Tennessee Swimming Triumphs in Opener Against UNC-Wilmington

KNOXVILLE, TN - January 24, 2015: Peter John Stevens of the Tennessee Volunteers Swimming and Diving Team during SEC meet between the University of Tennessee Volunteers and The Georgia Bulldogs at Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Matthew S. DeMaria/Tennessee Athletics

Photo Courtesy: Matthew DeMaria/Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Swimming took home a sweep from their annual season-opening trip to UNC-Wilmington. The men won 185-93, while the Lady Vols posted a 221-58 victory.

Tennessee Press Release:

The Tennessee swimming and diving program opened the 2015-16 season with a pair of victories over UNC Wilmington on Friday at the Seahawk Natatorium.

The Vols won 26 of 30 swimming events between the men and women. The UT men beat the Seahawks 185-93; the Tennessee women defeated UNCW 221-58.

Divers competed in three-dive exhibitions. Results are incomplete at this time.

Both the men and women won the opening 400 medley relay and then swept first through fourth place in 1,000 freestyles. The Vols never looked back form that point, continuing to pull away in their annual meet against UNCW.

Thirteen swimmers and four divers made their Tennessee debuts. Four of them won their first events for the Orange and White.

For the women, Christina Paspalas earned a win in the 50-yard backstroke (26.93) and came in second in the 100 backstroke (57.50) behind senior Harper Bruens. Hannah Holman won the 100 butterfly (56.07), placed second in the 400 IM (4:28.29) and was part of the winning 200 freestyle relay. Kira Toussaint, a junior transfer from Florida Gulf Coast, won the 100 IM (58.51).

For the men, Ethan Browne was a debut winner, taking first in the 50 breaststroke (26.31) and second in the 400 IM (4:10.49).

“It was really good to see all our newcomers perform,” Tennessee head coach Matt Kredich said. “Hannah Holman and Kira Toussaint were impressive. Ethan Browne showed himself to be a racer. There’s a big difference between practice and competition for some people when you’ve got the intensity and emotions of a meet.”

Among the veterans, senior Lauren Driscoll was an individual multi-event winner. She reached the wall first in the the 200 freestyle (1:52.93) and 400 IM (4:18.66).

The meet against UNC Wilmington is part of the Vols’ annual preseason training trip to Wrightsville Beach. Though it rained on the team’s arrival Thursday, Kredich said the squad got plenty of good work in on the beach.

Weather permitting, Tennessee and UNC Wilmington will compete in an annual open water swim on Saturday morning.

“Any day on the beach is a good day,” Kredich said. “We had a blast out there yesterday. We did a lie down paddleboard workout. It was our first time doing that, and it got really competitive. We had great training on the beach as well. The open water swim is still up in the air, but if conditions are good, we’ll be out there.”

UNCW Press Release:

Freshman Thompson Schille won two events and swam on UNCW’s winning 400 Freestyle Relay, but the Seahawks dropped a pair of meets to Tennessee in the season-opening event for both programs on Friday at the Seahawk Natatorium.

Schille, who was making his collegiate debut, gave UNCW wins in the 100 Free (47.82 seconds), 400 IM (4:10.22) and joined Tad Spence, Sawyer Dove and Tyler Titsch in winning the 400 Free Relay to a winning time of 3:12.06.

9/25/2015 UNCW Vs. Tennessee UNCW Vs. Tennessee
Adding a win for the Seahawk men was Spence, who took top honors in the 50 Free with a time of 24.25.

Junior Marissa Martinez picked up UNCW’s lone win in the women’s meet when she clocked in with a winning time of 53.65 in the 100 Free.

In the men’s 100 Free, Alex Sabau gave UNCW a 1-2 finish when he placed second behind Schille with a time of 48.16.

Tennessee combined to win 25 races with Chris Sadsad the only Volunteer to win two individual events. He claimed the 50 Free and 50 Butterfly events.

In diving action, UNCW won all four events, which were exhibitioned. Bri Urich won the women’s 1-meter while Rachel McCormick took the 2-meter board. Nathan Lane and Allen Crosby won the 1 and 3-meter events, respectively.

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