NCAA Div. I Men: Walk-On Bobby O’Bryan Leads Stanford Toward 20th Straight Pac-10 Title; Keller, Vendt Star for USC

By Bill Bell

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 2. KLETE KELLER's the Real Deal and Erik Vendt's no slouch either.

The pair of Trojan Olympians each won a race for Coach Mark Schubert's USC team to highlight the second day of competition at the Pac-10 men's Swimming and Diving Championships here tonight in the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool.

Stanford, in quest of its 20th-consecutive championship, leads the Trojans by a 589.5-462.5 margin. Third is Coach Frank Busch's Arizona Wildcats (346), who won their second-consecutive women's title last week, with Cal fourth (339.5). Arizona State is fifth (258.5) and Washington sixth (122).

Keller, a freshman from Phoenix who was Sydney bronze medalist and American record-setter in the 400m free, won the 200 yard free tonight with a come-from-behind victory over Stanford defending champ Adam Messner. Keller touched in 1:34.99 to Messner's 1:35.74, with the former's time equalling Michigan's Dan Ketchum for the No. 1 national ranking going into NCAAs.

Keller's time is a pr by several seconds and Schubert says there's more where that came from. "Much more," the veteran coach says flatly. The Trojan school record is 1:33.87 by former Hungarian Olympian Olympian Bela Szabados from the 1999 NCAA Championships in Indianapolis and as Keller is unshaved here, that time would seemingly not be out of reach at all.

The real goal, however, may well by former Cal Olympian Matt Biondi's American-NCAA record 200 free record of 1:33.03 from the 1987 NCAAs at Austin.

Does Keller have that kind of speed? "Maybe not just now but…" Schubert trails off.

Keller won the 500 free opening day in a pr 4:16.65, ranking him third nationally behind Michigan's Chris Thompson (4:16.22) and Virginia's Ian Pritchard (4:16.32).

Vendt overcame strong fly and back IM legs by defending Pac-10 champ Steve Brown of Stanford to win a tight race from his Cardinal foe, 3:43.74-3:44.00, with both swimmers going under Brown's old Pac-10 meet record of 3:46.14 from last season.

Next on Vendt's agenda is the SC school record of 3:43.23 that won the NCAA title for Dave Wharton in '88, and at the time was also the American record. Wharton won this race at NCAAs four-consecutive years ('88-'91) but Vendt can't equal that mark as he was runner-up last season — as he was in the Olympics too.

Vendt's 3:43.74, a pr by more than five seconds over his 3:48+ from last season, ranks him fourth nationally behind Michigan's Tim Siciliano (3:42.45) and a pair of Southeastern Conference stars, Florida's Greg Reeves (3:43.13) and Auburn's Kevin Clements (3:43.45). Brown's pr 3:44.00 ranks him fifth.

Stanford opened the proceedings by winning its third relay of the meet, this one the 200 medley in 1:27.02 — just off the Cardinal's Pac-10 meet record 1:26.62 from last season. Cal's 1:27.47 was next, and both teams were under the NCAA automatic cut of 1:27.49. Cal star sprinter Anthony Ervin aided the Golden Bears' cause with a sterling 18.75 anchor split — one of the fastest 50s of all-time.

The 100 fly title went to Stanford Bobby O'Bryan (pr 47.13) with Arizona's Roland Schoeman runner-up (47.51). Schoeman has a pr of 47.16 from the Longhorn Invitational in Austin last December and holds the NCAA 50 free record of 19.07 from that same meet two seasons ago.

O'Bryan is literally a true "walk on" at Stanford and quite a success story. In high school in Arkansas he was hardly a star and had never been under 50.0 for the 100 fly before this season. He wrote Stanford Coach Skip Kenney after his junior year, applied, was accepted and now' he's a Pac-10 champion.

"Kind of amazing…not that many good kids come out of Arkansas," said Stanford asistant coach Ted Knapp. "But Bobby really wanted to come here and swim for us and the results speak for themselves. I won't say we expected him to win the conference title — that would be going too far — but we knew he had a lot of potential and it was just a question of when he would show it."

