Virginia Wins 2009 ACC Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship

The Virginia Cavaliers won their 12th ACC Crown on Saturday night at the 2009 ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championship in Maryland's Eppley Recreation Center.

The Wahoo's Matt McLean raked in his second consecutive ACC Championship Most Valuable Swimmer by winning the 200, 500 and 1650 Free events in dominating fashion. Miami's Rueben Ross was named ACC Championship Most Valuable Diver as he won both the 1M and 3M events and took second on the platform. McLean became the first swimmer to repeat as MVP while Ross took his second career honor.

Virginia took the Championship with 832 points followed by Florida State (640), North Carolina (504.5) and Georgia Tech (474.5).

Virginia's McLean demolished the ACC record in the 1650 Free by over 10 seconds to take his third gold medal of the Championships in 14:25.12. Second place Taylor Smith (UVA) touched the wall in 14:45.00 to secure his first silver medal of the meet. Florida State's Kyle Young edged North Carolina's Joe Kinderwater for third place in 14:36.68. The top four finishers all earned automatic qualification for the NCAA Championships.

Andy Hodgson earned Florida State's first title of the meet by re-setting his own ACC record and winning the 200 Back in 1:41.14. He bested Clemson's Tom Recko (1:43.01) and North Carolina's Tommy Whyer (1:43.34). With the fast swim, Hodgson punched his ticket for the NCAA Championships with an automatic berth.

Virginia's Scot Robison backed up his league record from the prelims in the 100 free to take first place in the 100 Free with a time of 43.14. Florida State's Jarryd Botha took second place in 43.28. He was followed by Georgia Tech's Noah Copeland (43.33). Virginia earned back-to-back wins when Ryan Hurley took the 200 Breast in 1:55.14. Georgia Tech's Gal Nevo was denied his breaststroke double as he took second in 1:55.27. Florida State's Rob Holderness finished third in 1:56.06.

Virginia's Pat Reams took top honors in the 200 Fly with a top time of 1:43.82. North Carolina's Jason McLaughlin earned the silver in 1:44.46 while Cavalier Lee Robertson took third in 1:45.42. Reams set the meet record in the prelims with a time of 1:43.51.

Florida State's Dan Frebel won the platform diving event with a six-dive total of 434.50, breaking the meet record in the event. Miami's Rueben Ross took second place (431.30), falling shy of his bid for the diving trifecta. Virginia Tech's Mikey McDonald finished third with a score of 357.40.

Virginia won the 400 Free Relay in 2:51.50 to set a new ACC record by three seconds. Florida State took second place (2:52.03) while Georgia Tech took the bronze medal in 2:54.72.

The ACC record book was re-written in the meet as 13 ACC records fell and 15 new meet marks were posted.

Team Scores (Final):
1. Virginia 832
2. Florida State 640
North Carolina 504.5
Georgia Tech 474.5
5. Virginia Tech 379
6. NC State 238
7. Duke 207
8. Maryland 203.5
9. Clemson 196.5
10. Boston College 74
11. Miami 57

Hodgson Earns 200 Back Title As Florida State Takes Second-Place At ACC Swimming And Diving Championships
The Florida State men’s swimming and diving team finished the ACC Swimming and Diving Championships with a conference record and three NCAA automatic qualifying times en route to a second-place finish in College Park, Md.  The Garnet and Gold finished with 640 points.
 
“This was a great way to finish the meet and we really pushed Virginia this evening,” FSU head coach Neil Harper said.  “I’m really proud of our guys for getting some automatic qualifying times and they way we solidified ourselves in second-place.”
 
Junior Andy Hodgson earned the Seminoles first gold medal of the meet with his dominating performance in the 200 back.  Hodgson broke his own conference and school record in the event and earned a NCAA automatic qualifying time of 1:41.14.  Sophomore Ian Rowe also scored in the event with a 16th-place finish of 1:46.90.
 
“I had a game plan and I’m pleased with how I swam the race,” Hodgson said.  “It’s good to get a gold medal for the team and I have a few weeks until NCAA’s to get faster.”
 
