ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Ten Gardner-Webb swimmers began competition in the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America National Invitational at the United States Naval Academy today, with Eli Coan recording the Runnin Bulldogs' best finish of the day.

The 10 Runnin' Bulldogs in Annapolis – Seggio Bernardina, Coan, Zach Dingfield, Cullen Fields, Tyler Gomez, Jordan Mintz, Lara Siebrecht, Garrett Simpson, Austin Toney and Tessa Walsh – will compete over three days. An eleventh swimmer, Jessi Snover, was scheduled to compete, but withdrew due to injury.

In the morning prelims, Mintz started things off for Gardner-Webb with a 14^th-place finish in the 200-yard IM with a time of 1:51.33. In the men's 50-yard freestyle, Coan was the runner-up (20.48 seconds), while Bernardina recorded a top-10 (20.80), coming home ninth. Dingfield (15^th) and Gomez (T-18) also competed.

In women's action, Walsh competed in the 50-yard freestyle, turning in a time of 24.38 seconds. Siebrecht swam a time trial for the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.50 seconds.

"It was a good first day," said head coach Mike Simpson. "Four of six individual swimmers made the finals, and our 200-yard freestyle team got us off to a great start. Eli (Coan) making the podium was huge, and we are strong in tomorrow's events."

In the finals, the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Coan, Dingfield, Bernandina and Gomez finished fourth with a time of 1:21.82. The foursome was touched by just 0.28 seconds by the third-place team – George Washington.

Mintz competed in the 200-yard IM's B final, completing the race in 1:52.02.

In the 50-yard freestyle A final, Coan earned a third-place finish behind La Sale's Marcu Forsgren and race winner Allen Ross. Coan completed the race in 20.47 seconds and earned the Runnin' Bulldogs 16 points. Bernardina (20.88) and Dingfield (20.93) raced in the B final and combined for 6.5 points.

In the final event of the night, the men's 400-yard medley relay, GWU's team of Fields, Mintz, Bernandina and Coan finished 11^th with a time of 3:19.94.

After the opening day of swimming, the Gardner-Webb men are currently in 10^th-place out of 16 teams. The Runnin' Buldogs earned 65.5 points. George Washington (226.5) is in first.

The 'Dogs will return to action tomorrow, Friday, March 9, for day two of the national invitational. The morning prelims will begin at 10:30 a.m., while the finals will start at 6 p.m.