SEC Champs: So. Carolina Women, Florida Men Lead After Day One: Auburn Women Set Two NCAA Marks

AUBURN, Ala., February 19. JUST give David Marsh & Co. that old home-pool advantage and they'll beat you every time.

Big D's Auburn Tiger women's and men's swimming and diving teams started off this year's Southeastern Conference Championships at their own James E. Martin Natatorium — site of the women's NCAA Div. I Championships in a month — in stirring fashion, racing to three of four titles in the first night of competition

The Lady Tigers, defending NCAA champs and favored by Swimming World to repeat, had a record-breaking evening by smashing a pair of NCAA records. Yet when the splashing concluded it wasn't Auburn atop the standings on the distaff side. No, indeed. Coach Don Gibb's South Carolina Lady Gamecocks are ensconsed in the No. 1 spot with 92 points, followed by Auburn (87) and Alabama (83). Defending champ Florida is seventh (64 points), but expect that to change real soon.

On the men's side, it's the Gators by a point over the defending-champ Tigers (96-95) with Coach John Trembley's Tennessee Vols third (87) and Georgia fourth.

Auburn’s women not only raced to the meet's opening two victories (200 yard medley relay, 800 freestyle relay) but did so in style, winning both in NCAA-record time. The men had a solid night of their own too, claiming the 200 medley relay title.

"Wow. It’s great to get the records and it has really ignited our team," Marsh said. "Winning the 200 medley relay was a pleasant surprise. I’m speechless about the 800 relay. Heather Kemp was a key leg (1:44.17)."

Auburn’s women’s team, consisting of Jenni Anderson, Laura Swander, Leslie Lunsmann and Eileen Coparropa, not only picked up the first win of the night on the women’s side, but did so in fine fashion earning the SEC, NCAA, U.S. Open and James E. Martin Aquatics Center pool record with a 1:37.69.

The old U.S. Open/NCAA record was a 1:37.77 by Stanford from the 1999 collegiate championships. The time can't be submitted for American-record consideration as Coporropa is a Panamanian national. The current American-record is 1:38.44 by Cal from NCAAs two years ago at East Meadow.

Auburn punctuated its starry evening by powering to the 800 free relay title. The team of Margaret Hoelzer, Heather Kemp, Kirsty Coventry and Maggie Bowen touched the wall first in a breathtaking 7:01.00 — 3.06 seconds faster than Stanford's old U.S. Open/NCAA record of 7:04.06 from the collegiate title-decider 11 years ago at Austin.

That time remains the American record, however, as one of Auburn's swimmers, Kirsty Coventry, is a Zimbabwean native. COventry won the Commonwealth Games gold last summer in the 200 IM at Manchester.

"I was a little nervous, which is weird because I normally do not get nervous," Hoelzer said, "but I had three great teammates to look to for support. This is so much more exciting than winning an individual event."

The final relay of the evening, the men's 800 free, saw Florida — led by defending NCAA 200 free champ Adam Sioui (1:33.75 anchor) — set an SEC record with its 6:20.14 clocking. Auburn chased the Gators home in a seasonal-best and NCAA auto cut of 6:21.42 — far and away the nation's top two times for 2002-03.

The Gators sismply did not have a weak leg. Ryan Lochte led off in 1:35.36 and was followed by Gabe Mangabeira (1:34.44), Kris Wiebeck (1:36.59) and Sioui (1:33.75). Ominously for everyone but Florida, that team consists of three sophomores and a freshman (LOchte). Florida's winning time is the third fastest in history, and the fastest non-NCAA Championship time ever recorded.

The old SEC record was Florida's 6:23.30 from last year's SECS at Arkansas, not exactly the conference's fastest pool, so both schools were under the Gators' standard from '02.

Coach Mark Schubert's USC Trojans have the NCAA record with their 6:17.35 from last season's NCAAs at Athens. That team, however, had Klete Keller, NCAA 500 free champ the past two seasons and also 200 free champ two years ago, who anchored it in an amazing 1:32+.