Fifth-year senior Jarryd Botha earned his second silver medal of the meet with his second-place finish in the 100 free with a time of 43.28.  Senior Jimmy Holway finished just off the podium placing fourth with a personal best time of 43.54.  Fifth-year senior Ed Denton was right behind Holway in fifth position with a 43.68.
 
FSU earned a silver medal and a NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 400 free relay.  The team of Holway, Botha, Denton and Hodgson touched in a school record time of 2:52.03.
 
“I think that we exceeded our expectations,” Harper said.  “It seemed like all four of our relays were on and I’m just excited for the guys.”
 
In his first event of the day, Rowe broke the school record in the 1650 free in an afternoon heat with a time of 14:56.22 which earned him fifth-place.  However in the evening finals fifth-year senior Kyle Young reclaimed his school record with a NCAA automatic qualifying time of 14:46.68 which earned him third-place.  Junior Nick Graves also scored for FSU with a ninth-place finish of 5:10.79.
 
Sophomore Rob Holderness broke his school for the second time on Saturday going 1:56.06 which earned third-place.  Junior Scott Thacker placed 11th for FSU with a time of 1:59.38 while sophomore Matt Shead touched in 15th position (2:02.44).
 
In the final individual event of the meet sophomore Robby Hayes won the consolation heat with a personal best and NCAA provisional time of 1:46.54 to place ninth. 
 
Tar Heel Men Take Third Place At ACC Championships
After trailing Georgia Tech for three days of competition, the North Carolina men’s swimming and diving team posted six school records on the final day of competition and surged past the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to take third place at the 2009 ACC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships.  Competition concluded Saturday night at the University of Maryland’s Eppley Recreation Center Pool.

“It took us all meet to catch Georgia Tech and we did,” UNC head coach Rich DeSelm said. “We finished stronger and stronger throughout the course of the meet. We had some great performances and a number of school records. The biggest thing I’m proud of is that our guys stepped up and raced. The guys were faster at night and that’s a big key to competing effectively.
 
“We broke a lot of records which should have been expected with these new technology suits,” explained coach DeSelm.  “It’s a little confusing for any coach to evaluate the whole process but we’ll gladly take it because it is a level playing field and records are made to be broken.”

Sophomore Joe Kinderwater broke teammate Chip Peterson’s team record in the 1650-yard freestyle in the evening’s first event. Kinderwater finished fourth in the competitive field with a career best time of 14:4693, an automatic NCAA qualifying time (his previous best was 14:53.57). He broke Peterson’s record of 14:48.86 set in November 2008 at the Gamecock Invitational.  Peterson finished sixth in the event with an NCAA “B” cut of 14:57.31.  Freshman Wil Singley took seventh place in an NCAA “B” cut of 15:06.52, demolishing his previous career best time of 15:41.03. Junior Hank Browning grabbed 15th place in 15:26.97. Senior Yi-Khy Saw swam the final race of his career, placing 17th in the mile with a time of 15:30.51.
 
Sophomore Tommy Wyher continued his record-setting weekend by breaking the UNC record in the men’s 200-yard backstroke. Wyher finished third in the event with a time of 1:43.34. He posted the Tar Heel record time of 1:42.40 during prelims. Wyher’s record was an NCAA “B” cut and broke the 2007 school record set by Keith Laabs at 1:45.43.
 
“Tommy raced a very good 200 back against Andy Hodgson from Florida State,” DeSelm said. “He had a fantastic evening and another school record.”

Junior Jeff James finished 15th in the event with a time of 1:46.77. James swam a career-best time of 1:45.63 in prelims, which puts him fourth all-time at UNC in the event.

Sophomore Josh Hafkin swam a career best time of 1:44.47 during prelims in the 200-yard backstroke. Hafkin’s 1:44.47 is an NCAA “B” qualifying time and ranks him second all-time at UNC in the event behind only Wyher.
 