O'Bryan first went under 48 flat in the Cal dual meet at Berkeley several weeks ago with his 47.91 — and that was a drop of more than two seconds from his former pr of 50+.

Cardinal Anthony Robinson set a Pac-10 meet record in the 100 breast prelims (pr 53.18) then at night won in 53.21 to take the measure of SC's defending champ, Ryosuke Imai, who clocked 54.34. Earlier Imai went 54.31 in the prelims. Robinson's previous pr was a 53.90 and his prelim time ranks him third nationally — behind Tennessee's Jeremy McDonnell (53.11) and Auburn's Dave Denniston (53.15), both from last week's SECs at Tusdcaloosa.

The final individual event, the 100 back, went to Stanford's Randall Bal, who defended his title from last season with a pr 46.91. Runner-up was Cal's Malayasian Olympian Alex Lim (47.67) while third was Cardinal Markus Rogan, 47.70, who himself was an Austrian Olympian last fall. Fourth went to a guy named Ervin (pr 47.74) who showed he can swim almsot as well on his back as he can on his stomach.

Bal's time ranks him tied for third nationally with Minnesota's Todd Smolinski and behind Tennessee's Michael Gilliam (pr 46.37 relay leadoff at SECs) and Texas' Nate Dusing's pr 46.54 relay leadoff at the Big 12s a couple of days ago.

The 800 free relay went to SC (6:24.77) with Arizona State second (6:28.28). Keller's anchor split was fastest overall (1:35.38).

RESULTS

NCAA Div. I MEN
MEN'S 2001 PACIFIC-10 SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
HOST: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
HELD AT: BELMONT PLAZA POOL-LONG BEACH, CA
DAY TWO: March 2, 2001

EVENT: 7 MEN's 200 YARDS MEDLEY RELAY

NCAA 1:26.68 STANFORD STANFORD 2000
PAC-10 1:25.88 STANFORD STANFORD 1992
PAC 10 MEET 1:26.68 STANFORD STANFORD 2000
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA 1:27.49
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA CONSID. 1:30.11
FINAL RESULTS TIMED FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) STANFORD "A" 1:26.02 **
1) BAL, RANDALL SO :22.00 3) O'BRYAN, BOBBY FR 1:06.59
2) ROBINSON, ANTHONSR :45.74 4) GUYMAN, JEFF JR 1:26.02
** NCAA PAC 10 MEET
2) CALIFORNIA "A" 1:27.47
1) LIM, ALEX FR :22.64 3) MACEDO, MATT JR 1:08.72
2) ARONSSON, PETER JR :47.32 4) ERVIN, ANTHONY SO 1:27.47

3) ARIZONA "A" 1:28.57
1) SOUTHER, KRIS JR :23.09 3) SCHOEMAN, ROLANDJR 1:09.21
2) OWEN, GREG FR :48.39 4) SCHRYVER, JAY SR 1:28.57

4) USC "A" 1:28.80
1) DEMERS, PHILLIPESR :22.97 3) LEE, JEFF SO 1:09.20
2) IMAI, RYOSUKE SR :47.98 4) WOODWARD, GABE SR 1:28.80

5) ARIZONA STATE "A" 1:30.04
1) BRUNELLI, NICK FR :23.07 3) MAC DONALD, SIMOJR 1:10.20
2) HINKS, OTTO SR :48.22 4) HILL, MARK FR 1:30.04

6) WASHINGTON "A" 1:30.88
1) ROSE, DEREK FR :24.39 3) ADRIAN, JUSTIN FR 1:10.06
2) TAM, FRANCIS SR :48.71 4) COLLINS, TIM SO 1:30.88

UNOF ARIZONA "B" * 1:30.74 EX
1) LA FLEUR, ERIC FR :23.62 3) ANDERSON, BEN SR 1:10.72
2) ANDERSON, DAVE SO :48.83 4) JOHNSON, TYLER FR 1:30.74

