California Men
In an impressive display of talent, the Cal 400 free relay team of sophomore Tyler Messerschmidt, freshman Ryan Murphy, senior Fabio Gimondi and junior Seth Stubblefield won in the final event of the 2013 Winter Nationals Saturday (Dec. 7) with a time of 2:51.16. The relay victory was the highlight for David Durden’s squad at the prestigious three-day meet held in Knoxville, Tenn. and sponsored by USA Swimming.
Sophomore Jacob Pebley produced another silver medal for the Golden Bears earlier in the day. Pebley, from Corvallis, Ore., finished with a time of 1:40.72 in the 200 back to edge out freshman teammate Ryan Murphy, who won the bronze with a mark of 1:41.02. Murphy had the top time in the 200 back prelims at 1:41.52.
Other highlights for Cal Saturday was star alum Nathan Adrian winning the 100 free (41.39), two days after having won the 50 free on Thursday (18.89).
The Bears also had a pair of swimmers competing in the finals of the 200 fly on Saturday. Junior Will Hamilton finished fourth with a time of 1:43.33, and senior Marcin Tarczynski was sixth at 1:44.40.
In the 200 breast final, sophomore Josh Prenot placed seventh with a time of 1:55.17. The Bears had three swimmers score points in the 1650 free, highlighted by senior Jeremy Bagshaw sixth-place finish with a 14:56.00.
Cal ended the 2013 Winter Nationals third in the team standings with 214.50 points, trailing only defending NCAA champion Michigan (318) and SwimMAC Carolina (262).
On Friday, Prenot had won a silver medal in the 400 IM (3:43.86) and Murphy a bronze in the 100 back (45.77). The Bears were also second in the 800 free relay (6:24.43) behind the swims of Messerschmidt, freshman Long Gutierrez, sophomore Trent Williams and Bagshaw.
Additionally, Cal had its second alum win a gold medal, as standout breaststroker Damir Dugonjic, who competed for David Durden’s squad from 2008-2011, placed first in the 100 breast (51.93).
Additional top swims Friday were Hinshaw placing fourth in the 400 IM with a time of 3:48.67, and Pebley finishing sixth in the 100 back final with a mark of 46.76. Cal’s Murphy, senior Ryan Studebaker, Tarczynski and Messerschmidt placed fifth in the 200 medley relay (1:26.64), while Gutierrez was the B Final champion (ninth place) in the 200 free (1:36.08).
On Thursday, the Bears started the meet with a second-place finish in the 200 free relay (1:17.78) behind strong swims from Murphy, Messerschmidt, junior Henry Chung and Stubblefield. Cal also garnered a pair of fourth-place finishes. Bagshaw was fourth in the 500 free with a time of 4:16.15, and Prenot finished fourth in the 200 IM with a mark of 1:44.18.
In the 50 free final, Messerschmidt was seventh in the 50 free with a time of 19.64. In the last event Thursday, the Bears’ 400 medley relay team of Murphy, Prenot, Stubblefield and senior Fabio Gimondi placed fifth with a mark of 3:10.56.
Indiana
A silver medal in the 1,650 freestyle for senior Lindsay Vrooman, a bronze for sophomore Brooklynn Snodgrass in the 200 backstroke and a school record in the women’s 400 freestyle relay highlighted the day for Indiana swimming and diving on the final day of competition at the AT&T USA Swimming Winter Nationals at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn.
Competing against Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky, Vrooman raced to a second-place finish in the mile with a time of 15:54.68, the third-fastest time in IU history and an NCAA A cut. No one in the field was going to catch Ledecky as the 16 year-old blasted the American record by almost 10 seconds with a time of 15:15.17 for gold. Sophomore Haley Lips took 10th in 16:18.81, her first career swim in the mile.
Freshman Grayson Smith placed 25th for the men (15:43.67).
In the 200 backstroke, Snodgrass stamped her ticket to the NCAA Championships with a time of 1:52.64, good for third place in the field and an NCAA A cut. Junior Cynthia Pammett was seventh (1:55.36), while senior Allie Day took 12th (1:56.17) and junior Justine Ress 13th (1:56.83).
