The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Swimming and Diving sweeps top three spots in one-meter
02.24.2006 | Women's Swimming and Diving
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The second day of the 2006 Big 12 Championships was not without its own thrills as The University of Texas swimming and diving teams made their presence known by winning a combined seven of 10 events Thursday evening in Columbia, Mo. to take over first place in both the men's and women's competitions.
The Texas men are in first place with 344.5 points, followed by Texas A&M with 290.5 points and the host team Missouri is in third with 219 points. The Texas women pulled away from Texas A&M with 345.5 points to the Aggies with 261 points after the first full day. Missouri sits in third with 134 points, in fourth is Kansas with 131 points and rounding out the top five is Iowa State with 116 points.
Texas women's divers opened the second day of finals at the Big 12 Championships with a swept of the top three spots in the 1-meter diving competition. Freshman Kathryn Kelly (Longwood, Fla.) took the gold medal in the event with 276.1 points while junior Mary Yarrison (Springfield, Va.) was second with 271.45 points and sophomore Jessica Livingston (Houston, Texas) took third with 269.15 points. All three were named All-Big 12 for the first-time in their careers.
For the second day in a row, freshman Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) broke a Big 12 Championship meet record, but he also set a new UT and Big 12 record with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 4:15.28 in the 500-yard freestyle. His time surpassed the mark of 4:15.38 set in 1996 by Matt Hooper in the NCAA finals. In two events in two days, he has already broken two meet records and earned his first Big 12 Championship.
"We are just getting to the beginning of what a lot of our guys are capable of doing," said head men's coach Eddie Reese. "Tonight they swam well and did a real nice job. Our team has come together and we are doing what we need to do to win. Positive peer reinforcement is like nothing I can give them and that's what we do well."
Texas swept the top five spots in the 500-yard freestyle with sophomore Matthew McGinnis (Raleigh, N.C.) taking second-place with a time of 4:24.55, freshman Sean Patton (Charlotte, N.C.) was third with a time of 4:25.42, freshman Ryan Verlatti (Tacoma, Wash.) took fourth-place with a time of 4:27.61 and sophomore Chris Seitz (Taylor Mill, Ky.) took fifth in 4:28.73.
In the 200-yard individual medley, sophomore Caleb McDermott (Canyon Lake, Texas) took first-place with a NCAA consideration qualifying time of 1:47.62, followed closely by junior David Donaldson (San Antonio, Texas) in second with a time NCAA consideration time of 1:47.87.
Junior Garrett Weber-Gale (Fox Point, Wisc.) took the title in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.78, just .04 seconds shy of the NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 19.74. He is now an eight-time Big 12 Conference Champion.
Wrappin up the night for the men was a first-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay with a NCAA consideration qualifying time of 3:12.63. The relay consisted of junior Thomas Sacco (Dallas, Texas), senior Christian Schurr (Austin, Texas), sophomore Daniel Rohleder (Austin, Texas) and Weber-Gale. The title was Weber-gale's ninth, Rohleder and Sacco's third and Schurr's second.
For the women, the highlight of the day came in the 200-yard individual medley when junior Elaine Ferritto (Columbus, Ohio), seeded sixth after a preliminary time of 2:02.97, claimed her first Big 12 Championship with a career-best and NCAA automatic qualifying time of 1:59.61. Earlier this season, Ferritto set the pool record at Missouri Aquatic Center with a time of 2:04.87.
Following Ferritto's lead, senior Amanda Larence (Nashville, Tenn.) qualified under the NCAA automatic standard with a time of 1:59.88, good enough for third-place in the final heat.
"This was a breakthrough moment for Elaine (Ferritto)," said co-head women's coach Jill Sterkel. "I always knew Elaine and Amanda (Larence) were all capable of doing what they accomplished today, it was just a matter of them doing it. We need to continue to improve and score points. We still have a lot of swimming to do but we are moving in the right direction."
The Texas women's relay team of junior Connie Brown (Andover, Mass.), junior Elizabeth Tinnon (Bowling Green, Ky.), junior Katie Robinson (Dillsboro, Ind.) and senior Jaclyn Faulkner (New Orleans, La.) claimed the title in the 400-yard medley relay title with an automatic NCAA qualifying time of 3:37.53. The win was Tinnon's 10th, Brown's eighth, Robinson's fourth and Faulkner's third.
The championships resume Friday at 10 a.m. with preliminary action, while the finals are slated for 6 p.m.
Quotes from the Champions:
Kathryn Kelly (Texas), Women's 1-Meter Diving
"It is just really exciting since it is my freshman year. I was just really happy, I was just hoping to do my best and hoping that all the divers did the best we could as a team, and we did."
Michael Klueh (Texas), 500 Freestyle (New UT/Big 12/ meet record)
"It was really exciting especially being a freshman. Coming in here, I did not expect to do this well. Being that much faster than my previous best is just great."
Elaine Ferritto (Texas), 200 Individual Medley
"I don't think it was really about winning it. We had four of our Texas girls in that heat. We were so excited to get out there and race and see what happened. To be at the top of the podium with three of my other teammates is just great. I am so pumped up."
Caleb McDermott (Texas), 200 Individual Medley
"It is a lot of fun; our whole team worked real hard to get here. It is overwhelming right now, but it is also a lot of fun."
Garrett Weber-Gale (Texas), 50 Freestyle
"It is a lot of fun for me; I try to get ready for the 100 by doing the 50. I just want to get my stroke ready. I just want to get the Texas group hyped up."
