-yard backstroke (1:44.73) (Prelims)
  • Previous record was 1:45.29 by Dominik Niedzialek in 2019
• Timothy Kubacki in the 200-yard backstroke (1:43.41) (Finals)
  • Tops his records that he set during prelims

NCAA STANDARD TIMES

• Timothy Kubacki in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 1:44.73

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Vikings opened the night with a second, third, and fifth-place finish in the 1650-yard freestyle with Tussing (15:36.24), Jackson Nester (15:39.31), and Jake Taulbee (15:53.75).
• Merchbaker was the first individual winner on the evening, claiming the top spot in the 100-yard IM, touching in 51.69.
• Cleveland State claimed four of the top five spots in the 50-yard butterfly, highlighted by Johnston's winning time of 21.36.
• Kubacki set the meet record in the 200-yard backstroke during prelims with an NCAA B-Standard time of 1:44.73 and then swam a 1:43.41 in the finals to win the event. Dominik Niedzialek was the runner-up with a time of 1:45.46.
• In the 100-yard freestyle, Eberhardt (44.69) out-touched teammate, Tussing (44.72) to win the event.
• The Viking went 1-2-3 in the 200-yard breaststroke with Krusinski (2:00.95), Blake Fry (2:01.96), and Griffin Manning (2:02.23).
• Cleveland State took the top four spots in the 200-yard butterfly with Fick (1:46.76), Johnston (1:46.89), Reno James (1:50.63), and Thomas Lundin (1:51.71).
• The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Johnston, Eberhardt, Thomas, and Tussing ended the Magnus Cup with a meet-record time of 2:58.19.

CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY PERSONAL-BEST TIMES

• Timothy Kubacki in the 200-yard backstroke (1:43.41)
• Nathen Eberhardt in the 100-yard freestyle (44.69)
• Spencer Tussing in the 100-yard freestyle (44.72)
• Quinn DeGraaf in the 100-yard freestyle (46.51)
• Connor Green in the 100-yard freestyle (46.19)
• Josh Merchbaker in the 100-yard freestyle (47.13)
• Jacob Cole in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:07.35)
• Paddy Johnston in the 200-yard butterfly (1:46.89)
• Reno James in the 200-yard butterfly (1:50.63)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

• Cleveland State (1859)
• Xavier (1332.50)
• Case Western (956)
• Gannon (832.50)
• Indiana PA (453)
• Fairmont State (369)
• West Virginia Tech (352)

UP NEXT
The Vikings return to the pool for a two-day dual at UIC along with IUPUI on Friday, Jan. 7, and Saturday, Jan. 8.