Senior Eric Ress just missed an A cut in the men’s 200 back, placing fourth in a season best 1:41.58. Junior Steve Schmuhl went a career best 1:42.87 in the consolation final to finish second in the heat at 10th overall. Senior James Wells was 13th in 1:44.61.
Senior Kait Flederbach took 10th in the 100 free, putting up the fifth-fastest time in IU history at 48.96. Freshman Anze Tavcar was 23rd for the men in 44.34.
Senior Bronwyn Pasloski placed sixth in the 200 breaststroke with a career best 2:10.08. On the men’s side, senior Cody Miller touched sixth in a season best 1:55.10.
Senior Brenna MacLean posted the fifth-fastest time in school history in the 200 butterfly with a 1:55.82, good for fourth in the championship final. Freshman Gia Dalesandro was sixth, posting her season best of 1:56.78.
Junior Steve Schmuhl won the consolation final of the men’s 200 butterfly to finish ninth overall with a season-best time of 1:45.44.
In the final event of the meet, Flederbach, Pammett, senior Stephanie Armstrong and Snodgrass posted a school record and NCAA qualifying time in the 400 freestyle relay, taking fourth in 3:16.72.
Freshman Anze Tavcar, Ress, Wells and Jackson Miller took ninth in the men’s 400 free relay in 2:57.52.
Louisville
For the second night in a row, the University of Louisville swimming and diving team crowned a national champion. This time it was Kelsi Worrell, who won the 200-fly with a time of 1:54.12 at the AT&T Short Course National Championship as part of a strong showing by the Cardinals Saturday night at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center, hosted by the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.
In the 200 back, Cardinal Kristina Steins went 1:57.38 for 14th and teammate Erica Belcher posted a 1:58.09 for 21st. On the men’s side, Grigory Tarasevich was sixth, boarding a 1:42.70. Aaron Greene was seventh with a time of 1:43.47. Teammate Nolan Tesone was 11th in 1:44.40.
In the men's 100-free, Joao De Lucca posted a 42.24 to place fifth. Carlyle Blondell was 11th with a time of 43.27.
In the 200 breast, Giselle Kohoyda was 11th with a time of 2:10.92. Teammate Andrea Cottrell was 16th in 2:13.37. In the men's 200-breast, Addison Bray was third with a time of 1:54.89 and Kameron Chastain was 8th in 1:56.87.
Kelsi Worrell won the 200 fly in 1:54.12 Devon Bibault was 17th in 1:58.23.
In the men's 200 fly, Josh Quallen went, 1:45.75 for 11th. Juan Lopez was 23rd in 1:48.10.
In 4 x 100 FR Kelsi Worrell's 49.18, Andrea Kneppers' 50.22, Alexandra Sellers' 50.90 & Breann McDowell's 49.86 went 3:20.16 and 7th place.
In men's 4x100, Caryle Blondell (43.30), Joao De Lucca (41.39) Aaron Young (43.59) & Trevor Carroll (43.60) in 3rd, in 2:51.88.
Six members of the University of Delaware swimming and diving program competed at the 2013 AT&T Winter National Championships over the previous three days at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center on the campus of University of Tennessee.
To participate in the Winter National Championships, each individual swimmer had to achieve the qualifying standard time for each event between Nov. 1 and Dec. 1.
Tim Ware, Matt Marquez, Cole Clark and Alex Tooley represented the Blue Hen men at the national tournament while Annie Nunes and Morgan Whyte competed for the Delaware women. In six events over three days, all six Blue Hens registered personal season-best times.
On Thursday, Tooley placed 44th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.23, setting a season personal-best record. Also on Thursday, Whyte competed in the 50 Freestyle earning a 38th place finish thanks to her season-best time of 23.49.
In the Friday evening heat, Clark, Nunes and Ware all represented Delaware in three different events. In the men’s 100 Butterfly, Clark registered a season-best time (50.19) to earn a 55th place finish. Nunes, who registered the best Blue Hen finish on Friday, placed 39th in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 1:04.03. Nune’s 1:04.03 finish is not only a season-best, but also ranks third all-time in the Delaware program top-10. In the 100 Backstroke event, Ware earned a 50th place finish with his season-best time of 50.78.
In Delaware’s only event on Saturday, Marquez and Ware both raced in the 200 Backstroke. Marquez and Ware each set season-best times as Marquez finished 39th thanks to a time of 1:50.83 while Ware placed 41st (1:51.06).
