The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Swimming and Diving preview: NCAA Championships
03.25.2009 | Men's Swimming and Diving
March 25, 2009
WHAT: No. 3 Texas wraps up the season at the 2009 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.
WHERE: Student Rec Center Natatorium - College Station, Texas
WHEN: Thursday, March 26 - Saturday, March 28; swimming preliminary rounds begin at Noon Central each day, with diving preliminaries getting underway at 2 p.m. Central. The finals begin at 7 each evening.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS WEB SITE: Click here for the official Web site.
TEXAS' NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
Texas has won 9 NCAA team championships (1981, '88, 89, 90, 91, 96, 2000, '01, 02), which includes the last NCAA Championship meet held in College Station in 2001, when UT set a NCAA record with 11 individual titles while setting six American records. The Longhorns have piled up 43 NCAA individual swimming titles, 34 NCAA relay titles and 15 NCAA diving crowns.
LAST YEAR AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Texas took second place with 406 points at the 2008 NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Wash. Dave Walters captured the 200 freestyle to become UT's first NCAA champion in the event since 1993, when Josh Davis took the crown. Texas added second-place finishes from Michael Klueh (500 free) and Ricky Berens (200 IM) and a second-place finish in the 800 freestyle relay.
17 SWIMMERS, TWO DIVERS BEGIN QUEST FOR TITLE
Seventeen swimmers and two diving standouts will represent the Longhorns this week in College Station. Nine of the 19 competitors will be making their first NCAA Championships appearance. Senior Michael Klueh will make his fourth consecutive appearance after taking second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2008 NCAA Championships. Beijing Olympic gold medalists Ricky Berens and Dave Walters will make their third consecutive NCAA appearances. Walters captured the 200 freestyle at the 2008 NCAA Championships and joined Berens to finish second in the 800 freestyle relay. Berens is seeded second behind Walters in the 200 freestyle and was second in the 200 IM a year ago. 2008-09 SEASON NOTES
TEXAS CAPTURES 30th CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE TITLE
Texas finished off a dominant performance at the 2009 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships with a new American record in the 400 freestyle relay. The relay of juniors Dave Walters, Ben Van Roekel, freshman Jimmy Feigen and senior Ryan Verlatti finished in 2:49.17 to eclipse the previous mark of 2:49.80 set by UT's Nate Dusing, Ian Crocker, Tommy Hannan and Jamie Rauch at the 2001 NCAA Championships.
Texas claimed its 30th consecutive conference title with 1,114 points. Missouri took second with 810.5 points, and Texas A&M placed third with 797.5 points. The Longhorns swept the swimming events and picked up a platform diving win from freshman Drew Livingston. Junior Hill Taylor claimed victories in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly and was selected as the Outstanding Men's Swimmer of the Meet. Livingston was tabbed the Outstanding Men's Diver of the Meet.
WALTERS TOPS PHELPS' AMERICAN RECORD
Junior Dave Walters, the reigning NCAA champion in the 200 freestyle, added another superlative to his resume on Dec. 5 when he broke Michael Phelps' American record in the 200-yard freestyle at the Texas Invitational in Austin. Wearing the same suit in which he swam during the 800m freestyle relay preliminary round at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Walters set new American and NCAA records in the 200y freestyle in 1:31.83, well under his previous school record of 1:32.51 set at the 2008 Big 12 Championships.
LIVINGSTON FINISHES BIG 12s WITH A BANG
Texas freshman diver Drew Livingston ended the Big 12 Championships last month with a spectacular platform diving performance that rendered several perfect scores from the seven judges. Livingston, a finalist on the platform at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, dominated the event and was victorious with 542.95 points, a score that would have won the platform title at the 2008 NCAA Championships by over 60 points.
MORE ON THE LONGHORNS
Texas ended its regular season with home victories against Texas A&M and SMU on Feb. 6 and 7, respectively. The Horns posted a 108-90 win over the Aggies in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown and a 155-103 win over the Mustangs. UT suffered its lone dual-meet loss of the season at the end of January when defending NCAA Champion Arizona scored a 204-149 victory.