UNOF STANFORD "B" * 1:32.58 EX
1) DAGGETT, JAMIE FR :23.69 3) BOTT, NICK FR 1:12.56
2) ZOCHOWSKI, THOMASO :49.80 4) SCUSSEL, MARIO SR 1:32.58

UNOF WASH "B" * 1:33.19 EX
1) MOILANEN, DAVID JR :23.93 3) OLESON, RYAN JR 1:12.03
2) EKHOFF, LUKE FR :50.24 4) CASTNER, JAMES JR 1:33.19

UNOF USC "B" * 1:33.49 EX
1) WHITE, OLIVER SO :23.67 3) PETERSEN, MATT FR 1:12.81
2) AL-KUDMANI, AHMAJR :49.16 4) CURRERI, JOE JR 1:33.49

EVENT: 8 MEN's 400 YARDS INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

NCAA 3:38.18 TOM DOLAN MICHIGAN 3/24/95
PAC-10 3:42.23 DAVE WHARTON USC 1988
PAC 10 MEET 3:46.18 STEVEN BROWN STANFORD 2000 QUALIFYING FOR NCAA 3:49.48
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA CONSID. 3:56.36

FINAL RESULTS PLACE NAME YEAR TEAM TRIALS FINALS

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

1) VENDT, ERIK SO USC 3:47.57 3:43.74 ** :24.85 :52.95 1:21.05 1:48.80 2:20.17 2:51.79 3:18.14 3:43.74 ** PAC 10 MEET

2) BROWN, STEVEN SR STANFORD 3:50.32 3:44.00 :24.06 :51.12 1:20.20 1:48.83 2:20.53 2:52.73 3:19.13 3:44.00

3) KEREKJARTO, TAMAS JR USC 3:50.48 3:45.81 :24.74 :53.07 1:22.44 1:50.41 2:22.24 2:54.83 3:20.83 3:45.81

4) WARKENTIN, MARK JR USC 3:47.89 3:46.46 :25.09 :53.36 1:22.08 1:50.52 2:22.49 2:55.03 3:20.93 3:46.46

5) LONG, GREG SO STANFORD 3:49.91 3:49.07 :24.69 :52.12 1:22.48 1:51.85 2:24.90 2:58.04 3:24.63 3:49.07

6) KASCHIK, NICK JR USC 3:50.05 3:49.42 :23.67 :50.82 1:19.20 1:47.65 2:20.41 2:54.48 3:22.39 3:49.42

7) O'NEIL, MIKE JR STANFORD 3:50.31 3:49.51 :24.60 :52.37 1:22.04 1:51.27 2:23.17 2:55.91 3:23.39 3:49.51

8) SORLIEN, MATT FR STANFORD 3:49.79 3:51.24 :25.01 :53.85 1:23.94 1:51.84 2:23.56 2:57.12 3:24.79 3:51.24

CONSOLATION FINAL

9) PAINTER, TYLER SR ARIZONA 3:58.79 3:52.88 :25.54 :54.21 1:23.92 1:53.02 2:26.30 3:00.68 3:27.38 3:52.88

10) PAULSEN, AUSTIN SR ARIZONA STATE 3:58.13 3:53.20 :24.88 :53.34 1:22.94 1:52.36 2:25.28 2:58.94 3:26.86 3:53.20

11) JACOBS, RICH FR ARIZONA STATE 3:54.39 3:54.40 :24.96 :53.82 1:23.91 1:53.36 2:26.96 3:01.18 3:28.30 3:54.40

12) VELOZ, JUAN FR ARIZONA 3:58.08 3:54.53 :24.27 :51.39 1:21.27 1:50.78 2:25.42 3:01.11 3:28.36 3:54.53

13) DOWLING, MIKE JR ARIZONA STATE 3:57.85 3:58.18 :26.84 :56.13 1:26.73 1:56.26 2:31.20 3:05.89 3:32.53 3:58.18

14) TOLMACHOFF, ERIK SO USC 4:00.51 3:58.92 :25.03 :53.55 1:25.06 1:55.31 2:30.55 3:05.30 3:32.66 3:58.92

15) SMITH, SEAN FR ARIZONA 3:59.46 4:00.64 :25.51 :54.16 1:24.96 1:54.71 2:30.11 3:06.22 3:33.87 4:00.64