Both the Delaware men and women swimming and diving teams will take over a month off from competition before returning to action on Jan. 11. The Blue Hen men will host Drexel while the Delaware women host Drexel and Northeastern in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action at Rawstrom Natatorium beginning at 1 p.m.
Utah
Utah swimming wrapped up its third and final day at USA Short Course Finals with numerous school records, including breaking a 25-year-old school record in the 200 fly.
Stina Colleou claimed the third place spot in the 200 breast (2:09.50) which is a school record. She was the top collegiate swimmer in the event. Following her in the event was 14th-place Nicole Ligeza, who swam her best time of the day of 2:12.53 in the prelims. It was her best time of the year in the event.
Nick Soedel took seventh in the 100 free with a time of 42.72 and lowered his own school record as well. Alex Fernandes finished 27th in the prelims with a time of 44.25, his best time of the year and an NCAA B standard.
In the 200 fly, Bence Kiraly touched in eighth (1:47.73) breaking a 25-year-old school record in the event. The previous record was set by Shawn Rowland in 1988.
The men’s 400 free relay team of Soedel, Fernandes, Ken Tiltges and Jonas Holmstrom teamed up to take sixth in the event with a school-record time of 2:53.72. Soedel swam a 42.50 in his relay split, his lowest time of the year.
Kristian Kron finished fifth in the 200 back (1:42.41) and Traycie Swartz was also fifth in the 100 free (48.24), both school records to continue the record-breaking day for the Utes.
Utah Swimming and diving will begin the new year with a meet against Arizona State at the Ute Natatorium on Jan 5.
St. Louis
Nine current Billikens competed at the 2013 USA Swimming WInter Nationals in Knoxville, Tenn. The highly prestigious meet featured the top swimming talent from across the country, including several USA Olympic Team members.
Saint Louis opened the meet with a time of 1:22.76 in the men's 200-yard freestyle relay (Zack Billingsley, Patrick May, Patrick MacArt and Brendan Hulseman). The time qualified them for the finals of the meet, where they finished 15th.
The relay team scored four points for the Billikens, the first time SLU has ever scored at the Winter Nationals. Saint Louis was the only Atlantic 10 school to score points at the meet.
Freshman Austin Nguyenphu set a school record in the 400-yard IM with a time of 3:55.93. This time was good enough for 18th in the meet.
Junior transfer Grant Alef touched the wall in 1:49.64 in the 200-yard backstroke, a school record. It also is the top time in the Atlantic 10 this season.
For the women, Morgan Peterson set two school records with times of 54.73 in the 100-yard butterfly and 1:04.35 in the 100-yard breaststroke. She placed 22nd in the meet in the 100 Fly and also set the top time in the A-10 this season.
Saint Louis will take a break for finals and the holiday season. The Billikens return to the pool on Jan. 11 when they take on IUPUI and Western Illinois in Indianapolis, Ind.
Kansas
Senior Alison Lusk and sophomore Chelsie Miller broke KU all-time records to highlight a weekend of top performances, as the Kansas swimming and diving teams wrap up split-squad action Saturday evening.
In Knoxville, Tenn. at the 2013 AT&T USA Winter Nationals, Lusk broke her old record of 2:14.57, placing 19th in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:14.46. Miller followed suit with a record-breaking performance of her own in the 200-yard butterfly, breaking a two-year old record set in 2011 by Stephanie Payne. Her time of 1:58.58 was good enough for 18th place and qualified her to compete at the NCAA Championships in March.
"Since Chelsie will be going to compete at NCAA Championships in the 400 IM, this will give her another event to swim," head coach Clark Campbell said. "It's also good because now that her NCAA cut was accomplished at this point in the season, she can focus on meets and hopefully this will inspire the rest of the team to achieve that level of performance, too."
Also competing at the national event was sophomore Bryce Hinde and freshman Yulduz "Yulya" Kuchkarova, who placed 31st and 38th in the 200-yard breaststroke and backstroke, respectively.
"Bryce and Yulya both had good swims," Campbell said. "They are both big products of what is to come in training. They are going to get a big bang for the buck with the type of training we are getting ready to do. We are ecstatic with where they are right now. With what we have left to go, the sky is the limit for them."
