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USC aquatic Staff Reports de The USC aquatic teams take another pi< step toward national prominence today W as they host the SEC Swimming Cham- m pionships at the Carolina Natatorium in Sol Blatt P. E. Center. This year's championships should be highlighted he by some great individual performances and might have a few surprises in the mi team competition. ar On the women's side this could be i?' the year the Lady Gators of Florida fail ^ to win the SEC Championship for the ^ first time since 1985. With the loss of ^ Nicole Haislett and Janie Wagstaff, this appears to be the year women could break Florida's nine-year stranglehold st on the SEC Women's title. Auburn and h)i Georgia head the list of candidates ready ?h to knock Florida from the top. in Eight of the nine teams competeing ar are currently ranked in the top 25, led 80 by Auburn, Florida and Georgia in the 80 top 10. Tennessee (12th), Alabama (16th), st South Carolina (19th), LSU (22nd) and N Kentucky (24th) round out the top 25. The fourth ranked Lady Tigers of & Auburn are led by Keri Reynolds, the defending 100 breaststroke champion, w and Allison Bock, the holder of the fastest P* i-1-- CA J 1 Art ? ai limes in doui me uu aim wv ueeaiyie ~ events this season. Auburn also boasts ^ Lea I THE 1 App is take to i fending 400 individual medley cham )n Laura certa ana DacxsiroKer Anne englarski, holder of the fastest time the 100 this season. The Lady Bulldogs of Georgia come to the event ranked ninth and rely avily on their relays. Georgia owns e fastest times in all the freestyle and edley relays. Individually, Lisa Coole id Kara Manglitz are automatic qualers for the NCAA's. Coole swam the 0 butterfly in 54.81 and Manglitz has alified in both the 200 and 400 indiiual medley. Do not discount the Lady Gators in eir quest for an unprecedented 10th raight SEC title. Sophomore Nikki ryden is the defending 500 freestyle ampion and also has posted top times the 1650 freestyle and both the 100 id 200 backstroke. Allison Wagner alhas been impressive in freshman sean, posting a 2:14.9 in the 200 breastroke to automatically qualify for the CAA's. Mimosa McNerney and Barira Franco also could score big for Florii. Tennessee, currently ranked 12th, ill try break into the top three on the jrformance of freestylers Leslie Mix id Nicole deMan. Mix, the reigning >50 freestyle champion, has posted the ve y< n use SEP assisl plan i teach devel receiv lications av lSlsilTsc#! QQRHB For more inf lie pool lor fastest time in the 500 and 1650 freestyle this season. Nicole deMan will battle Auburn's Allison Bock for the sprint freestyle titles. South Carolina hopes the "home pool" advantage will lead them into the top five far the first time since joining the SEC in the 1991-92 season. The Lady Gamecocks are led by co-captain Michelle McCarthy in the 200 backstroke. McCarthy is the only swimmer to break ] 2:00.00 in the event this season. Also a j key component will be Valery Calkins. . Calkins, who finished second in the 200 and 500 freestyle last year, will look to improve on those finishes this time around. Senior Sara Henninger is one of the top breaststrokers in the SEC, and junior Kerry Fraas will compete with Bock and deMan for the sprint freestyle titles. Alabama will depend on 200 backstroke defending champion Katherine Rhodes to lead them. The 16th ranked Lady Tide will also rely on Ann-Sofie Joensson in the distance freestyle events, and NCAA double finalist Stacy Potter gives them strength as well. The Lady Tigers of LSU finished the dual season 9-1 wth Lucy Findlay pacing LSU in both the individual medley ana DreaststroKe events. our nark JSlKg VICE COR needs i * \ students in fin service projects others about tl op your leader 'e educational ailable in th< formation, contact the Office o I f MFC |J Wednesday, February 1 SEC Swim] Kentucky's Kelly Heath could be s< Haislett's heir apparent in the 200 1< freestyle. She has bettered every swim- s mer in the SEC by over one second in is that event this season for the 24th ranked b Lady Wildcats. ii