Nowadays, Mr. Keller is buried under 10 feet of snow in Ann Arbor, having left SC last spring to train with Michigan coach Jon Urbancek (where he is not competing collegiately).

Still, it looks like the Trojans may have a more than capable replacement in Tunisian freshman Ous Mellouli, who's been 1:37- for the 200 free unshaved, and of whom Schubert is expecting "big things."

The Tiger men’s 200 medley relay team of Derek Gibb, Pat Calhoun, Fred Bousquet and Ryan Wochomurka won in 1:26.52. The time ranks Auburn No. 1 nationally, with former-No. 1 Cal's 1:27.08 now third. The win was also an NCAA automatic qualifying time

"We’ve never won this event in the four years that I’ve been here and it feels amazing to do it in my home pool," Calhoun said. "Getting the crowd going and winning by one one-hundredth of a second, we couldn’t ask for a better race."

"This win is exactly what we knew we needed to get the meet going," Swander said. “Our hearts were into it and we came together as a team. It was special for us."

Finishing a mere hundredth of a second behind Auburn, and also well under Cal's previous nation-leading time, was Florida. The Gators were anchored by Carlos Jayme, whose 19.21 was the fastest freestyle split.

Auburn must be anxious to exert its supremacy before the home folks early as it is quite uncommon for NCAA relay records to be broken at conference championships — even if you are a Texas or a Stanford.
But records are made to be broken, that wise old sage once opined, and Auburn certainly did so in spades this evening.

* * * * *

Taking first-place in the men's 1-meter springboard diving competition was Florida sophomore Zach Wilcox, who finished with a score of 345.25 on the night and moved up from his sixth-place finish as a rookie.
Clayton Moss of Kentucky finished second at 340.50 and Philip Jones of Tennessee placed third (339.60).

"It was great to do this for Florida," Wilcox stated.
"To start the meet this way for the swim team is so exciting. I am so happy to be able to put points on the board for them."

Auburn's Caesar Garcia was fifth with a personal-best score of 334.25. "He really stepped up and competed tonight," head diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "This could help build his confidence and he can build on this for the 3-meter and tower later this week."

On the women’s side of the 1-meter springboard, Tracey Richardson of South Carolina claimed the title with a score of 523.55. Jaime Sanger of Tennessee finished second (516.00) and Lane Bassham of Alabama took third (515.00).


2003 SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

JAMES E. MARTIN AQUATIC CENTER

AUBURN, AL.

DAY ONE: FEB. 19, 2003

25 YD. POOL

Team Scoring After Day One

Women
1. South Carolina 92
2. Auburn 87
3. Alabama 83
4. Tennessee 79
5. Georgia 75
6. LSU 70
7. Florida 64
8. Arkansas 62
9. Kentucky 51

Men
1. Florida 96
2. Auburn 95
3. Tennessee 87
4. Georgia 78
5. Alabama 75
6. South Carolina 68
7. LSU 61
8. Kentucky 45

RESULTS

MEN'S 1-METER DIVING

RANK NAME YEAR TEAM DD PRELIM DD FINALS

1 WILCOX, ZACH SO FLORIDA. 324.40 345.25
2 MOSS, CLAYTON SR KENTUCKY. 348.55 340.50
3 JONES, PHIL SO TENNESSEE. 303.60 339.60
4 BRADLEY, ANDREW SO SOUTH CAROLINA. 314.50 338.85
5 GARCIA, CAESAR JR AUBURN. 314.75 334.25
6 DAUGHERTY, KRIS SR GEORGIA. 313.80 326.70
7 SMITH, STEWART SO ALABAMA. 317.60 304.65
8 DORSEY, JAKE SR TENNESSEE. 278.10 297.05

