Swimcloud

Gold Rush: Cal Completes Men's/Women's Double-Double

By Chris Fantz

In a night of ridiculously close finishes -- three of the closest in NCAA history -- the University of California wins its second consecutive NCAA team title in fairly comfortable and certainly surprising fashion. The Bears, who practically no one had finishing higher than fourth coming into the meet, won somewhat easily, cruising past their point total of 493 from a season ago to beat Texas 535.5-491. Stanford held off Arizona for third, 426.5-395 while Michigan grabbed fifth ahead of Auburn, 271-254.5.

California Head Coach David Durden very deservedly won Coach of the Meet honors while 100 back and 100 fly champ Tom Shields grabbed Swimmer of the Meet honors. One-meter diving champion Drew Livingston of Texas closed out his career with Diver of the Meet honors while his coach Matt Scoggin grabbed the Diving Coach of the Meet award. 

1,650 Freestyle - Heats as Finals

Heat 1 - Jacob Ritter of Texas got out to a slim lead for the first 150 yards. He swam in lane three surrounded by two Florida swimmers. Carlos Omana in lane 2 made a small move around 350, but by 500 yards there were four men swimming nearly even. Connor Signorin of Florida edged ahead briefly, but less than half a second separated the top four. Signorin rode long streamlines off each wall to maintain his slim lead for 7:17 at the 800 mark and 9:06 at the 1000. He extended his lead over Ritter to about four seconds by the 1200. Coaches waved and whistled furiously at poolside, conscious that this is a timed final event and their swimmer’s times will match up against student-athletes in later heats. With 150 yards to go, Signorin had opened up a half-pool lead. He would finish in 15:00.09, followed by Ritter of Texas in 15:07.13.

Heat 2: Cal’s Jeremy Bagshaw moved out for a sizable early lead in lane 1. He was 1:45.2 at the 200 turn. Clayton Smith of Minnesota and Andrew Cosgarea of Stanford kept him in sight. Smith pulled ahead at the 500 mark with a 4:29 split. By 800 yards the two freshmen Cosgarea and Smith were battling for the lead with two body lengths over Bagshaw. Stanford’s David Mosko worked from fourth position to run down the leaders. Cosgarea and Smith traded the lead more than once, sometimes by only .01. Farther back in the pool, Mosko overtook Bagshaw for third with about 500 to go. Cosgarea tried to break free, but Smith continued to work fast turns and stay in sight. With 150 yards to go, Cosgarea had opened nearly a two-yard lead as the pair raced for home. Cosgarea of Stanford set the fastest time so far at 14:51.26, with Clayton Smith close behind in 14:52.73 and Mosko finishing in 15:00.00.

Heat 3: As the race progressed, LSU’s Craig Hamilton moved out to lead by a body length over an even field of five men. Cal's Ben Hinshaw and Andrew Gemmell of Georgia started to separate from the pack as well. Cristian Quintero of USC and Jackson Wilcox and Texas stayed in contention as the leaders approached 800 yards. Entering the back half, Hamilton and Gemmell fought it out for the lead with Gimmell overtaking him at the turn. The Georgia swimmer worked fast flip turns and substantial kicking off each wall to open a gap. With 500 yards to go he had extended that lead. Quintero moved into second place with the end looming. Going into the bell lap, it was all Gemmell. He powered home with a top time so far on the day of 14:41.86. Quintero arrived second in 14:45.78, just ahead of Hamilton in 14:45.94.

Final Heat: As the final eight milers were announced, cheering inside the pool rose to a fever pitch before going silent for the start. Georgia’s Martin Grodzki took his race out strong for the early lead, but Chad La Tourette of Stanford had regained first by 100 yards as the swimmers built into their races. At 500 yards, La Tourette turned in 4:21, ahead of Chris Thompson’s record pace from 2001. Grodzki then pulled ahead and maintained a couple-tenth lead. Grodski and La Tourette each turned at the 800 below record pace. The two-man duel continued at the front while two more swimmers battled for third place a half-pool behind. Connor Jaeger of Michigan led Michael McBroom of Texas. At 1050 yards, La Tourette overtook the lead and maintained record pace. After 52 lengths, Grodzki took back the lead and brought an eruption from the crowd as both men stayed below record pace. Coming into the bell lap, American, US Open, and Championship records were still a possibility. Chris Thompson’s 2001 record stood at 14:26.62. Foreign swimmer Martin Grodzki touched in 14:24.08 for a new Championship and US Open record, closely followed by Chad La Tourette who also crushed the previous record with 14:24.35 to earn an American record.


