ROCHESTER, Minn. – Minnesota State Moorhead swimming & diving concluded competition at the three-day Rochester Invitational on Saturday. The Dragons placed sixth overall as a team behind 725 points. 
 
In the 100-yard freestyle, Sophia Verke paced the Dragons with a third-place finish in the championship final. The junior clocked a 52.59 for the placement. Verke swam a 52.81 in preliminary action. Maggie Moore would win the C-final of the same event behind a time of 53.87. 
 
Verke would also earn a spot in the 100-yard IM championship final. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native clocked a 1:00.77 in the final for a fifth-place finish. Ruth Pavelski placed fifth in the consolation final behind a time of 1:02.89. 
 
Rose Urick would qualify for the championship final of the 200-yard breaststroke. In preliminaries, Urick swam a 2:28.20 with the sophomore improving on that mark for a personal best 2:25.10 in the finals. The time is now the sixth-fastest time in school history and garnered fourth-place marks for Urick. 
 
Fernanda Leon would look sharp again on Saturday, earning runner-up marks in the 200-yard fly championship final. Leon marked a 2:06.56 in the finals, which was just .06 off her collegiate best set last season. Cami Mayo would place runner-up in the C-final of the same event with a time of 2:19.46
 
Moorhead was led by Turin Johnson in the 1650-yard freestyle. The true freshman marked a time of 18:38.87 for a 16^th place finish. Kelsey Jackson would win the D-final of the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:09.83.
 
To close the meet, MSUM's 400-yard freestyle relay squad of Verke, Joanna Phillips, Pavelski and Moore would place eighth overall. The quartet clocked a time of 3:36.76
 
Up Next
 
MSUM will not compete again until 2026 as Moorhead looks towards the annual Dragon Invite. Action from Hulbert Aquatic Center is scheduled to begin on Friday, January 16 at 5 p.m.