The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Swimming and Diving finishes fourth at NCAA Championships
03.25.2006 | Men's Swimming and Diving
ATLANTA -- The University of Texas finished fourth at the close of the 2006 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships held at the Georgia Tech Aquatics Center in Atlanta, Ga. The Longhorns finished with 307 points after 21 events completed and earning 31 All-American and seven Honorable Mention All-American awards.
Texas junior Garrett Weber-Gale (Fox Point, Wisc.) won the 2006 NCAA Championship in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 42.11, the fastest time in Texas history and the fourth fastest time in NCAA history. It is Weber-Gale's second career national championship. He teamed with Texas greats Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Ian Crocker at the 2004 NCAA Championships to win the 400-yard medley relay.
Auburn won its fourth NCAA Championship in a row with 480.5 points, followed by Arizona with 440.5 points. Stanford was third with 362.5 points and Florida rounded out the top five in fifth-place and 268.5 points.
Texas freshman Michael Klueh (Evansville, Ind.) opened the last night for the Longhorns with a fourth-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle. His time of 14:48.24 was his fastest of the season and third fastest time in UT history. Klueh was seeded seventh in the event with a time of 14:51.32 swam at the Big 12 Championships Feb. 25.
In the 200-yard breaststroke, sophomore Matthew Lowe (So., Minot, N.D.) finished fourth with a season best time of 1:55.06. Lowe had the second fastest time in the prelims with a mark of 1:55.87 after entering the meet seeded 29th with a time of 1:59.79 swam on Feb. 25 at the 2006 Big 12 Championships.
Senior Christian Schurr (Austin, Texas) qualified for the consolation finals of the 200-yard breaststroke and placed 12th overall with a time of 1:57.75 to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors. Schurr also earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 14th-place finish yesterday.
Texas qualified for the finals of the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 2:53.49. Sophomore Matt McGinnis (So., Raleigh, N.C.) swam the lead leg with a time of 43.27, followed by freshman Ryan Verlatti (Tacoma, Wash.) who hit the water second for Texas with a split of 43.79. In the third leg, junior Tyler O'Halloran (Boardman, Ohio) put Texas in the lead by passing Stanford in the last 25-yards and taping out with a time of 43.73. Weber-Gale sealed the deal with a final leg of 42.70.
In the finals, Texas again switched their line-up for the relay which resulted in a third-place finish with a time of 2:51.56. McGinnis opened the race with a lead split of 43.02, followed by a second split of 43.19 by sophomore Caleb McDermott (Canyon Lake, Texas) and a third split of 43.27 by sophomore Jeremy Harris (St. Paul, Minn.). Weber-Gale again anchored the relay with a time of 42.08 to lead Texas to a third-place finish. McGinnis, Verlatti, O'Halloran, McDermott, Harris and Weber-Gale all earn All-American honors for their part in the relay's finish.
"This was a great meet with a lot of amazing swims," said Texas head coach Eddie Reese. "It was a fun meet to watch. Our guys seem to swim better at night. The mornings we didn't always swim aggressively but it is a learning experience for some of the younger guys and we will use it as motivation for next year."
After placing 21st at the NCAA Championships in his first season (1979) at Texas, Reese's teams have never finished lower than seventh at the national meet and this year marks the 27th top-five finish in 28 years.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS:
1. Auburn, 480.5
2. Arizona, 440.5
3. Stanford, 362.5
4. TEXAS, 307
5. Florida, 268.5
6. California, 250.5
7. Southern California, 223
8. Michigan, 209
9. Georgia, 197
10. Northwestern, 183.5
SATURDAY FINALS QUOTES
Texas' Garrett Weber-Gale (National Champion) - 42.11 (GTAC Pool Record)
It was great. I wish I could've seen the clock. It was nice to be in the outside lane, which would have not been my first choice, but it was great to go out there and win. I couldn't even tell if I won or not, I had to ask the timer what happened because my contacts fell out and I couldn't see the board.
On standing on the blocks before the race: I was thinking that those guys in the other lanes are really good and I just have to beat them and thankfully I did.
On not being able to see: It's better to not be able to see anything because our coach Ed Reese always says, "Looking back you are bound to get caught."
TEXAS TEAM RESULTS:
! -Texas School Record
David Donaldson (Jr., San Antonio)
200-yard Individual Medley: Prelim - 27th - 1:47.42
100-yard Butterfly: Prelims - 23rd - 47.93
Bailey Gao (Jr., Delta, British Columbia)
3-meter: Prelims - 9th - 328.85 Honorable Mention All-American
Jeremy Harris (So., St. Paul, Minn.)
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelim - 3rd - 1:17.50! third split (19.47)
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:17.90 third split (19.38) All-American
50-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 33rd - 19.97
100-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 27th - 44.05
200-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 42nd - 1:42.76
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 3rd - 2:51.56 third split (43.27) All-American
Michael Klueh (Fr., Evansville, Ind.)
1,650-yard Freestyle: Finals - 4th - 14:48.24 All-American
500-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 4th - 4:16.11
500-yard Freestyle: Finals - 5th - 4:14.10! All-American
200-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 10th - 1:35.02
200-yard Freestyle: Consolation Finals - 11th - 1:35.39 Honorable Mention All-American
800-yard Freestyle Relay: Timed Finals - 3rd - 6:19.61 lead split (1:35.08) All-American
Matthew Lowe (So., Minot, N.D.)
