Texas Men Ahead After Day One of Tri-Meet

AUSTIN, Texas, January 19. THe University of Texas leads the tri-meet against No. 5 Arizona and SMU at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center after the first day. Texas holds a 105-81 lead over the fifth-ranked Wildcats and owns a commanding lead over out-matched SMU. University of Texas junior swimmer Caleb McDermott and freshman diver Mike Wong led the Longhorns with two victories apiece.

"There have been some really close races, and that's what it is all about," said UT coach Eddie Reese. "We've got more racing to do on Saturday, and it's really important that everyone – whether they're the fifth man or the best man in their event – races hard."

Texas got off to a quick start with a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay, as junior Matt McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.), senior Tyler O'Halloran (Boardman, Ohio), junior Matt Lowe (Minot, N.D.) and senior Garrett Weber-Gale (Fox Point, Wis.) clocked a NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 1:20.13. McDermott (Canyon Lake, Texas) picked up his first victory with a solid swim in the 400 individual medley, clocking 3:54.89 to edge Arizona's Adam Ritter's 3:55.08.

Weber-Gale, the defending NCAA 100 freestyle champion, decisively captured the event Friday evening, winning in a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 43.86. McGinnis added a NCAA "B" cut time of 44.44. McDermott kept Texas at the top with his second victory, taking the 200 backstroke in 1:46.94, good for a NCAA provisional mark.

Wong (Cerritos, Calif.) led an outstanding performance by coach Matt Scoggin's diving corps by sweeping the one- and three-meter events. Wong handily took the one-meter with a score of 317.20 before capturing the three-meter at 320.20. Junior Brian Smith (Carrollton, Texas) took a close second with a total of 313.65.

The second and final day of the tri-meet begins Saturday at noon at the Texas Swimming Center. An exhibition platform-diving meet featuring Texas and SMU will be contested at 10:30 a.m.

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