Sunday, January 26
Fishers, Ind.
12 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Butler Invitational
Taylor Devorace won the 200 IM to help pace the Falcons to a victory at the Butler Invitational.
Falcons Soar to Victory at Butler Invitational
January 26, 2025 | Women's Swimming & Diving
FINAL RESULTS
FISHERS, Ind. – For the first time in at least 15 years, the BGSU swim team can say they accomplished a certain feat.
The Falcons came away victorious in the 16th annual Butler Invitational, a meet that included four other teams. In that span, Bowling Green has not won a meet with four or more squads competing.
BGSU (1,322 points) bested Xavier (1,136 – who placed fourth at the 2024 Big East Championships), host Butler (899), Valparaiso (684) and IU Indianapolis (45).
On the wall outside the Fishers High School Natatorium locker room read a red note, "Swim Like A Champion Today" in the same font as the famed Notre Dame football "Play Like A Champion Today" sign that the Fighting Irish tap before going out onto the field.
The Falcons swam with that championship mindset throughout the meet, winning five races from five different individuals.
Emily McNicol (57.35 – 100 backstroke), Ava Vial (1:06.38 – 100 breaststroke), Grace Bodrock (2:05.75 – 200 butterfly), Abby Toepfer (5:13.48 – 500 freestyle) and Taylor Devorace (2:07.28 – 200 IM) all came away victorious in their respective events.
The team also flashed depth, as they placed four swimmers in the top eight in six of the 12 individual events.
Devorace also took runner-up in the 200 freestyle (1:53.64) while Vial came in third in the 100 butterfly (58.05).
In a field of 26 swimmers in the 50 freestyle, five Falcons finished in the top 10. Samia Becdach (24.26) came in second, while Riley McNichols, Annie Berrow, Elayna Krupp and Sierra Newton rounded out the others.
Becdach also finished runner-up in the 100 backstroke (57.55) while McNichols (57.19 – 100 butterfly) and Grace Perlberg (2:24.52 – 200 breaststroke) were the other second-place finishers in their respective events.
Newton (53.00 – 100 freestyle), Madison Bond (2:25.43 – 200 breaststroke) and Perlberg (2:10.68 – 200 IM) each got third.
In the distance events, BG's top finishers each placed third as well, as Lourdes Manderfield (5:16.07) and Hannah Ehrman (18:05.11) paced their way in the 500 and 1,650 freestyles, respectively.
Additionally, BGSU's best 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays came in third. No diving events took place.
"I'm extremely proud of how well our team did at today's invitational," head coach Tanner Barton said. "We celebrate this team victory, but we will fine-tune our race strategies as we head into next week's tri-meet and the championship season."
Up Next
The Falcons will have a tri-meet to wrap up the regular season against Toledo and Buffalo. Senior Day will take place on Friday, January 31 at 6 p.m. at Cooper Pool and will serve as the first half of the meet. The second half will begin the following day at Toledo's Student Recreation Center at 11 a.m.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
Be sure to follow the Falcons swimming and diving team throughout the season on social media.
Twitter – @BGAthletics and @FalconSwimDive
Instagram – 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsu_swimdive'
Facebook – 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube – 'Falcon Athletics'
Â
FISHERS, Ind. – For the first time in at least 15 years, the BGSU swim team can say they accomplished a certain feat.
The Falcons came away victorious in the 16th annual Butler Invitational, a meet that included four other teams. In that span, Bowling Green has not won a meet with four or more squads competing.
BGSU (1,322 points) bested Xavier (1,136 – who placed fourth at the 2024 Big East Championships), host Butler (899), Valparaiso (684) and IU Indianapolis (45).
On the wall outside the Fishers High School Natatorium locker room read a red note, "Swim Like A Champion Today" in the same font as the famed Notre Dame football "Play Like A Champion Today" sign that the Fighting Irish tap before going out onto the field.
The Falcons swam with that championship mindset throughout the meet, winning five races from five different individuals.
Emily McNicol (57.35 – 100 backstroke), Ava Vial (1:06.38 – 100 breaststroke), Grace Bodrock (2:05.75 – 200 butterfly), Abby Toepfer (5:13.48 – 500 freestyle) and Taylor Devorace (2:07.28 – 200 IM) all came away victorious in their respective events.
The team also flashed depth, as they placed four swimmers in the top eight in six of the 12 individual events.
Devorace also took runner-up in the 200 freestyle (1:53.64) while Vial came in third in the 100 butterfly (58.05).
In a field of 26 swimmers in the 50 freestyle, five Falcons finished in the top 10. Samia Becdach (24.26) came in second, while Riley McNichols, Annie Berrow, Elayna Krupp and Sierra Newton rounded out the others.
Becdach also finished runner-up in the 100 backstroke (57.55) while McNichols (57.19 – 100 butterfly) and Grace Perlberg (2:24.52 – 200 breaststroke) were the other second-place finishers in their respective events.
Newton (53.00 – 100 freestyle), Madison Bond (2:25.43 – 200 breaststroke) and Perlberg (2:10.68 – 200 IM) each got third.
In the distance events, BG's top finishers each placed third as well, as Lourdes Manderfield (5:16.07) and Hannah Ehrman (18:05.11) paced their way in the 500 and 1,650 freestyles, respectively.
Additionally, BGSU's best 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays came in third. No diving events took place.
"I'm extremely proud of how well our team did at today's invitational," head coach Tanner Barton said. "We celebrate this team victory, but we will fine-tune our race strategies as we head into next week's tri-meet and the championship season."
Up Next
The Falcons will have a tri-meet to wrap up the regular season against Toledo and Buffalo. Senior Day will take place on Friday, January 31 at 6 p.m. at Cooper Pool and will serve as the first half of the meet. The second half will begin the following day at Toledo's Student Recreation Center at 11 a.m.
FOLLOW THE FALCONS
Be sure to follow the Falcons swimming and diving team throughout the season on social media.
Twitter – @BGAthletics and @FalconSwimDive
Instagram – 'bgfalcons' and 'bgsu_swimdive'
Facebook – 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube – 'Falcon Athletics'
Â
Players Mentioned
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Butterfly/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Butterfly/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Butterfly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Butterfly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Backstroke/Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breaststroke/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Freestyle/Butterfly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
IM/Butterfly
/ Women's Swimming & DivingBG Swim/Dive : Ava Vial Postmeet 2.2
Monday, February 05
BG Swim/Dive : Coach Perkins Postmeet 2.4
Sunday, February 04
BG Ziggys : Daisy Platts
Monday, April 25
BG S/D : Coach Perkins Post-Mac's 2.26
Sunday, February 27