200 Backstroke

Consolation Final: Close on the heels of a record-crushing 1650, backstrokers entered the pool to put more team points on the board. At 100 yards, Marcin Tarczynski led for Cal. He maintained his position and won the heat in 1:41.97.
 
Championship Final: Stanford entered the night with three of the top four seeds and stood prepared to make an onslaught on the team standings in this event. Cory Chitwood of Arizona went deeper than all competitors off each wall and swam in the lead throughout. He upped his tempo into the 100 turn and made a gap with David Nolan of Stanford holding close. Both men turned well ahead of the pack with one length to go. Chitwood got the touch at the wall for a win in 1:39.66, just ahead of Nolan in 1:39.74. Matthew Thompson and Matthew Swanston, both from Stanford, finished third and fourth.

100 Freestyle

Consolation Final: Jason Schnur of Ohio State led a strong field, turning in 20.01 for 50 yards. Dax Hill tried to run down the lead in lane 2 and successfully out-touched Schnur to win in 42.63.
 
Championship Final: A-final swimmers entered the water together until Jimmy Feigen pulled away at the first turn. Vladimir Morozov charged and it would come to the wire where Feigen would win the title in 41.95, followed by a late-breaking Marcelo Chierighini of Auburn at 42.34 and Morozov of USC in 42.44.

200 Breaststroke

Consolation Final: Arizona approached the breaststroke as a point-scoring powerhouse with four entrants as did Cal with three. In the B final, Austen Thompson of Arizona got out early on a monster pullout. Cody Miller in lane 1 would challenge for second place. Nicholas D’Innocenzo also challenged. Miller took the lead by 150 and fought to hold on for home where he would win in 1:54.45. Nicolas Fink of Georgia moved up for second.
 
Championship Final: A stacked final arrived with what was sure to be a battle between top seed Carlos Almeida of Louisville and new American record holder in the 100 breaststroke Kevin Cordes. Arizona’s Carl Mickelson got out first for a length before Cordes caught him and touched under record pace for 50 yards. Cordes was 53.36 at his 100 turn. Trevor Hoyt had a great breakout, but Mickelson took the lead back briefly. A tight finish saw Louisville’s Almeida win in 1:51.88, followed closely by Hoyt at 1:51.90 and Cordes in 1:51.97. Tiny margins for the top three places.

200 Butterfly

Consolation Final: Heat 1 got out quick with most men going nearly to the 15-yard markers underwater. Cameron Martin led for Florida at the 50 and 75. Michigan swimmer John Wojciechowski held close. Out in lane 8 Thomas Luchsinger touched first at 175, but could not hold on to win, as Wojciechowski finished first for Michigan in 1:43.73.
 
Championship Final: Tom Shields entered the night the top seed and stood before an opportunity to win his third individual event in three tries for this championship. Silence descended for the start and then they were off racing. Neil Caskey had the best first length and fastest 50. Daniel Madwed moved into second behind Caskey for a lap. Will Hamilton of Cal made a huge push at the 150 and overtook the lead as Caskey faded. A blistering last length by Shields came up short as his Cal teammate Will Hamilton won in 1:40.94 to Shields’ 1:41.07. Marcin Cieslak of Florida took third in 1:41.36 in a remarkably close race.


Platform Diving 
Championship Final
Round One: David Bonuchi of Missouri got out to a lead on his first dive with 81.60 points, just ahead of Benjamin Grado of Arizona with 80.00. This score held the top spot through the round.
 
Round Two: Zachary Nees of Indiana began the round with a falter out of his handstand from 10 meters. Then Ryan Hawkins of Virginia Tech followed with 86.4 to move ahead. Bonuchi followed this immediately with 84.15 to lead at 165.75. Benjamin Grado moved into second overall with his dive of 79.2 for a total of 159.20.
 