“Josh swam faster than the old school record and swam really well,” said DeSelm.  “He’s coming off an injury from last spring and he’s shown that he’s very talented. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do when he’s healthy next year.”
 
Three Tar Heel freshman posted times below Carolina’s 16-year-old record in the 100-yard freestyle. Steve Cebertowicz set the new standard of 43.98 to become the first Tar Heel to ever break the 44-second barrier. Cebertowicz finished ninth in the event and broke Daniel Summerlin’s record of 44.26 set in 1993.  Brad Hamilton and Evan Reed also swam faster than Summerlin’s record, finishing 10th and 17th, respectively, in the exact same time of 44.16. The tie places both Hamilton and Reed in second place on Carolina’s All-Time Top 10 depth chart.
 
“The three freshmen in the 100 free – Cebertowicz, Hamilton and Reed – are going to get bigger and faster, and that’s exciting,” DeSelm said. “I thought we did very well in that event, and I’m really proud of those guys.”
 
Exhibition swimmer freshman Brock Park also posted a career best time in the 100-yard freestyle by going 45.19 during prelims.
 
Sophomore Tyler Harris finished fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke with an NCAA “B” cut and a career best time of 1:56.45, just missing Sean Quinn’s UNC record of 1:56.39 set in 2002. Harris dropped just under two seconds off his previous best time of 1:58.33 to move into second place all-time at UNC. Sophomore Vinny Pryor finished sixth in a career best and NCAA “B” cut time of 1:57.96 (previous best 1:58.74). Pryor’s time moves him into third place all-time in the event. Sophomore Flynn Jones dropped more than three seconds during prelims the 200-yard breaststroke to swim a career best time of 2:02.07 (previous best 2:05.28).
 
“Vinny and Tyler both went faster tonight, and it’s a tough field,” DeSelm said. “The times are really fast. Tyler barely missed Sean Quinn’s record and that shows just how good our school records are, especially the ones that are long-standing.”
 
Junior Jason McLaughlin took second place in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:44.46 after setting a UNC record and NCAA “B” cut of 1:44.37 during prelims (previous best 1:47.73). McLaughlin broke Josh Glasco’s record of 1:44.60 that was set in 2004.
 
“Jason McLaughlin had an outstanding swim,” DeSelm said. “He’s coming off two shoulder surgeries and that shows how tough he is. We’re glad we’ve got him on our side.”
 
Sophomore Robert Grimmett-Norris continued his stellar weekend as an exhibition swimmer with a career best time of 1:47.26 during prelims (previous best 1:49.02). Grimmett-Norris’ time moves him into seventh place all-time at Carolina in the event. Freshman Victor LeClere tied for 11th place in the 200-yard butterfly with a career best time of 1:47.80 (previous best 1:4912). Sophomore Andy Brake placed 19th in a career best time of 1:48.71 (previous best 1:49.76).
 
Junior David Solarz wrapped up his superb diving by setting a school record in men's 10-meter platform diving. It was his third championships' finals appearance after finishing fifth in three-meter diving and seventh in one-meter diving and now taking fourth in platform diving. Solarz scored 338.25 points to break the school record of 306.00 points scored by Ryan Funderburk in 2008. Freshman David MacDonald placed 16th with 213.45 points.
 
Carolina’s 400-yard freestyle relay finished fifth with a time of 2:55.53, breaking UNC’s 18-year-old record in the event. The team of Reed (44.31), Cebertowicz (43.79), Hamilton (43.91), and James (43.52) broke the record set by John Davis (44.66), Tod Schroeder (44.38), Mark Sedlak (43.55) and David Monasterio (44.02) in 1991.
 
“We have a young team,” DeSelm said. “A lot of the scoring points came from freshman and sophomores. That’s exciting.  We’re going to work hard to improve and recruit higher caliber swimmers. Hats off to Virginia and Florida State. I’m proud of our guys and looking forward to NCAAs in a few weeks.”
 
