By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University swim teams were back in season-best mode Sunday afternoon — and this time around, it was the Cardinal men who took center stage.
 
Both Brennen McClay (Shakopee, Minn.) and Casey Hanson (Grand Rapids, Minn.) qualified for the finals during the last day of the three-day Rochester Invitational, held at the Rochester Rec Center, to lead the way for the Cardinals.
 
McClay, who posted a preliminary time of 49.19 to earn a spot in the finals of the 100 freestyle, stopped the clock in 49.25 to place 19th, while Hanson, coming off a 2:27.61 in the 200 backstroke prelims, came back in the finals to record a time of 2:26.00 to finish 19th.
 
McClay also recorded a time of 58.32 in the 100 butterfly and Hanson touched the wall in 55.45 in the 100 freestyle.
 
On the women's side, Mara Caples (Rochester, Minn.), Katie Domack (Lakeville, Minn.), Ashlyn Seifert (Austin, Texas), and Olivia Fleming (Hugo, Minn.), and Dakota Becerra (Yorba Linda, Calif.) all had a busy days, each posting season-best times in a pair of events — Caples in the 200 backstroke (2:21.65) and 100 butterfly (1:04.39); Domack in the 100 freestyle (58.74) and 100 butterfly (1:03.57); Seifert in the 100 freestyle (59.07) and 100 butterfly (1:08.63); Fleming in the 100 butterfly (1:05.35) and 200 backstroke (2:34.57); and Becerra in the 1,650 freestyle (22:28.91) and 100 freestyle (1:07.43).
 
Katie Beitz (Blaine, Minn.) chipped in a 58.66 in the 100 freestyle, while Claire King (Red Wing, Minn.) added a 1:01.24 in the 100 freestyle and Brooke Shefchik (Stevens Point, Wis.) clocked a 19:21.58 in the 1,650 freestyle.
 
The Cardinals are now off until Jan. 17-18, when they head to Stevens Point, Wis., to take part in the two-day UW-Stevens Point Invitational.