16) SHAW, JON FR ARIZONA STATE 4:02.69 4:03.84 :25.78 :54.35 1:25.52 1:56.25 2:31.72 3:07.62 3:35.98 4:03.84

BONUS FINAL

17) PEARSON, MARK SO WASHINGTON 4:03.29 4:02.32 :25.47 :55.01 1:25.74 1:56.14 2:31.11 3:06.73 3:34.80 4:02.32

18) MONSON, CHRIS FR WASHINGTON 4:07.57 4:03.88 :26.15 :56.22 1:27.97 1:59.10 2:33.14 3:07.11 3:36.26 4:03.88

WILKINSON, GEORGE JR CALIFORNIA 4:04.76 DISQUAL :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 DISQUAL

EVENT: 9 MEN's 100 YARDS BUTTERFLY

NCAA :45.59 LARS FROLANDER SMU 3/27/98
PAC-10 :45.89 DOD WALES STANFORD 1999
PAC 10 MEET :46.64 DOD WALES STANFORD 3/98
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA :47.41
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA CONSID. :48.83

FINAL RESULTS PLACE NAME YEAR TEAM TRIALS FINALS

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

1) O'BRYAN, BOBBY FR STANFORD :47.61 :47.13 :21.66 :47.13

2) SCHOEMAN, ROLAND JR ARIZONA :47.62 :47.51 :21.94 :47.51

3) MARSHALL, PETER FR STANFORD :47.92 :47.58 :22.13 :47.58

4) WESTCOTT, DAN SO STANFORD :47.82 :48.05 :22.50 :48.05

4) DEMERS, PHILLIPE SR USC :48.23 :48.05 :22.41 :48.05

6) RANSENBERG, SCOTT FR STANFORD :48.08 :48.18 :22.39 :48.18

7) ADRIAN, JUSTIN FR WASHINGTON :48.43 :48.61 :22.55 :48.61

8) LIM, ALEX FR CALIFORNIA :48.13 :50.77 :23.75 :50.77

CONSOLATION FINAL

9) DASH, JEFF SO ARIZONA :48.90 :48.23 :23.03 :48.23

10) RINGE, DAVID SO USC :48.80 :48.51 :22.64 :48.51

11) WOODWARD, GABE SR USC :49.11 :49.09 :23.17 :49.09

12) OLESON, RYAN JR WASHINGTON :48.86 :49.16 :23.09 :49.16

13) ROSE, DEREK FR WASHINGTON :49.04 :49.33 :22.92 :49.33

14) SAKODA, HIRO JR CALIFORNIA :49.30 :49.57 :23.52 :49.57

15) MAC DONALD, SIMON JR ARIZONA STATE :49.24 :49.65 :22.99 :49.65

16) BYMA, QUENTIN SO CALIFORNIA :49.27 :53.44 :24.71 :53.44

BONUS FINAL

17) SCUSSEL, MARIO SR STANFORD :49.59 :50.38 :23.47 :50.38

18) WHITE, OLIVER SO USC :50.10 :50.99 :23.83 :50.99

19) CASTNER, JAMES JR WASHINGTON :52.45 :51.54 :23.66 :51.54

20) SMITH, EVAN FR ARIZONA STATE :51.83 :51.88 :24.57 :51.88

21) WALLACE, WILEY FR ARIZONA STATE :53.66 :52.92 :24.35 :52.92

HOLSMAN, TRENT SO CALIFORNIA :50.10 DISQUAL :00.00 DISQUAL

COLLINS, TIM SO WASHINGTON :51.65 DISQUAL :00.00 DISQUAL

GREENWOOD, SCOTT SR CALIFORNIA :51.56 DISQUAL :00.00 DISQUAL

EVENT: 10 MEN's 200 YARDS FREESTYLE

NCAA 1:33.03 MATT BIONDI CALIFORNIA 1987
PAC-10 1:33.03 MATT BIONDI CALIFORNIA 1987
PAC 10 MEET 1:34.35 ADAM MESSNER STANFORD 2000 QUALIFYING FOR NCAA 1:36.39
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA CONSID. 1:39.28

