California vs. Hawaii – Men

BERKELEY, California, October 14. THE California men's swimming and diving team, the defending 2011 NCAA champions, started off the 2011-12 season with a strong performance, defeating Hawaii, 154-135, Thursday (Oct. 13) afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Golden Bears, coached by two-time NCAA Coach of the Year David Durden, won nine of the meet's events with nine different individuals placing first.

Cal also won the meet's opening event, the 200 medley relay (1:29.77) behind the swims of seniors Mathias Gydesen, Nolan Koon and Martin Liivamagi, and sophomore Shayne Fleming.

Three Bear freshman won races in their first collegiate dual meet. Adam Hinshaw placed first in the 1000 free with a time of 9:29.77, Will Hamilton clocked a 1:49.58 to win the 200 fly and Tyler Messerschmidt won the 100 free in a time of 45.43.

Other Cal winners included sophomores Shayne Fleming (50 free, 20.36), Sam Metz (200 free, 1:39.16) and Marcin Tarczynski (100 back, 49.02). Junior Nick Trowbridge was the 200 back (1:50.03) champion and junior Trevor Hoyt won the 200 breast (2:03.39). Senior Nolan Koon placed first in the 100 breast (54.81).

Cal also had 1-2-3 finishes in the 200 free (Messerschmidt second and senior Isaac Howell third), the 100 back (Trowbridge second and senior Chris Rogers third) and 100 free (freshman Fabio Gimondi second and junior Chris Packer third) – plus 1-2 finishes in the 200 fly (senior Robert Sullivan second) and 50 free (freshman Seth Stubblefield) – before swimming the last four events as exhibitions.

In diving competition, freshman Thomas Selby was second on the three-meter board (312.53), while sophomore Tyler Pullman was third in the one-meter competition (265.14).

"It was nice to get the dual meet season started," said Durden. "And, it was nice to get a win. Hawaii is a good team with good athletes. They were the Conference-USA champions last season and have a talented squad. It was great for us to get in the water and compete a little bit."

Last March in Minneapolis, Durden guided the Bears to their first NCAA team title since 1980 and was named both National and Pac-10 Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. In his spectacular fourth year at Cal, Durden led his 2010-11 squad to a 4-1 (3-1 in the Pac-10) dual-meet record and a second-place finish in the conference meet before bringing the program its first national championship in 31 years with a dominating 493 to 470.5 point victory over second place Texas in the team standings.

At the 2011 NCAA meet, Durden's squad collected seven titles – the 50 and 100 frees (senior Nathan Adrian), the 100 back (sophomore Tom Shields), the 100 breast (senior Damir Dugonjic), the 400 free relay (Graeme Moore, Josh Daniels, Shields and Adrian), the 200 medley relay (Guy Barnea, Dugonjic, Moore and Adrian) and the 400 medley relay (Barnea, Dugonjic, Shields and Adrian).

Cal will next compete in a Pac-12 dual meet versus Utah, Friday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. at Spieker Aquatics Complex.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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