MEN’S SWIMMING SETS FOUR MORE SCHOOL RECORDS ON FINAL NIGHT OF ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ilia Ayzenshtok (200-back), Noah Copeland (100-free) and Gal Nevo (200-breast) each set school records as the Georgia Tech men’s swimming team finished fourth in the ACC Championships that wrapped up Saturday night on the campus of the University of Maryland.
 
The Yellow Jackets finished fourth for the second straight year with 474.5 points, nearly 100 points more than last season. Virginia won the meet with 832 points, followed by Florida State (640) and North Carolina (504.5). Virginia Tech was a distant fifth behind Georgia Tech, nearly 100 points behind.
 
“Overall, I am very happy with our performance this year,” head coach Stu Wilson said. “The guys worked extremely hard and it has shown in the results. We didn’t just break records, we shattered some of them and nearly every swimmer set career-highs. This has been a very rewarding week and the guys left everything they had out there.”
 
The 400-free relay team also set a school record by more than five seconds as they finished third in a NCAA B-cut time of 2:54.72. The team, consisting of Copeland, Nevo, Travis Wagner and Garrett Robberson gave the Jackets 32 points.
 
In the 200-back, Ilia Ayzenshtok took home fourth place for the Yellow Jackets with a 1:43.57. In prelims, he set a school record with a NCAA B-cut time of 1:43.23. It broke the previous Tech record by two and a half seconds.
 
Johnny Hagaman was eighth for Tech as he touched the wall in 1:46.41. In prelims, he was two seconds better than that for a career-high and NCAA B-cut 1:44.28. Matt Tang placed 19th (1:48.31), but his time of 1:47.59 in prelims was a career-best. Way Joe Lee was a couple places behind in 21st (1:48.69). He set a career-best of 1:47.82 in prelims.
 
The 100-free saw Noah Copeland break his own school record with a 43.33, good for third place and a NCAA B-cut. Garrett Robberson finished seventh for the Yellow Jackets with a 43.98. In prelims, he was .07 seconds faster than that for a career-high. Mauricio Sousa 44.73), Travis Wagner (44.72), Mickey Malul (44.96), Jeffrey Phillips (45.16) and Kelsey Duffy (46.70) all set career-highs.
 
Gal Nevo just missed his third win of this championship as he placed second in the 200-breast with a 1:55.27, .13 seconds behind Virginia’s Ryan Hurley. For Nevo, it was a NCAA B-cut time and Tech record as well. Andy Miller finished ninth for the Yellow Jackets in a career-high time of 1:58.74.
 
Also setting career-highs for the Jackets in the 200-breast were Sam Bendziewicz (2:02.61), Matt Vaughan (2:02.99), Jeremy Jackson (2:03.66), Johnnie Hermes (2:02.54) and Kevin Skenes (2:06.06).
 
The final individual event of the 2009 ACC Championships was the 200-fly and Sullivan Lynch led the Yellow Jackets with a seventh-place finish in a time of 1:46.80. In prelims, he swam a career-high 1:46.74. Ralph Long finished 16th in a time of 1:49.11. He was .02 seconds better than that for a career-high 1:49.09.
 
VT Men's Swimming and Diving Takes Fifth
The Virginia Tech men’s swimming and diving team completed the final day of action at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in College Park, Md. The Tech men claimed fifth place and scored 379 points. The Virginia Cavaliers captured the ACC title with a score of 832. Tech had its second impressive showing in as many weeks at the ACC Championships. The H2Okie team rewrote the record books 11 times this weekend. Freshman Charlie Higgins broke three former team records to lead the H2Okies this weekend.

The H2Okies swam in the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast and the 200 fly events, in the final day of action in College Park, Md. The relay team raced in the 400 free relay.

In the 1650 free event the H2Okies posted 14 points. Tech had three swimmers score in the event with senior Ben Miller leading the team with six points. Miller touched in with a time of 15:16.28, for a new H2Okie top-time in the event, while making an NCAA “B” cut. Freshmen Bryan Uncur and Blake Trabuchi-Downey finished 12th and 14th, respectively. The former registered a time of 15:19.04, while the latter crossed the finish line in 15:24.31. The duo totaled eight points for Tech.