FINAL RESULTS PLACE NAME YEAR TEAM TRIALS FINALS

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

1) KELLER, KLETE FR USC 1:35.98 1:34.99 :22.88 :47.39 1:11.46 1:34.99

2) MESSNER, ADAM SR STANFORD 1:35.86 1:35.74 :22.38 :46.60 1:11.08 1:35.74

3) CASTRO, RODRIGO JR USC 1:35.89 1:36.19 :22.75 :47.21 1:11.60 1:36.19

4) MEADOWS, GAVIN FR ARIZONA STATE 1:36.45 1:36.31 :22.35 :46.51 1:11.47 1:36.31

5) LEE, JEFF SO USC 1:36.40 1:36.60 :22.80 :47.25 1:12.09 1:36.60

6) LYBRING, ANDERS SO ARIZONA STATE 1:37.74 1:36.70 :22.62 :46.95 1:11.80 1:36.70

7) SCHRYVER, JAY SR ARIZONA 1:36.71 1:36.72 :23.08 :47.73 1:12.41 1:36.72

8) BRUCKART, JOE SO CALIFORNIA 1:36.98 1:36.79 :22.57 :46.94 1:11.84 1:36.79

CONSOLATION FINAL

9) BURNY, MACIEJ JR CALIFORNIA 1:38.44 1:36.79 :22.74 :47.51 1:12.00 1:36.79

10) VON SCHOFF, SCOTT SR ARIZONA STATE 1:38.28 1:37.61 :23.21 :48.16 1:12.67 1:37.61

11) QUIST, WILLIAM SO CALIFORNIA 1:37.78 1:38.55 :23.29 :48.16 1:13.36 1:38.55

12) WEST, BO JR ARIZONA STATE 1:38.36 1:38.67 :23.31 :48.55 1:13.75 1:38.67

13) SCHNELL, ANDREW FR STANFORD 1:39.11 1:39.54 :23.54 :48.85 1:14.03 1:39.54

14) SMITH, NICK SR USC 1:39.22 1:39.67 :23.02 :48.34 1:13.93 1:39.67

15) EVERMAN, JOEL JR USC 1:39.54 1:39.84 :23.73 :49.26 1:14.63 1:39.84

16) DAVISON, JAMES SR CALIFORNIA 1:39.93 1:40.02 :23.49 :48.85 1:14.42 1:40.02

BONUS FINAL

17) BRENDE, STEVEN SR USC 1:40.67 1:39.21 :22.72 :47.81 1:13.38 1:39.21

18) GASKINS, SCOTT SR ARIZONA 1:40.81 1:39.41 :23.39 :48.30 1:13.55 1:39.41

19) MARTIN, FEDERICO FR ARIZONA STATE 1:40.69 1:39.75 :24.01 :49.23 1:14.50 1:39.75

20) SAWATZKI, MATT FR ARIZONA 1:41.18 1:40.80 :23.40 :48.69 1:14.72 1:40.80

21) SCHMIDT, JEFF FR WASHINGTON 1:41.13 1:42.31 :23.10 :48.57 1:15.09 1:42.31

22) STONE, JAMIE SR WASHINGTON 1:41.05 1:43.15 :23.12 :49.00 1:15.63 1:43.15

GUYMAN, JEFF JR STANFORD 1:40.79 DISQUAL :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 DISQUAL

