Texas Hosts Day One of Texas Invite

AUSTIN, Texas, November 30. UNIVERSITY of Texas sophomore Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) and freshman Ricky Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) recorded NCAA automatic-qualifying times Thursday evening to lead Texas in day one of the Texas Invitational at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Texas trails first-place Arizona, 271-246 after the first day of competition, while Stanford sits in third with 186 points.

Klueh automatically qualified for participation in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2007 NCAA Championships by clocking 4:18.21 in the event and falling nearly four-tenths of a second under the NCAA qualifying standard. Junior Matt McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.) added a NCAA provisional-qualifying time in 4:24.14.

Berens clocked a season-best time of 46.93 in the 100 butterfly for a NCAA automatic-qualifying time, and the mark would have been the top showing in the event if not for the superior effort turned in Albert Subirats of Arizona. Subirats obliterated the field, finishing in 45.06. UT junior Daniel Rohleder (Austin, Texas) took eighth in 48.64.

Berens also added a NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 1:49.22 in the 200 individual medley for eighth place in the event.

Texas contributed three NCAA provisional-qualifying times in relay events, including a pair in the 400 medley relay. Klueh joined with junior Matt Lowe (Minot, N.D.), Rohleder and senior Garrett Weber-Gale (Fox Point, Wis.) for a second-place effort of 3:14.69. Seniors Tommy Sacco (Dallas, Texas) and Tyler O'Halloran (Boardman, Ohio) tamed with Berens and McGinnis for a third-place time of 3:15.16.

Weber-Gale, Lowe, McGinnis and O'Halloran contributed one more NCAA "B" cut in the 200 freestyle relay, timing at 1:20.46 for second place.

For the women, University of Texas senior Connie Brown recorded a NCAA automatic-qualifying time and had a hand in two provisional-qualifying relay efforts to lead UT. Second-ranked Arizona leads after the first day with 321 points, while top-ranked Stanford sits in second at 296 points. UT holds third with 171 points.

"I'm really happy with our effort," said UT first-year coach Kim Brackin. "We had some nice swims today, and we'll look forward to more of those throughout the rest of the weekend."

Brown (Andover, Mass.) clocked a personal-best time of 53.47 in the 100-yard butterfly to easily eclipse the NCAA automatic-qualifying standard of 53.75. Brown added a NCAA provisional-qualifying time in another event, the 50 freestyle, finishing in 22.98 for seventh place.

Brown also teamed up with three other Longhorns for NCAA "B" cut times in the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 medley relay. Brown joined with senior Katie Robinson (Dillsboro, Ind.), freshman Margaret Bardin (Burlington, N.C.) and freshman Alex Basso (Houston, Texas) for a third-place time of 1:32.10 in the 200 free relay. Brown also led off in the 400 medley relay, teaming with senior Elizabeth Tinnon (Bowling Green, Ky.), Robinson and Basso for a third-place effort of 3:39.63 in the event.

Junior Macie Garrett (Nashville, Tenn.) added a NCAA provisional-qualifying time in the 500 freestyle, clocking 4:47.52 to win the "B" final. Robinson notched a fourth-place swim in the "B" final of the 100 butterfly, touching in 54.70.

Junior diver Mary Yarrison (Springfield, Va.) took third in the three-meter diving event with a score of 299.65.

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