Higgins continued his stellar showing at his first ACC Championships. The freshman scored seven points in the 200 back and posted a time of 1:43.85, a new Tech record, while qualifying for an NCAA “B” cut in the process. Tech claimed 24 points in the 100 free. Sophomore Stephen Hawkins registered a time of 44.26 and claimed 11 points, while senior Ian deToll touched in with a time of 44.17 for an additional six points. Meanwhile, sophomores Zach Holmes and Richard Ulatowksi finished 13th and 14th, respectively. Holmes crossed the finish line in 44.25, while Ulatowski posted a time of 44.89.

In 200 breaststroke action, juniors Jonathan Huss and Scott Harkins combined to score 11 points for Tech. Huss claimed 10th place for the H2Okies with a time of 1:59.36 for a new H2Okie record. Harkins finished slightly behind his classmate, clocking a time of 1:59.76 for a 13th place showing.

A trio of freshman totaled 30 points for Tech in the 200 fly. Trey Stewart’s performance highlighted the event for the H2Okies. Stewart garnered an NCAA “B” cut time and 15 points, after finishing the race in 1:45.76. Trabuchi-Downey had an eighth place showing in the event with a time of 1:49.37, while Matt Baumler touched in at 1:48.25 for 13th place.

The men divers’ competed last weekend in the platform event and totaled 27 points. Junior Mikey McDonald scored a third place finish in the event with a score of 357.40, while sophomore Daniel Martin qualified for the diving finalsafter a preliminary score of 276.75. Martin finished the event in eighth place.

In relay action, the team of deToll, Holmes, Ulatowski and Hawkins placed fourth in the 400 free relay. The squad touched in with a time of 2:55.49 for 30 points and an NCAA “B” cut. The team also claimed another H2Okie record, the fourth on the weekend in relay competition.

Mellor Sets New Record on Final Day at ACC’s
Stephen Mellor set a school record in the 200 backstroke as NC State ended its stay at the 2009 ACC Championships on Saturday, Feb. 28. The Wolfpack finished in sixth place overall with 238 total points.

Mellor broke his own school record in the 200 backstroke, posting a 1:43.49 in the consolation finals. That time, also an NCAA “B” cut, improves upon his 2008 mark of 1:43.98. Kevin Woodhull-Smith put up the second-best time in school history with a 1:44.89, also an NCAA “B” cut, in the prelims, while Taylor Goodwin’s 1:46.05 is third best. Ben Mechak’s 1:47.48 in the bonus consolation is the sixth quickest mark ever.

Gaites Brown (45.51) and Conor Brennan (45.69) offered the top two times on the team this year in the 100 freestyle, while Andrew Keenan added a 46.44.

Greg Baskwell notched a career best 2:01.66 in the 200 breaststroke prelims, standing as the seventh best mark in school history and fastest this year. Dan Forsythe’s 2:01.96 is the second fastest mark on the roster this season, while Jon Vorpagel (2:05.38) and Danny Voss (2:08.54) recorded solid swims.

In the 200 butterfly Sean Ream’s recorded the top swim this season and fifth fastest in school history with a 1:48.49. Mike Seiferth clocked in at 1:50.96.

Mason McGee’s 15:30.48 in the 1650 freestyle is the ninth fastest ever, while Andrew Lester’s 15:36.55 is second quickest this season.

Brennan, Wright, Brown and McGee ended the evening by posting the top 400 freestyle relay on the year with a 2:59.74.

Men's swimming and diving finishes ninth at ACC Championships
The Clemson men’s swimming and diving team concluded competition at the 2009 ACC Championships in ninth place with 196.5 points. The Tigers closed out the meet having set four school records in all, two on the final day of competition.  Tom Recko headlined for the Tigers, taking a silver medal in the 200 backstroke in school-record time.

