NCAA Div. I: Florida State Swamps Florida Atlantic

BOCA RATON, Fla., Oct. 11. THE Florida State men’s swimming and diving team opened the 2002-03 season in dominating form Friday evening by defeating Florida Atlantic, 188-106. FSU's women almost duplicated that score, winning 182-116.

Men's Events
The Seminoles came out fast and finished strong against the Owls, winning 14 of the 16 events. Four Seminoles — senior Devin Crock, juniors Wickus Nienaber and Fernando Jacome and sophomore Sam Hood — tallied two wins each in individual action.

Crock placed first in his two specialties, the 100-yard butterfly (50.24) and 100-yard backstroke (51.60). Nienaber won the 100-yard breaststroke (57.60) and later fought off junior teammate Tal Stricker for first-place honors in the 200-breast (2:06.03).

Newcomers Hood and Jacome were impressive in their Seminole debuts. Jacome won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:41.32, three seconds ahead of FSU freshman Joel Roycik. In the 500-free, Jacome touched the wall first with a time of 4:42.03. Hood, the diving team captain, edged fellow sophomore diving teammate Louis Gagnet on the one- and three-meter boards.

The Seminoles showed their overall strength in the relay events, which will be a strong point for the team this season. The Tribe won the 200-yard medley relay at 1:34.49 and the 200-free relay at 1:25.02. Relay teams were not reported.

In the 50-yard free, senior Nnamnse Ammons paced the field with a mark of 21.15. Roycik won his first collegiate 100-free competition, touching the wall at 47.00. Senior captain Justin Betts, a 2002 NCAA Championships qualifier, placed first in the 400-yard individual medley (4:06.46). Rounding out the wins for the Seminoles was junior Matt Wheeler in the 200-fly (1:56.68).

Women's Events
In the women's meet, FSU junior Emma Dutton and sophomores Emily Breen and Lisa How each earned two victories in individual competition. For the meet, the Lady Seminoles scored wins in 13 of the 16 events.

Dutton, a three-time NCAA Championships qualifier last season, placed first in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events with times of 1:05.42 and 2:21.90, respectively. Breen earned her victories in the 100-yard backstroke (57.92) and 100-yard freestyle (53.05) and added a second-place finish in the 50-free (24.51). How was dominating in the 200-yard butterfly (2:04.93) and 400-yard individual medley (4:29.46), winning each event by nearly four seconds over junior teammate Jennifer Henshaw.

Junior Chelsie Lerew, a two-time ACC Meet Most Valuable Diver and this year’s diving team captain, won on the one-meter with a score of 270.6. Sophomore Courtney McClow won the three-meter over Lerew with a mark of 276.9.

The Lady Seminoles picked up two wins in the relay action, winning the 200-yard medley relay at 1:46.74 and the 200-free relay at 1:37.42. Relay team members were not available.

Newcomer, and 2002 NCAA qualifier, junior Andree-Anne LeRoy, won her first event as a Lady Seminole by taking first-place honors in the 200-back (2:07.26). Fellow junior transfer and 2002 NCAA qualifier, Rachel Dong, won her FSU debut in the 100-fly (57.31). Rounding out the wins for the Lady Seminoles was sophomore Golda Marcus, earning her first career victory in the 1000-free at 10:29.81.

The FSU football team will not be the only Seminole squad taking on the Miami Hurricanes Saturday in Coral Gables, Fla. The Seminole men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will face off with the Hurricanes at 10 a.m. at the Norman Whitten Student Union Pool.

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