MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – California junior Ryan Hoffer highlighted the Bears' second day at the Minnesota Invitational by winning the 50 free at Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on Thursday.
 
Hoffer, the defending 50 free national champion, became the first swimmer to break the 19-second mark this season by touching in 18.98. It was the nation's fastest time this fall and the fifth-fastest in program history. Hoffer submitted the top prelim time (19.13) of the morning before winning the evening final.
 
Pawel Sendyk took third in the 50 free finals, touching in 19.33 seconds.
 
In the 200 IM, Reece Whitley took sixth with a time of 1:43.65 while Daniel Carr placed eighth (1:44.59). Bryce Mefford won the 200 IM "B" final in 1:44.71.
 
Trenton Julian was Cal's top performer in the 500 free, taking seventh in 4:15.56. He was the lone Bear to qualify for the "A" final; Sean Grieshop took 11th overall with a 4:16.91 time.
 
Cal closed the evening with a third-place finish in the 400 medley relay. Carr, Whitley, Hoffer and Sendyk combined to touch in 3:03.89, which met the NCAA "A" standard. The Bears placed behind a pair of Texas groups (3:01.51, 3:03.55).

Through 14 total events in Minneapolis, Cal remains in second place with 300 points and trails only Texas (481 points). Full relay results can be found here.
 
NEXT TIME
Cal's third day of competition at the Minnesota Invitational will feature the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back and 200 free relay events. Preliminaries start at 8 a.m. (PT) with finals starting at 4 p.m. (PT).
 
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