Junior Tom Recko lowered his school record to 1:43.01, as he earned his first career All-ACC selection as a silver-medalist in the 200 backstroke.

Chris Dart improved on his time from this morning in the 200 backstroke, posting a career-best 1:46.99, the third best time in Clemson history. The freshman won the bonus consolation final to place 17th overall in the event.

The Tigers had a strong contingent in the 200 fly. Sophomore David Gordon led all Clemson finishers in the event with a 1:47.80, tying him for 10th. His time is the second-best in Clemson history. Joe Knecht also picked up points, finishing 14th with a 1:49.02, the second-best time of his career.

Brian Possee won the bonus consolation final heat with a career-best 1:48.42. The time places him in Clemson’s all-time top ten as well. Matt Angelini can make the same claim after finishing 18th with a 1:48.70. Freshman Harry Foster also competed in the heat, placing 23rd with a 1:53.02.

In the 1650 free, freshman Will Clark placed 18th with a 15:36.12, the eighth-fastest time in school history. Another freshman, Alex Carr, was 24th with a 15:58.07. Eric Lane won the bonus consolation final heat of the 200 breast after posting a 2:01.41, the fourth-best time in Clemson history.

Clemson’s 400 free relay group of Seth Broster, Oliver, Reinke, and Dart had the second-best time in Clemson history. Broster led off with a 44.35, the fifth-best in Clemson history. The group took seventh overall with their NCAA-B 2:57.59.

In other swimming action, Stephanie Fura earned her NCAA Zone qualifying score at the UGA last chance meet by posting a 278.05 on the one-meter boards. The Tigers’ 200 free group also competed, as did freshman Kelli Kyle.

Both teams will await word on whether their NCAA-B times will be considered for NCAA competition. Additionally, Leslie Hasselbach will take five divers to NCAA Zone championships in Knoxville, TN. The divers hit marks during the season to qualify for Zones and if they perform well at the Zone meet, will travel to College Station, TX for the NCAA championships.

Duke Moves Up A Spot, Finishes Seventh In Conference
The Duke men’s swimming & diving team wrapped up competition at the 2009 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships Saturday night with seven more school records – for a total of 18 on the weekend – as the Blue Devils moved up a spot to take seventh of 11 teams at the conference meet. The finish was a two-spot improvement from last season’s ninth-place showing, and was indicative of the great strides the program has made all throughout the 2008-09 season.

“This was awesome – our goal was to finally start mixing it up within the conference, and it’s just been a really great year,” said head coach Dan Colella. “Our seniors provided us with a lot of leadership, and to see the things they’ve achieved has just made us so proud. For the relay to break the school record at the end of the night and get us into seventh place was absolutely the icing on the cake. We’re real proud of what the men did this year and this weekend.”

To start day four, Andrew Clark just missed the school record in the 1650 free – off by just over a second – as he took 20th in the mile-long swim. Next up was the 200 backstroke, where Spencer Booth continued a solid weekend with the school record in the event, as he clocked a 1:44.40 in this morning’s prelims followed by a 1:45.08 to take sixth place in tonight’s finals. Teammates Alex Kluge and Davis Hahn also broke the standing record this morning in prelims with their times of 1:47.92 and 1:47.81, respectively.

In the 100 freestyle, Nick Garvy broke the record in prelims with a 44.11, which he followed up with a 44.22 in the finals to take 12th in the ACC. Pieter Den Hartog broke the old record during prelims as well, with his time of 44.67.

The 200 butterfly saw Eric Ness break the Duke record this morning in 1:49.30 as he then came back in 1:49.41 tonight.

Finally, the Duke 400 free relay team of Booth, Den Hartog, Ryan Packer, and Garvy took sixth in a record time of 2:57.46. The win moved Duke past Maryland to end with a team score of 207 for a seventh-place overall finish for the meet.

In the Terrapin Cup event that was going on this evening as well, the Blue Devil women made some history as well, as Meredith Bannon broke the Duke record in the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.93 and Shannon Beall broke the 100 fly record in 53.25.