MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Grace VanBeest (Flossmoor, Ill.) set the stage for the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota swimming and diving teams at the two-day Jean Freeman Invitational Friday, breaking the school record in the 100 breaststroke to highlight a day filled with season- and life-time bests for the Cardinals.
 
And the Cardinals in general—and VanBeest in particular—picked up right where they left off on Saturday in the two-day, non-team-scored event.
 
VanBeest put together her second straight school record-setting performance, whittling nearly a second off the previous record in the 200 breaststroke, touching the wall in 2:32.49.
 
And that wasn't all for the Cardinal junior, who also knocked 18 seconds off her season-best in the 400 IM, clocking a time of 5:11.19. Reese Galewski (Winona, Minn.) recorded a 1:09.25 in the 100 backstroke and added a 1:05.31 in the 100 butterfly, while Christina Weldai (London, England) touched the wall in 1:00.54 in the 100 freestyle. Chloe Morrison (Ashkum, Ill.)—swimming in her first-ever 1,650 freestyle event, posted a time of 21:43.64
 
In the one-meter diving competition, the Cardinals' Ailie Davidson (Duluth, Minn.) placed 12th overall with a total of 173.30, while Kierra Walske (Rochester, Minn.) finished 30th with a score of 118.75.
 
Joe Tonda (St. Paul, Minn.) led the charge for the Cardinal men, clocking a season-best time of 59.10 in the 100 backstroke, before shaving four seconds off his top time in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:25.63. Lucas Rukavina (Winona, Minn.), meanwhile, chipped in a 51.60 in the 100 freestyle and a 57.37 in the 100 butterfly.
 
The Cardinals are now off until Jan. 16, when they head to Decorah, Iowa, for a 1 p.m. dual meet against Luther.