WOMEN'S 3-METER DIVING

RANK NAME YEAR TEAM DD PRELIM DD FINALS

1 RICHARDSON, TRACEY SO SOUTH CAROLINA 324.65 521.15 196.50 523.55
2 SANGER, JAIME SR TENNESSEE 288.05 481.40 193.35 516.00
3 BASSHAM, LANE JR ALABAMA 310.45 494.95 184.50 515.50
4 McCALLEY, LAURYN SO TENNESSEE 326.30 526.20 199.90 510.55
5 MORAN, MANDY JR ARKANSAS 290.60 473.25 182.65 506.80
6 KING, LAUREN SO SOUTH CAROLINA 320.25 508.70 188.45 489.65
7 WANTZ, JESSICA SO LOUISIANA STATE 271.10 469.65 198.55 484.10
8 BRENNAN, ALLISON SO SOUTH CAROLINA 289.80 485.05 195.25 465.45

WOMEN'S 200 YD MEDLEY RELAY

SEC Record: 1:38.28 GEORGIA 2000
NCAA Record: 1:37.77 STANFORD 1999
AMERICAN RECORD: 1:37.77 STANFORD 1999
US OPEN RECORD: 1:37.77 STANFORD 1999
POOL Record: 1:38.28 GEORGIA 2000
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "A" Cut: 1:40.46
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "B" Cut: 1:43.47

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) AUBURN 1:37.69 **
1) ANDERSON, JENNI SO :24.76 3) LUNSMANN, LESLIE FR :24.18
2) SWANDER, LAURA JR :27.12 4) COPARROPA, EILEEN JR :21.63
** SEC Record: NCAA Record: US OPEN RECORD: POOL Record:
2) GEORGIA 1:38.49
1) GETTEL, LAUREN FR :25.94 3) DeSCENZA, MARY FR :23.49
2) POEWE, SARAH FR :27.80 4) CORREIA, MARITZA SR :21.26

3) FLORIDA 1:39.01
1) DuPLESSIS, RENATE SR :24.52 3) TEAGUE, CARA SR :24.26
2) BERNHARDT, VIPA FR :27.93 4) FARRELL, MAUREEN SO :22.30

4) ALABAMA 1:40.47
1) HALLQUIST, KATHRYN FR :26.23 3) WEIMAN, CANDACE FR :23.65
2) POLESKA, ANNE JR :27.77 4) LAFERERS, ALLSON FR :22.82

5) LOUISIANA STATE 1:42.21
1) STAAK, LINDSAY SO :25.69 3) LEININGER, LAURA JO JR :24.10
2) SCHEPENS, CISSY SR :29.61 4) JOHNSON, JULIE SR :22.81

6) TENNESSEE 1:42.96
1) FESSEL, JACQUE FR :25.56 3) ATHAYDE, TATIANA FR :25.06
2) NAPARLO, COURTNEY SR :29.29 4) TERVEER, ABBI FR :23.05

7) ARKANSAS 1:42.99
1) ORWIG, DRUE JR :26.75 3) CSOBANKI, ZSUZSA SO :24.61
2) SHEPHERD, KATTIE SR :28.95 4) STONER, PEGGY JR :22.68

8) KENTUCKY 1:44.65
1) CHETWTI-McLEAN,JOANNFR :27.20 3) SIEGELE, JESSICA SO :24.62
2) GRAHAM, LAURA FR :29.16 4) HOFFRAGE, KELLY FR :23.67

9) SOUTH CAROLINA 1:45.91
1) BUTLER, KRISTEN SR :27.30 3) McHUGH, CAROLYNN SO :24.90
2) HONG, CHRISTINA JR :30.80 4) VanASSEN, JENN JR :22.91

MEN'S 200 YD MEDLEY RELAY

SEC Record: 1:25.37 TENNESSEE 2001
NCAA Record: 1:24.47 TEXAS 2001
AMERICAN RECORD: 1:24.47 TEXAS 2001
US OPEN RECORD: 1:24.47 TEXAS 2001
POOL Record: 1:25.24 AUBURN 1998
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "A" Cut: 1:27.21
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "B" Cut: 1:29.82