Round Three: David Bonuchi scored 66.00 on his third dive and maintained his lead overall (231.75). Matthew Cooper of Texas landed a 90.75 to move into second place (218.95). On the next dive, Grado passed him on an 84.15 to move to 243.35. Drew Livingston of Texas took a 66.00 to move into third overall (219.60).
 
Round Four: David Bonuchi led through much of the round at 302.70. Grado of Arizona rocked a 76.50 to hold onto the lead in 319.85 followed by Bonuchi and Cooper.
 
Round Five: Bonuchi kept up a solid run with a 76.50 to move to 379.20. Grado put up a 76.5 to maintain his lead over Bonuchi with 395.45. Livingston posted an 86.40 and climbed back up to 4th overall in the standings at 340.65, behind Matthew Cooper at 370.75.
 
Round Six: Zachary Nees put up his best dive of the night with 76.80. David Bonuchi of Missouri posted a solid 76.80 to keep in the running.  Matthew Cooper scored a 78.40 and climbed to 449.15 to conclude his competition. The leader, Benjamin Grado, sealed his championship on his last dive with a 91.80 for a final score of 487.25 and a huge ovation. Final placing was Grado, Bonuchi, Cooper, Livingston as the top four.

Platform Diving
Consolation Final

Round 1: Stanford's Kristian Ipsen (79.05) takes a large early lead over Tennessee's Ryan Helms and Minnesota's Michael Ross (67.5). Daniel Helm of LSU (60) starts in fourth position while Tennessee's Mauricio Robles-Rodrigues (58.5) is fifth.

Round 2: Robles-Rodrigues (128.9) shoots from fifth to first in round two while Ipsen (126.2) drops one spot into second. Kentucky's Greg Ferrucci (119) climbs from sixth to third while Ross (117)and Helm (103.2) both slide down one position.

Round 3: Ipsen (186.4) regains the lead, trading spots for the second time with Robles-Rodrigues (168.5). Ferrucci (164) remains in third followed by Helm and Ross who are tied for fourth (163.2).

Round 4: Ipsen (253.6) continues to lead while Ross (228.3) jumps from fifth to second with two rounds to go. Robles-Rodrigues (222.95), Ferrucci (216.5) and Helm (212.8) all slide one spot down in the order.

Round 5: After a rough dive by Ipsen (284.05), Ross (303.5) grabs the lead with a round to go. Helm (289.3) sits second with Robles-Rodrigues (286.5) third. Ferrucci (251.7) slides a spot to fifth, one spot behind Ipsen.

Round 6: Mauricio Robles-Rodrigues of Tennessee (355.3) wins the consolation final while Kristian Ipsen of Stanford (350.75) salvages a second place finish after a slip-up in round five. Michael Ross of Minnesota (347.90) and Daniel Helm of LSU (324.5) both slide two spots into third and fourth while Virginia's Briggy Imbriglia (315.2) takes fifth. Ryan Helms of Tennessee (300.2), Greg Ferrucci of Kentucky (298.1) and Darian Schmidt of Indiana (266.3) round out the scoring positions.

400 Freestyle Relay

Consolation Final: Louisville entered the night as the ninth seed and swam in lane 4 of the B final. Florida’s Bradley DeBorde made a strong showing, but UNC’s Steven Cebertowicz touched first at 100 yards. Michigan’s Sean Fletcher overtook the lead on the first length of the third leg and would lead at the final exchange at 2:09.2. Dan Madwed entered the water to anchor for Michigan and pulled ahead of the field by a body length. He powered Michigan in for the consolation win. Louisville and Iowa followed up in second and third.

Championship Final: A huge showdown was in the making. Modrov of Auburn was out quick, but Dax Hill of Texas touched first in 42.70. USC’s Jeff Daniels started with a lead on the third leg, but Stanford’s Saeta overtook. Both anchors entered even. Texas’s Feigen fought out a very close relay victory in 2:49.83, edging Auburn and Cal.

For video interviews from the entire week of action, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=collegeswimming

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