MANSFIELD – TCU men’s swimming took down in-state rival SMU, 173.5-126.5, on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
The TCU men\u2019s swimming and diving team improved to 3-0 as they rolled to a win over SMU, 173.5-126.5, on Wednesday night, Nov. 12, at the Mansfield ISD Natatorium.<\/p>\n
The Horned Frogs posted 11 first-place finishes out of 16 events at the meet, racking up their season total to 29 through three duals.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur team was excited about the win tonight,\u201d head coach Richard Sybesma said. \u201cSMU has a strong tradition in swimming and diving, so it was a big win for TCU.\u201d<\/p>\n
TCU kicked off the meet with a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:31.12. It was the fastest time recorded by an army of Horned Frogs this season. The team consisted of Cooper Robinson, Ford Story, Garrett Hills and Josh Mangus. TCU also took third and fourth in the event.<\/p>\n
The Frogs swept the top three spots in the 1000 free. Senior Thor Stenfjord claimed the top spot with a time of 9:37.34. Freshmen Connor Dobbs and Owen Pink placed second and third with marks of 9:40.39 and 9:42.68, respectively.<\/p>\n
Stenfjord also earned a victory in the 500 free, clocking in at 4:35.70. It\u2019s the season-best for him and his first individual win this season in the event.<\/p>\n
In the 200 free, TCU posted the top two marks thanks to seniors Adam Szilagyi and Sebastian Arispe, who finished neck-and-neck. Szilagyi recorded a first-place time of 1:42.51 and Arispe finished second at 1:42.84. Their times were also the best recorded in the event this season.<\/p>\n
Junior Ford Story picked up a win in the 100 breast with a time of 56.01. The time improved upon his season-best by 1.18 seconds. He also holds the top three times in the event this year.<\/p>\n
Freshman Carlos Hunnicutt earned the win in the 200 fly for the second time this season. His time of 1:51.47 against SMU bested his previous time of 1:52.00.<\/p>\n
Hills earned his second top time of the night in the 50 free with a mark of 21.09. The time tied his best of the season and team-best previously set against North Dakota.<\/p>\n
Senior Ricky Bradley recorded a second-place mark in the 1-meter dive with a mark of 290.32. It\u2019s his best score of the season, replacing the total set against North Dakota of 267.10.<\/p>\n
Bradley also placed second in the 3-meter dive at 314.78.<\/p>\n
In the 100 free, TCU recorded a tie for first-place between senior Mangus and junior Corey Nix. The duo accomplished the feat with a time of 46.13 and was the best time in the event this season.<\/p>\n
Robinson posted the top time in the 200 back, clocking in at 1:47.18. The time was a new season-best for him.<\/p>\n
The 200 IM saw Robinson claim his third win of the night with a time of 1:52.58. It was his third win of the night and sixth overall this season.<\/p>\n
TCU rounded out the successful night with a victory in the 400 free relay. The team of Szilagyi, Mangus, Nix and Hills finished with a time of 3:03.79, shattering the best mark of the season in the event by 4.00 seconds.<\/p>\n
Up next for the Horned Frogs is the Aggie Invitational from Nov. 20-22 in College Station.<\/p>\n
In its first dual meet of the season, the SMU men\u2019s swimming and diving team lost to rival TCU, 173.5-126.5, on Wednesday night at the Mansfield ISD Natatorium.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis sets a baseline for us to improve on,\u201d said head coach Eddie Sinnott. \u201cSome guys raced well and some guys made a lot of mistakes that we can learn from. So, in that respect, it was a good meet.\u201d<\/p>\n
TCU (3-0) jumped out to an early lead by winning the first three events. The Horned Frogs opened up the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay, before taking the 1,000-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle events.<\/p>\n
SMU (0-1) earned its first of five victories of the meet when senior Sam Straughan, a transfer from the United Kingdom\u2019s Loughborough University, captured the 100-yard backstroke (49.73). The first-place finish was the first of two for the Maidenhead, United Kingdom, native, as he also won the 100-yard butterfly (49.54).<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a great debut performance by Sam Straughan,\u201d said Sinnott. \u201cHe swam great tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senior diver Devin Burnett also earned two first-place finishes. Burnett, the reigning American Athletic Conference Diver of the Year, swept both the one-meter (362.78) and three-meter (365.85) dives. Both of Burnett\u2019s scores were Zone Diving Standard qualifying scores.<\/p>\n
Freshman Matt Ackman registered the other first-place finish for the Mustangs, winning the 200-yard breaststroke (2:04.10).<\/p>\n
In addition to his win in the 200-back, Ackman finished a close second in the 100-yard breaststroke. Then, in one of the night\u2019s most thrilling races, Ackman (1:52.79) was edged by TCU\u2019s Cooper Robinson (1:52.58) in the 200-yard IM.<\/p>\n
Three other Mustangs registered second-place finishes. Senior Tyler Rauth placed second in the 200-yard butterfly (1:52.45), freshman Bartosz Krzyzaniak touched the wall second in the 200-yard backstroke (1:53.24) and junior Eastman Holloway finished second in the 500-yard freestyle (4:39.95).<\/p>\n
SMU\u2019s team of Krzyzaniak, Ackman, sophomore Tucker Wells and junior Justin Gibson also finished second in the 200-yard medley relay (1:34.03).<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal from here is to just get better,\u201d said Sinnott. \u201cThe goal tomorrow is to just get better. If we do, by the end of February we will be a pretty good team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mustangs return to the pool for the Texas A&M Invitational, beginning on Thursday, Nov. 20.<\/p>\n