200-yard Breaststroke: Prelims - 2nd - 1:55.87
200-yard Breaststroke: Finals - 4th - 1:55.06 All-American
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelim - 3rd - 1:17.50! anchor split (19.19)
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:17.90 anchor split (19.33) All-American
400-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 6th - 3:09.59 breaststroke split (53.35)
400-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 3:08.42 breaststroke split (52.85) All-American
100-yard Breaststroke: Prelim - 8th - 53.70
100-yard Breaststroke: Finals - 6th - 53.18 All-American
Caleb McDermott (So., Canyon Lake, Texas)
200-yard Backstroke: Prelims - 17th - 1:45.38
200-yard Individual Medley: Prelim - 25th - 1:47.36
200-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 19th - 1:36.63
800-yard Freestyle Relay: Timed Finals - 3rd - 6:19.61 second split (1:35.61) All-American
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 3rd - 2:51.56 second split (43.19) All-American
Matt McGinnis (So., Raleigh, N.C.)
100-yard Freestyle: Prelims - DQ - False Start
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelims - 4th - 2:53.49 lead split (43.27)
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 3rd - 2:51.56 lead split (43.02) All-American
500-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 18th - 4:21.32
200-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 1st - 1:33.54
200-yard Freestyle: Finals - 4th - 1:33.93 All-American
800-yard Freestyle Relay: Timed Finals - 3rd - 6:19.61 anchor split (1:33.71) All-American
Matthew Molnar (Sr., Auburn, Ala.)
200-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 4th - 1:26.22 breaststroke split (24.04) All-American
100-yard Breaststroke: Prelim - 24th - 55.03
Tyler O'Halloran (Jr., Boardman, Ohio)
100-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 35th - 44.23
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelims - 4th - 2:53.49 third split (43.73) All-American
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelim - 3rd - 1:17.50! second split (19.40)
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:17.90 second split (19.66) All-American
50-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 25th - 19.81
200-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 4th - 1:26.22 butterfly split (20.97)
200-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:25.79 breaststroke split (23.86) All-American
100-yard Breaststroke: Prelim - 4th - 53.34
100-yard Breaststroke: Finals - 4th - 52.95 All-American
Sean Patton (Fr., Charlotte, N.C.)
200-yard Backstroke: Prelims - 21st - 1:46.25
500-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 36th - 4:30.95
Daniel Rohleder (So., Austin, Texas)
400-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 6th - 3:09.59 butterfly split (47.09)
400-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 3:08.42 butterfly split (46.70) All-American
100-yard Butterfly: Prelim - 17th - 47.39
100-yard Backstroke: Prelim - 11th - 47.76
100-yard Backstroke: Consolation Finals - 15th - 48.07 Honorable Mention All-American
200-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:25.79 butterfly split (20.88) All-American
Thomas Sacco (Jr., Dallas, Texas)
200-yard Backstroke: Prelims - 25th - 1:47.34
400-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 6th - 3:09.59 backstroke split (47.24)
400-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 3:08.42 backstroke split (47.03) All-American
200-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 4th - 1:26.22 backstroke split (22.34)
200-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:25.79 backstroke split (22.00) All-American
100-yard Backstroke: Prelim - 14th - 47.83
100-yard Backstroke: Consolation Finals - 11th - 47.72 Honorable Mention All-American
Christian Schurr (Sr., Austin, Texas)
200-yard Breaststroke: Prelims - 9th - 1:56.97
200-yard Breaststroke: Consolation Finals - 12th - 1:57.75 Honorable Mention All-American
100-yard Breaststroke: Prelim - 13th - 54.05
100-yard Breaststroke: Consolation Finals - 14th - 54.15 Honorable Mention All-American
Ryan Verlatti (Fr., Tacoma, Wash.)
100-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 26th - 43.97
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelims - 4th - 2:53.49 second split (43.79) All-American
200-yard Freestyle: Prelims - 20th - 1:36.71
800-yard Freestyle Relay: Timed Finals - 3rd - 6:19.61 third split (1:35.21) All-American
Garrett Weber-Gale (Jr., Fox Point, Wisc.)
100-yard Freestyle: Prelims - T7th - 42.91
100-yard Freestyle: Finals - 1st - 42.11! All-American - NATIONAL CHAMPION
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelims - 4th - 2:53.49 anchor split (42.70)
400-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 3rd - 2:51.56 anchor split (42.08) All-American
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Prelim - 3rd - 1:17.50! lead split (19.44)
200-yard Freestyle Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:17.90 lead split (19.53) All-American
50-yard Freestyle: Prelim - 4th - 19.30
50-yard Freestyle: Finals - 7th - 19.44 All-American
400-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 6th - 3:09.59 freestyle split (41.91)
400-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 3:08.42 freestyle split (41.84) All-American
200-yard Medley Relay: Prelim - 4th - 1:26.22 freestyle split (18.87)
200-yard Medley Relay: Finals - 5th - 1:25.79 freestyle split (19.05) All-American
100-yard Backstroke: Prelim - 15th - 47.96
100-yard Backstroke: Consolation Finals - 9th - 47.33 Honorable Mention All-American
