NCAA Div. I Men: #2 Texas Just Avoids Being Upset by #13 Georgia

ATHENS, GA., January 11. THE 'Dawgs was a howlin'!

No. 13-ranked Georgia's men's swimming and diving team was on the verge of a titanic upset over No. 2 Texas, triple-defending NCAA champs, here this afternoon at Gabrielsen Natatorium.

With just one little teeney-weeney race left, the concluding 400 free relay, Georgia had the champs on the lane lines, holding a 116-110 lead. All the
'Dawgs had to do was finish ahead of the 'Horns and victory was theirs.

Alas, it wasn't to be as Texas outtouched Georgia for the victory and the meet. The Longhorns' final winning margin was a mere three points, 123-120, and their coach, Eddie Reese, must be scratching his head as to how to get more punch into his lineup.

Reese has problems of his own besides that of his team's performance. He was forced to return to Austin yesterday [Friday]after having emergency surgery to remove his gall bladder during the Longhorns' trip to Auburn.

Texas was swamped Thursday evening at Auburn by Coach David Marsh's defending Southeastern Conference champ Tigers; and in late November of last year, the 'Horns dropped a dual-meet at home to Michigan. The No. 1-ranked Wolverines in turn were beaten by both Stanford and Cal this weekend in the Bay Area.

Texas has a number of glaring deficiencies, particularly in the sprints, distances and 400 IM and — judging from today's results — their divers aren't exactly the Dumais brothers either.

* * * * *

'Dawg sophomore Robert Margalis, improving with every meet and looking like he's ready to challenge USC's defending NCAA 400 IM-mile champ Erik Vendt for supremacy at NCAAs, won three golds but his team still came up those three points short.

"The guys did great today. Every time [Texas] did something great, we came right back and did something great," said Georgia coach Jack Bauerle. "It is disappointing coming so close, but we have to be proud of how we kept hanging in. Hats off to our guys for making it a close meet when it was not supposed to be one on paper."

Texas won the 400 free relay by a 3:02.07-3:04.47 margin and the 'Horns went one-two in the 50-100-200 frees and 200 back. However, Georgia dominated the other events.

(In fairness to Texas, however, it should be noted that the 'Horns would not have had to win the final relay to win the meet had Brendan Hansen — double-defending NCAA 200 breast champ and American record-holder — not been disqualified.)

Margalis raced to his golden trio with victories in the 200 individual medley, the 500 freestyle and the 200 breaststroke. He stopped the clock at 1:49.23 in the IM, while teammate Randy Lam — who defeated Alabama's defending NCAA 200 fly champ Friday in the 'Dawgs' win over the Crimson Tide — took third (1:50.92). Margalis then recorded a 4:23.49 win in the 500 free and capped off his afternoon's performance with a 1:59.90 breaststroke victory.

Freshmen Cole Taylor and Matthew Owen finished 1-2 in the 1000-yard freestyle. Taylor won with a season-best 9:13.32, just more than six seconds ahead of second-place Owen.

Margalis' third and possibly most impressive, win came minutes after winning the 500 free, when he stopped the clock with an NCAA provisional qualifying time for the 200 breast victory. 'Dawg junior Kyle Salyards finished third, and Jeff Parsley took fourth.

"Robert was tremendous, and Randy Lam continues to step up," added Bauerle. "Our second-line guys had their best meet. By and large, I am very happy with the performance, although I could be a little happier with the outcome."

* * * * *

Georgia sophomore diver Todd Avery improved on his personal-best mark by winning the 1-meter springboard with an overall score of 348.59. He surpassed his previous best of 322.27 that he set earlier this season against Emory. Avery picked up his second victory of the day with a final score of 346.05 to win the 3-meter event. Senior Kris Daugherty was runner-up in both events, tallying scores of 314.70 on the 1-meter and 329.84 on the 3-meter.

"I want to mention both our divers," offered Bauerle.
"They kept us in the meet and gave us a chance to win."

Lam finished first in the 200 butterfly with 1:47.24, with Andrew Mahaney taking third in a season-best 1:48.31.

Texas swept the top three spots in the 400-yard medley relay, and sprinter Tony Diers took first in both the 50-100 frees. National-leader Aaron Peirsol won the 200 back for Texas and Chris Kemp won the 200 free and was second in the 500.

Georgia will head west for a pair of competitions next weekend. The women will have a dual meet Jan. 17 at Arkansas before taking on Southern Methodist on Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. The men will be competing at the Dallas Morning News Invitational, which features the top 10 teams from last year's NCAA Championships.

