By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's swimming and diving team kicked off the three-day Rochester Invitational in style Friday evening.
 
Record-setting style.
 
The Cardinal women's 800 freestyle relay team shattered the school's 16-year-old record to highlight a limited Friday evening schedule.
 
The freshmen quartet of Brooke Shefchik (Stevens Point, Wis.), Alexis Holliday (South Milwaukee, Wis.), Alyssa Haram (Maple Grove, Minn.), and Abby Hauser (Waukesha, Wis.) touched the wall in 8:32.71, easily breaking the old school mark of 8:37.08, set in 1999.
 
And that proved to be a sign of good things to come for the Cardinals, who saw Shefchik (5:38.04), Haram (5:39.22), Amanda Hansen (Brooklyn Park, Minn. / 5:57.15), Lela Peterson (Menomonie, Wis. / 6:15.39), and Hannah Emeott (Chisago City, Minn. / 6:24.28) all post season-best times in the 500 freestyle, while on the men's side, Jack McCormick (Milwaukee, Wis.) earned a spot in the 500 freestyle B final Saturday evening—posting a time of 5:00.08—while Nick Sawchuk sealed a berth in the MIAC Championships with his 5:37.11 in the 500 freestyle.
 
The second day of the three-day competition begins Saturday morning with prelims at the Rochester Rec Center, with the finals taking place later that evening.