ACC Championships: Day Three

COLLEGE PARK, Maryland, February 27. VIRGINIA’s 400 medley relay team of Eric Olesen, Ryan Hurley, Lee Robertson and Scot Robison broke a nine-year old record Friday with a winning time of 3:08.71 to cap day three of the 2009 ACC Championships . The event, which concludes Saturday, is being held at the Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium in College Park, Md.

After day two of the league championships, Virginia continues to lead with 561 points. Florida State is second (422) and Georgia Tech is third (346.5).

In the final event of the evening, the 400 medley relay, Virginia trailed the Seminoles heading into the final leg, when Robison took over. His split of 42.22 allowed him to catch FSU’s Ed Denton and put the Cavaliers in front. Their time of 3:08.71 broke the previous record set by former Virginia swimmers Chris Mousetis, Ed Moses, Doak Finch and Troy Johnson at the 2000 ACC Championships.

Earlier in the night, Matt McLean and Robison acquired NCAA A cuts and went 1-2 in the 200 freestyle.

McLean’s time of 1:32.80 is the third-fastest in the nation to date and broke is previous ACC, school and meet record of 1:43.54 set at the 2008 conference meet. Robison finished in 1:33.05. The second-year duo was two of five Cavaliers swimming in the 200 freestyle, as David Karasek (1:35.78, B) placed fifth, John Azar (1:36.15, B) sixth and Taylor Smith (1:36.40, B) eighth.

Senior Pat Mellors took third in the 400 individual medley, clocking an NCAA A time of 3:44.65, while teammates Darren Ankokso (3:47.00, B) was fourth, Tim Hayes (3:48.58) seventh and Ian Vogt (3:49.23, B) eighth.

Senior Pat Reams represented the Orange and Blue on the podium after a third-place performance in the 100 butterfly. Reams finished in 46.83 to lead a trio of Cavaliers. Peter Geissinger (46.83) took fourth and Lee Robertson (46.87) was fifth. All were NCAA B standards. Fellow senior Tony Colella won the consolation final heat with another NCAA B time of 47.50.

Olesen recorded Virginia’s third third-place finish of the evening, swimming a B time of 46.97 in the 100 backstroke. Teammate David Wren (48.42) finished seventh overall. Hurley was fifth in the 100 breaststroke as the lone Cavalier swimming in the finals. The Potomac, Md., native finished with an NCAA B mark of 53.75.

The ACC Championships conclude with preliminaries scheduled for 11 a.m. ACC Select will provide live video streaming of the championships starting at 7 p.m.

Special thanks to Virginia for contributing this report.

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