— Bill Bell

——————————————————-

NCAA DIVISION 1 MEN'S DUAL MEET
TEXAS VS. GEORGIA
GABRIELSEN NATATORIUM, ATHENS, GA.
JAN. 11, 2003

25 YD. POOL

RESULTS

Event 1 Men 400 Yard Medley Relay
===============================================================================
3:12.44 A
3:18.21 B
School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 University of Texas 'A' 3:18.11 B 11
1) Peirsol, Aaron FR 2) Hansen, Brendan JR
3) Crocker, Ian JR 4) McAnally, Austin JR
23.65 48.68 1:13.72 1:42.33 2:04.16 2:30.25 2:52.87 3:18.11
2 University of Texas 'B' 3:22.26 4
1) O'Brien, Nathan SO 2) Ridgeway, Paul FR
3) Foley, Sean SR 4) Kendrick, Rainer SO
25.02 50.93 1:17.20 1:47.52 2:10.07 2:36.77 2:58.06 3:22.26
3 University of Texas 'C' 3:23.16
1) Davidson, Andrew SO 2) Schurr, Christian FR
3) Kelley, Wade FR 4) Fike, James JR
25.03 51.11 1:17.51 1:47.24 2:10.71 2:37.55 2:58.79 3:23.16
4 University of Georgia 'A' 3:24.31 2
1) Osborn, Peter SO 2) Gardner, Scott SO
3) Verhoef, Peter FR 4) Laban, Josh SO
24.99 50.85 1:16.64 1:46.73 2:09.30 2:36.69 2:58.30 3:24.31
5 University of Georgia 'C' 3:26.19
1) Underhill, Colin JR 2) Salyards, Kyle JR
3) Cover, Brandon JR 4) Parsley, Jeff FR
25.23 51.54 1:18.00 1:48.73 2:12.12 2:39.31 3:01.09 3:26.19
6 University of Georgia 'B' 3:31.53
1) Lenyk, Scott SO 2) Martinez, Frank SR
3) Schmidt, Jonathan FR 4) Stibrich, Nathan FR
26.05 52.87 1:19.95 1:51.27 2:14.53 2:42.54 3:05.60 3:31.53

Event 2 Men 1000 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Taylor, Cole FR Bulldogs 9:13.32 9
25.63 53.14 1:20.71 1:48.34 2:16.02 2:43.52 3:11.07 3:38.73
4:06.49 4:34.44 5:02.24 5:30.37 5:58.25 6:26.23 6:54.06 7:22.04
7:49.64 8:17.59 8:45.73 9:13.32
2 Owen, Matt FR Bulldogs 9:19.77 4
25.62 53.43 1:21.77 1:50.15 2:18.23 2:45.96 3:14.15 3:42.24
4:10.52 4:38.89 5:07.18 5:35.21 6:03.49 6:31.48 6:59.50 7:27.66
7:56.00 8:24.23 8:52.46 9:19.77
3 Nabors, John SO Longhorns 9:24.41 3
25.70 53.34 1:21.31 1:49.32 2:17.40 2:45.47 3:13.77 3:42.02
4:10.24 4:38.75 5:07.52 5:35.85 6:04.46 6:33.35 7:02.53 7:31.62
8:00.47 8:28.92 8:57.14 9:24.41
4 Mendoza, Miguel SO Bulldogs 9:29.75 2
26.14 53.91 1:22.11 1:50.69 2:19.03 2:47.31 3:15.75 3:44.33
4:13.00 4:41.82 5:10.69 5:39.49 6:08.55 6:37.45 7:06.48 7:35.64
8:04.56 8:33.52 9:02.04 9:29.75
5 Davis, Scot SR Bulldogs 9:34.02
26.79 55.30 1:23.81 1:52.40 2:21.27 2:50.11 3:18.79 3:47.63
4:16.25 4:44.89 5:13.55 5:42.07 6:10.68 6:39.31 7:08.05 7:37.04
8:06.45 8:35.62 9:05.05 9:34.02
6 Edwards, Drew SO Longhorns 9:48.66 1
25.25 52.95 1:21.42 1:50.12 2:18.88 2:47.77 3:17.11 3:46.75
4:16.47 4:46.73 5:16.95 5:47.34 6:17.81 6:48.18 7:18.41 7:48.62
8:19.00 8:49.03 9:18.56 9:48.66

Event 3 Men 200 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
1:36.39 A
1:39.28 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Kemp, Chris SR Longhorns 1:37.22 B 9
22.87 47.42 1:12.44 1:37.22
2 Peirsol, Aaron FR Longhorns 1:39.63 4
23.56 48.56 1:14.03 1:39.63
3 Alleyne, Damian FR Bulldogs 1:40.24 3
23.51 48.21 1:13.74 1:40.24
4 Brado, Matt SR Bulldogs 1:40.98 2
23.90 49.77 1:15.33 1:40.98
5 Suchand, John SR Longhorns 1:41.26 1
23.07 48.32 1:14.41 1:41.26
6 Mahaney, Andrew JR Bulldogs 1:42.67
24.01 50.03 1:16.31 1:42.67
7 Stibrich, Nathan FR Bulldogs 1:47.68
24.87 52.12 1:19.67 1:47.68

