The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 15, 1995, Page 7, Image 7
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*
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limes in doui me uu aim wv ueeaiyie ~
events this season. Auburn also boasts ^
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Finals 6:30 pm
500 Free
200 IM
50 Free
20 minute break
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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
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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
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schedule for Championships has the preliminary
events beginning at 10:30 a.m.
with the finals starting 6:30 p.m.
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