By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's 800 freestyle relay set the tone with their record-setting performance during Friday's opening day of the three-day Rochester Invitational.
 
The freshman 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 the Cardinals picked up right where they left off during the second day of competition at the Rochester Rec Center Saturday.
 
Saint Mary's qualified four swimmers—Jack McCormick (Milwaukee, Wis.), Jack Wells (Glenview, Ill.), Abby Hauser (Waukesha, Wis.), and Griffin Rades (Shawano, Wis.)—into the Saturday evening finals, while Rades also posted a 14^th-place showing in the 400 IM with a time of 4:25.14.
 
McCormick and Wells both saw double-duty in Saturday evening's finals, as McCormick won the "C" Final in the 200 freestyle, touching the wall in 1:50.47, and clocked a time of 4:59.35 in the 500 freestyle, while Wells posted a 22.82 in the 50 freestyle and stopped the clock in 1:54.64 in the 200 freestyle.
 
Hauser touched the wall in 1:08.49 in the 100 breaststroke finals, while Rades chipped in a 1:01.40 in the men's 100 breaststroke.
 
The third day of the three-day competition kicks off Sunday morning at the Rochester Rec Center. Prelims begin at 9:30 a.m, with the finals taking place staring at 5:30 p.m.