Event 4 Men 50 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
19.74 A
20.33 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Diers, Tony JR Longhorns 20.90 9
2 Foley, Sean SR Longhorns 20.95 4
3 Gardner, Scott SO Bulldogs 21.10 3
4 McAnally, Austin JR Longhorns 21.14 2
5 Timberlake, Matt SO Longhorns 21.44
6 Verhoef, Peter FR Bulldogs 21.60 1
7 Laban, Josh SO Bulldogs 21.73
8 Schmidt, Jonathan FR Bulldogs 21.90

Event 5 Men 200 Yard IM
===============================================================================
1:46.71 A
1:49.91 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Margalis, Robert FR Bulldogs 1:49.23 B 9
24.01 51.75 1:23.61 1:49.23
2 Kendrick, Rainer SO Longhorns 1:50.19 4
24.17 52.64 1:24.28 1:50.19
3 Lam, Randy JR Bulldogs 1:50.92 3
23.91 52.36 1:24.90 1:50.92
4 McAuliffe, Brent JR Bulldogs 1:51.10 2
24.27 52.54 1:24.54 1:51.10
5 Ridgeway, Paul FR Longhorns 1:53.06 1
23.99 52.49 1:25.02 1:53.06
6 Norman, Greg SO Longhorns 1:54.43
24.64 53.71 1:27.01 1:54.43
7 Robbins, Cliff FR Longhorns 1:55.04
24.82 53.95 1:27.61 1:55.04

Event 6 Men 1 mtr Diving
===============================================================================
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Avery, Todd SO Bulldogs 348.59 9
2 Daugherty, Kris SO Bulldogs 314.70 4
3 Linette, Jonathan SO Longhorns 287.47 3
4 Davidson, Jamie JR Longhorns 285.82 2
5 Bookman, Max SO Longhorns 239.32 1

Event 7 Men 200 Yard Butterfly
===============================================================================
1:44.93 A
1:48.07 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Lam, Randy JR Bulldogs 1:47.24 B 9
24.29 52.01 1:19.73 1:47.24
2 Crocker, Ian JR Longhorns 1:48.04 B 4
24.37 52.67 1:20.19 1:48.04
3 Mahaney, Andrew JR Bulldogs 1:48.31 3
24.78 52.43 1:19.97 1:48.31
4 Kendrick, Rainer SO Longhorns 1:49.28 2
24.60 52.27 1:20.55 1:49.28
5 Suchand, John SR Longhorns 1:52.41 1
25.00 53.27 1:22.52 1:52.41
6 Cover, Brandon JR Bulldogs 1:52.88
25.34 53.86 1:23.26 1:52.88
7 McAuliffe, Brent JR Bulldogs 1:54.58
25.22 54.01 1:24.02 1:54.58

Event 8 Men 100 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
43.64 A
44.94 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Diers, Tony JR Longhorns 45.03 9
21.70 45.03
2 Foley, Sean SR Longhorns 45.88 4
22.10 45.88
3 Brado, Matt SR Bulldogs 46.00 3
22.71 46.00
4 McAnally, Austin JR Longhorns 46.17 2
22.10 46.17
5 Alleyne, Damian FR Bulldogs 46.67 1
22.92 46.67
6 Timberlake, Matt SO Longhorns 47.65
22.80 47.65
7 Verhoef, Peter FR Bulldogs 47.82
23.03 47.82
8 Schmidt, Jonathan FR Bulldogs 49.00
23.56 49.00

Event 9 Men 200 Yard Backstroke
===============================================================================
1:44.02 A
1:47.14 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Peirsol, Aaron FR Longhorns 1:46.48 B 9
25.42 52.51 1:19.71 1:46.48
2 O'Brien, Nathan SO Longhorns 1:47.28 4
26.08 53.57 1:20.51 1:47.28
3 Underhill, Colin JR Bulldogs 1:48.93 3
26.13 53.41 1:21.03 1:48.93
4 Lenyk, Scott SO Bulldogs 1:50.42 2
26.48 54.05 1:22.14 1:50.42
5 Osborn, Peter SO Bulldogs 1:51.75 1
25.90 54.18 1:22.94 1:51.75
6 Davidson, Andrew SO Longhorns 1:52.36
26.06 54.56 1:23.97 1:52.36
7 Davis, Scot SR Bulldogs 1:52.90
27.55 56.14 1:24.44 1:52.90
8 Robbins, Cliff FR Longhorns 1:55.62
26.89 55.99 1:25.67 1:55.62