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) AUBURN 1:26.52
1) GIBB, DEREK JR :22.54 3) BOUSQUET, FRED FR :20.82
2) CALHOUN, PAT SR :23.81 4) WOCHOMURKA, RYAN SO :19.35

2) FLORIDA 1:26.53
1) MANGABEIRA, GABRIEL SO :21.75 3) KELLAM, CHRIS JR :21.09
2) NORRIS, PHILIP SR :24.48 4) JAYME, CARLOS JR :19.21

3) ALABAMA 1:27.51
1) GHERGHEL, STEFAN SO :22.98 3) TSAGARAKIS,APOSTOLISFR :20.35
2) POLYAKOV, VLADISLAV FR :24.51 4) BITSAKIS, SPIROS SO :19.67

4) LOUISIANA STATE 1:27.98
1) MARTINEC, EVAN JR :22.59 3) JOTAUTAS, MIKE SR :21.51
2) RUCKER, MATTHEW JR :24.03 4) STANCZYK, CHRIS JR :19.85

5) KENTUCKY 1:28.06
1) BARROS, FERNANDO JR :22.60 3) CRUZ, DANIEL SO :21.36
2) WATKINS, ROGER SR :24.16 4) GASPAROVICH, CLAY SO :19.94

6) TENNESSEE 1:28.10
1) SIMPSON, GREG SR :22.96 3) FULTON, JOSH SO :21.41
2) BURTON, MICHAEL SR :24.50 4) GUERALDI, RENATO JR :19.23

7) GEORGIA 1:28.64
1) OSBORN, PETER SO :23.14 3) VERHOEF, PETER FR :21.07
2) GARDNER, SCOTT SO :24.91 4) LABAN, JOSH SO :19.52

8) SOUTH CAROLINA 1:31.52
1) DERIEG, LIR JR :23.61 3) McCRARY, CHRIS JR :22.01
2) KATA, JUSTIN FR :25.89 4) MURPHY, ED JR :20.01

WOMEN'S 800 YD FREESTYLE RELAY

SEC Record: 7:06.81 GEORGIA 2001
NCAA Record: 7:04.06 STANFORD 1992
AMERICAN RECORD: 7:04.06 STANFORD 1992
US OPEN RECORD: 7:04.06 STANFORD 1992
POOL Record: 7:10.43 GEORGIA 2000
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "A" Cut: 7:11.65
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "B" Cut: 7:24.59

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) AUBURN 7:01.00 **
1) HOELZER, MARGARET SO 1:46.02 3) COVENTRY, KIRSTY SO 1:46.13
2) KEMP, HEATHER JR 1:44.17 4) BOWEN, MAGGIE SR 1:44.68
** SEC Record: NCAA Record: US OPEN RECORD: POOL Record:
2) GEORGIA 7:07.45
1) DeSCENZA, MARY FR 1:45.92 3) HARDT, JULIE JR 1:47.44
2) ARSENAULT, SAMANTHA SO 1:48.01 4) CORREIA, MARITZA SR 1:46.08

3) FLORIDA 7:09.03
1) ELLIS, JAIME JR 1:47.38 3) GIBNEY, CHANTAL JR 1:47.37
2) McLARTY, SARA JR 1:46.33 4) UHLE, MARIETTA FR 1:47.95

4) SOUTH CAROLINA 7:16.53
1) DEDEKIND, BRONWYN JR 1:48.91 3) MARGALIS, STEPHANIE FR 1:50.86
2) VanASSEN, JENN JR 1:46.77 4) SKAGGS, HALEY FR 1:49.99

5) ALABAMA 7:17.33
1) POLESKA, ANNE JR 1:48.75 3) GRANT, ANNA FR 1:48.97
2) WEIMAN, CANDACE FR 1:48.45 4) MARKOU, ELEONORA FR 1:51.16