In the men's division, the third-ranked 1] Auburn Tigers are the favorites to repeat as SEC Champions. The Tigers will, d rely on the their crown. Tennessee will o be close to their heels, as the Volunteers tl are ranked sixth in the latest Speedo L American Swimming and Diving Poll, tl Four other SEC schools are ranked 1 in the latest poll as well. Florida, Geor- h gia and Alabama are 13th, 14th, and s 15th respectively. LSU follows at num- t ber 21, following their best dual meet t season since 1987. Auburn, with six All-Americans, is I understandably the favorite. John Har- ( gis is the defending champion in the 100 i butterfly. This season Auburn has five e swimmers who have posted SEC best 'i times. Tripp Montgomery has the best f time in the 50 freestyle, while Oliver ? Gumbrill has the fastest time in the 100 | freestyle. Backstroker Mike Andrews has been the best in both the 100 and ( 200 this season. Iian Mull has the best 1 time in the 400 individual medley by al- 3 most two seconds. Kurt Jachimowski, 1 PS LEADE jou to: iding volunteer ?for Carolina c he values of se ship skills debt assistanc 3 Campus Ac iT | V7f| f Community Service Program .5, 1995 Finals (3:30 pm 200 Free Relay ,W;m nm 200 Merilev Pelav Prelims 10:30 am 500 Free 200 IM 50 Free t*V 4 n.OA nm 400 m 100 Fly v : 200 Free 100 Breast 100 Back Prelims 10:30 am 200 Back 100 Free 200 Breast 200 Fly 20 minute break 1650 Free ming Chan scond in last year's 200 individual medsy, appears ready to assume the top pot this year. Ail-American Scott Jett i not even included in the list of SEC ests, as he is ranked fourth and second l the 50 and 100 freestyle, respectiveJ. Tennesse hopes to combat Auburn's epth with several superstars of their wn. Ricky Busquets is a standout in tie sprint freestyle events and Jeremy .inn has been the top breaststroker in tie SEC this year. P. J. Wiseman in the 00 and Falco Fleischmann in the 200 tave been the best butterfliers this seaon. Jon McGowen and Steve Carter give he Volunteers a one-two possibility in he 500 freestyle. Also in the mix will be 13th ranked ilorida. The Gators will be led by Stephen Clarke. Clarke is among the SEC's best n the 50,100 and 200 freestyle, as well is the 100 and 200 butterfly, and the 200 individual medley? He is one of the avorites for the Commissioner's Trophy riven to the top point scorer at the chamjionships. Georgia arrives with high hopes as lefending 100 breaststroke champion Michael Norment and defending 200 rard breaststroke champion Gabe Vasquez eturn. The 14th ranked Bulldogs hope \ y 1 U :rship te I sites ommunity >rvice e :tivities Cen 9 at 777*6688 7 till] Finals 6:30 pm 500 Free 200 IM 50 Free 20 minute break ^^^^_^40^Medle^Relav Finals 6:30 pfpl 400 IM tfggz !| 20<?Free MhB 100 Breast. ' 100 Back 20 minute break Finals 6:30 pm 1650 Free 200 Back 100 Free 200 Breast 200 Fly 20 minute break 400 Free Relay ipionships to cany the success of their dual season ii rin/^ m 1_ TT..1.L over 10 tne i^nampionsmps. neaui Edwards has also performed well this season for the Bulldogs. Alabama will be led by freestylers David Strassburg and Alex Voris. Both helped the Crimson Tide to a fourth place finish at last season's SEC Championships. Russell McDowell has also been effective in both butterfly and backstroke events this year. Louisiana State will depend on the duo of Sion Brinn and Nate Thomson. Thomson is amongst the leaders in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 and 400 individual medley. Brinn's specialty events are the 50 and 100 freestyle. The 21st ranked Tigers hope to use strong relay performances to surpass Florida, Georgia and Alabama. South Carolina will be led by Dam Phillips in the sprint freestyle races. Jay Telford should also score for Carolina in the distance freestyle events. Today's action starts with the 200 freestyle relay at 6:30 p.m. with the 200 medley relay following at 7:30 p.m. For i. _ ?. ? Q ov flia lUUlUlUI UW, 1'IlUOy aiivi k/oiuiuoj Hit schedule for Championships has the preliminary events beginning at 10:30 a.m. with the finals starting 6:30 p.m. ?C! I :am | LJ T