Event 10 Men 500 Yard Freestyle
===============================================================================
4:19.72 A
4:27.51 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Margalis, Robert FR Bulldogs 4:23.49 B 9
24.69 51.36 1:18.19 1:45.13 2:12.10 2:39.03 3:05.83 3:32.37
3:58.10 4:23.49
2 Kemp, Chris SR Longhorns 4:25.07 B 4
24.70 51.38 1:18.05 1:44.98 2:12.04 2:39.06 3:05.82 3:32.61
3:58.97 4:25.07
3 Owen, Matt FR Bulldogs 4:27.09 B 3
24.89 52.01 1:18.80 1:45.76 2:12.76 2:39.82 3:06.79 3:33.87
4:00.76 4:27.09
4 Taylor, Cole FR Bulldogs 4:30.95 2
24.78 51.66 1:18.62 1:46.01 2:13.54 2:41.17 3:08.96 3:36.60
4:04.32 4:30.95
5 Nabors, John SO Longhorns 4:31.43 1
25.04 52.18 1:19.90 1:47.65 2:15.52 2:43.24 3:10.87 3:38.52
4:06.04 4:31.43
6 Mendoza, Miguel SO Bulldogs 4:38.73
26.22 53.79 1:21.67 1:49.82 2:17.84 2:45.97 3:14.16 3:42.52
4:10.97 4:38.73
7 Kelley, Wade FR Longhorns 4:42.32
25.66 53.59 1:21.78 1:50.21 2:18.63 2:47.05 3:15.81 3:44.73
4:13.77 4:42.32
8 Edwards, Drew SO Longhorns 4:49.31
25.90 54.42 1:23.04 1:52.09 2:21.15 2:50.41 3:20.12 3:50.07
4:19.99 4:49.31

Event 11 Men 3 mtr Diving
===============================================================================
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Avery, Todd SO Bulldogs 346.05 9
2 Daugherty, Kris SO Bulldogs 329.84 4
3 Davidson, Jamie JR Longhorns 298.42 3
4 Linette, Jonathan SO Longhorns 273.75 2
5 Bookman, Max SO Longhorns 235.57 1

Event 12 Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
===============================================================================
1:57.68 A
2:01.21 B
Name Year School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 Margalis, Robert FR Bulldogs 1:59.90 B 9
26.99 57.26 1:28.23 1:59.90
2 Schurr, Christian FR Longhorns 2:01.87 4
27.41 58.53 1:30.17 2:01.87
3 Salyards, Kyle JR Bulldogs 2:05.04 3
26.84 58.45 1:31.00 2:05.04
4 Martinez, Frank SR Bulldogs 2:05.84 2
27.42 58.44 1:30.96 2:05.84
5 Parsley, Jeff FR Bulldogs 2:06.10
27.70 1:00.21 1:32.45 2:06.10
6 Norman, Greg SO Longhorns 2:08.25 1
27.95 59.93 1:33.40 2:08.25
7 Molnar, Matt FR Longhorns 2:08.27
27.68 59.75 1:33.00 2:08.27
— Hansen, Brendan JR Longhorns DQ
26.37 57.27 1:28.18 DQ

Event 13 Men 400 Yard Freestyle Relay
===============================================================================
2:55.06 A
3:00.31 B
School Finals Points
===============================================================================
1 University of Texas 'A' 3:02.07 11
1) Diers, Tony JR 2) Crocker, Ian JR
3) Fike, James JR 4) Kemp, Chris SR
21.59 44.99 1:06.53 1:30.14 1:51.44 2:15.70 2:38.18 3:02.07
2 University of Georgia 'C' 3:04.47 4
1) Brado, Matt SR 2) Alleyne, Damian FR
3) Gardner, Scott SO 4) Lam, Randy JR
22.43 45.99 1:07.70 1:31.72 1:53.82 2:18.14 2:40.06 3:04.47
3 University of Texas 'B' 3:06.98 2
1) Ridgeway, Paul FR 2) Suchand, John SR
3) Timberlake, Matt SO 4) Davidson, Andrew SO
22.48 47.29 1:08.64 1:32.97 1:54.81 2:19.44 2:41.79 3:06.98
4 University of Georgia 'B' 3:09.11
1) Owen, Matt FR 2) McAuliffe, Brent JR
3) Davis, Scot SR 4) Laban, Josh SO
22.99 47.10 1:09.40 1:34.38 1:56.96 2:22.06 2:44.39 3:09.11
5 University of Georgia 'A' 3:13.71
1) Mahaney, Andrew JR 2) Cover, Brandon JR
3) Stibrich, Nathan FR 4) Taylor, Cole FR
23.40 48.18 1:10.80 1:36.27 1:59.36 2:24.89 2:48.44 3:13.71

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