6) LOUISIANA STATE 7:28.52
1) BEADLE, MARGARET SO 1:50.79 3) LEININGER, LAURA JO JR 1:52.26
2) LESLIE, DONNA JR 1:54.09 4) SMITH, STEPHANIE JR 1:51.38

7) ARKANSAS 7:28.77
1) BEES, CHEYNE SR 1:50.03 3) JOHNS, LESLIE JR 1:52.82
2) SHEPHERD, KATTIE SR 1:51.89 4) LITTLE, CANDICE FR 1:54.03

8) KENTUCKY 7:30.32
1) BOURGEOIS, AMANDA JR 1:53.66 3) VROOMAN, MARCI SO 1:51.89
2) MOORE, BRENNAN FR 1:53.58 4) MILLER, CHRISSY SO 1:51.19

9) TENNESSEE 7:32.30
1) VOGEL, RANDI FR 1:52.96 3) BASSI, NOELLE FR 1:53.43
2) BOLAND, KARA FR 1:54.65 4) HALL, BETHANY SR 1:51.26

MEN'S 800 YD FREESTYLE RELAY

SEC Record: 6:24.30 FLORIDA 2002
NCAA Record: 6:17.35 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2002
AMERICAN RECORD: 6:18.00 TEXAS 2001
US OPEN RECORD: 6:17.35 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2002
POOL Record: 6:23.78 TEXAS 1998
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "A" Cut: 6:26.62
QUALIFYING FOR NCAA "B" Cut: 6:38.21

RESULTS of FINALS

RANK TEAM TIME

1) FLORIDA 6:20.14 **
1) LOCHTE, RYAN FR 1:35.36 3) MANGABEIRA, GABRIEL SO 1:34.44
2) WIEBECK, KRIS SO 1:36.59 4) SIOUI, ADAM SO 1:33.75
** SEC Record: POOL Record:
2) AUBURN 6:21.42
1) JONES, BJ SO 1:36.22 3) KIDD, MATT SR 1:36.11
2) KIRKLAND, CLAY SO 1:34.83 4) BOVELL, GEORGE FR 1:34.26

3) GEORGIA 6:27.04
1) MARGALIS, ROBERT SO 1:36.99 3) OWEN, MATT FR 1:36.80
2) BRADO, MATT SR 1:35.68 4) ALLEYNE, DAMIAN FR 1:37.57

4) TENNESSEE 6:30.17
1) DAUW, CASEY FR 1:37.28 3) THOMAS, JASON FR 1:37.98
2) GUSTAFSON, TYLER FR 1:38.16 4) NYLANDER, EVAN JR 1:36.75

5) ALABAMA 6:30.72
1) GHERGHEL, STEFAN SO 1:37.35 3) JONES, JOHN TALBOT FR 1:40.03
2) BITSAKIS, SPIROS SO 1:36.72 4) WILLCOX, JAMES JR 1:36.62

6) LOUISIANA STATE 6:35.19
1) STANCZYK, CHRIS JR 1:37.03 3) MINARTZ, JAN SO 1:39.11
2) PAEZ, FRANCISCO SO 1:37.91 4) LATZ, MARTIN SR 1:41.14

7) SOUTH CAROLINA 6:41.63
1) SZUCS, TAMAS JR 1:39.36 3) MURPHY, ED JR 1:41.46
2) BATHAZI, TAMAS FR 1:39.10 4) McCRARY, CHRIS JR 1:41.71

KENTUCKY DISQUAL
1) CRUZ, DANIEL SO 1:37.82 3) FALTRACO, JOEY JR 1:38.21
2) MANLEY, STEVEN FR 1:35.48 4) FARNHAM, DANIEL FR DISQUAL

Auburn Woment 200 Medley Relay - Awards Stand - 2003 SEC Championships

Auburn Women 200 Medly Relay - 2003 SEC Championships

Auburn Men 200 Medley Relay - 2003 SEC Championships

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