NOVY, KAREL FR CALIFORNIA 1:40.87 DISQUAL :00.00 :00.00 :00.00 DISQUAL

EVENT: 14 MEN's 800 YARDS FREESTYLE RELAY

NCAA 6:25.94 STANFORD STANFORD 2000
PAC-10 6:21.68 CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA 1985
PAC 10 MEET 6:25.94 STANFORD STANFORD 2000
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA 6:26.62
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA CONSID. 6:38.21

FINAL RESULTS TIMED FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) USC "A" 6:24.77 **
1) CASTRO, RODRIGO JR :22.78 3) KEREKJARTO, TAMAJR 3:35.58
:47.47 4:00.20
1:12.44 4:24.72
1:37.46 4:49.39
2) LEE, JEFF SO 1:59.21 4) KELLER, KLETE FR 5:11.09
2:23.60 5:35.43
2:48.14 6:00.16
3:13.26 6:24.77
** NCAA PAC 10 MEET
2) ARIZONA STATE "A" 6:28.28
1) MEADOWS, GAVIN FR :22.51 3) LYBRING, ANDERS SO 3:36.04
:46.60 4:00.27
1:11.80 4:25.31
1:36.75 4:50.71
2) WEST, BO JR 1:58.91 4) VON SCHOFF, SCOTSR 5:12.26
2:23.61 5:36.60
2:48.92 6:01.60
3:14.11 6:28.28

3) CALIFORNIA "A" 6:28.29
1) HOLSMAN, TRENT SO :22.88 3) QUIST, WILLIAM SO 3:36.72
:47.39 4:01.35
1:12.40 4:26.65
1:38.17 4:51.80
2) BURNY, MACIEJ JR 2:00.11 4) BRUCKART, JOE SO 5:13.63
2:24.80 5:37.51
2:49.32 6:02.63
3:14.61 6:28.29

4) STANFORD "A" 6:30.83
1) LONG, GREG SO :23.26 3) ROGAN, MARKUS FR 3:39.49
:47.77 4:04.18
1:12.89 4:29.19
1:37.70 4:54.45
2) BROWN, STEVEN SR 2:00.50 4) MESSNER, ADAM SR 5:16.05
2:25.93 5:40.25
2:51.81 6:05.49
3:17.20 6:30.83

5) ARIZONA "A" 6:40.05
1) ANDERSON, BEN SR :22.88 3) DASH, JEFF SO 3:41.46
:47.22 4:07.21
1:12.33 4:33.25
1:38.37 4:59.13
2) GASKINS, SCOTT SR 2:00.95 4) PAINTER, TYLER SR 5:22.25
2:26.38 5:47.93
2:52.38 6:14.08
3:18.56 6:40.05

6) WASHINGTON "A" 6:43.77
1) ADRIAN, JUSTIN FR :23.66 3) MOILANEN, DAVID JR 3:44.52
:48.87 4:09.71
1:14.13 4:36.08
1:39.32 5:02.77
2) STONE, JAMIE SR 2:01.77 4) SCHMIDT, JEFF FR 5:25.39
2:27.26 5:50.79
2:54.01 6:17.13
3:21.75 6:43.77

UNOF USC "B" * 6:37.54 EX
1) STALEY, TRENT SR :22.83 3) VENDT, ERIK SO 3:38.47
:47.31 4:03.64
1:12.55 4:29.26
1:37.77 4:54.59
2) WARKENTIN, MARK JR 1:59.55 4) TOLMACHOFF, ERIKSO 5:18.21
2:24.60 5:44.69
2:50.57 6:11.35
3:16.15 6:37.54

UNOF WASH "B" * 6:53.49 EX
1) NITZ, JESSE FR :23.28 3) ZIELKE, MATT SO 3:46.97
:48.22 4:14.19
1:14.80 4:41.93
1:41.82 5:08.91
2) HICKMAN, JOSH JR 2:04.46 4) PEARSON, MARK SO 5:32.28
2:29.64 5:59.18
2:56.03 6:26.69
3:23.16 6:53.49

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x