Texas opened the new year by sweeping the relays and diving events and won 12 of 16 events en route to a 169-126 victory over No. 11 Georgia on Jan. 10 at UGA's Gabrielsen Natatorium. Senior Sean Patton and junior Dave Walters led the Longhorns with two individual swimming victories apiece, and the Longhorn divers went 5-for-5 on the weekend, as they completed a sweep of the two diving events after winning three diving events on Jan. 8 at No. 8 Auburn, where UT posted a 139-102 victory. Freshman Drew Livingston swept all three diving events for the Longhorns, and Texas added victories in seven of nine individual swimming events, including two wins apiece from freshman Jackson Wilcox and junior Ricky Berens.
Before hitting the road in January, the Longhorns produced a stellar showing at last month's Texas Invitational in Austin. Junior Dave Walters broke Michael Phelps' American record in the 200-yard freestyle, and the Texas divers landed the top five spots in the one-meter event while taking the top-three spots in the three-meter and platform events. Sophomore Bryan Collins toppled teammate Michael Klueh's school record in the 400 individual medley, and junior Ricky Berens took down Rainer Kendrick's school mark in the 200 butterfly. All totaled, Texas tallied 10 individual NCAA automatic-qualifying marks and added NCAA automatic cuts in four relays.
Under the direction of 31st-year head coach Eddie Reese, the 40-man Texas men's swimming and diving roster boasts a blend of swimmers and divers with major international experience along with a talented group of newcomers that includes an Olympic finalist and the 2008 National High School Swimmer of the Year. Berens and Walters won gold medals as members of the United States' 800-meter freestyle relay at the Beijing Olympics. Having swum in the relay's finals in Beijing, Berens is a co-world record holder in that event, while Walters returns as the defending NCAA champion in the 200-yard freestyle.
Klueh, who holds two individual school records at Texas, was a finalist at the U.S. Olympic Trials and has represented the United States twice at the World University Games. Senior All-America diver Jonathan Wilcox, sophomore All-America diver Matt Cooper and freshman diver Drew Livingston were finalists in their respective events at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Texas features a talented freshman class that features the aforementioned Livingston, the brother of UT NCAA champion diver Jessica Livingston, and San Antonio native Jimmy Feigen, the 2008 Swimming World Magazine National High School Swimmer of the Year. Feigen set national high school records last February in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.
Texas' NCAA Championships Participants
Ricky Berens (Jr., Charlotte, N.C.)
- 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist
- Won gold and set a new world record in Beijing alongside Michael Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay and Ryan Lochte in the 800m freestyle relay
- American record holder, 800y freestyle relay
- Placed second in the 200 IM and the 800 free relay at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- UT's school record holder in the 200 butterfly, also ranks second all-time at UT in the 200 IM, behind former Olympian Nate Dusing
- Seeded second behind teammate Dave Walters in the 200 freestyle (1:32.01)
Neil Caskey (Fr., Houston, Texas)
- Ranks eighth in school history in the 100 backstroke after clocking 46.79 at the Big 12 Championships
- Seeded 18th in the 100 backstroke (46.79) and 25th in the 200 backstroke (1:42.93) at the NCAA Championships
Bryan Collins (So., Mount Airy, Md.)
- Broke Michael Klueh's school record in the 400 IM at the Texas Invitational
- Captured his first individual conference title in the 400 IM at the 2009 Big 12 Championships
- Second NCAA Championships appearance
- Seeded ninth in the 400 IM (3:44.27) and 13th in the 200 IM (1:44.38) at the NCAA Championships
Jimmy Feigen (Fr., San Antonio, Texas)
- American record holder, 400y freestyle relay
- 2009 Big 12 Champion, 100 freestyle
- 2009 Big 12 Co-Champion, 50 freestyle (with teammate Dave Walters)
- National high school record holder, 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle
- Ranks third all-time at UT in the 50 freestyle (19.18) and fifth in the 100 freestyle (42.43)
- Seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle (19.18) and 11th in the 100 freestyle (42.43) at the NCAA Championships
Eric Friedland (Fr., Rockville, Md.)
- Represented Team USA at the 2008 FINA World Junior Championships
- Seeded 23rd in the 200 breaststroke (1:56.02) and 32nd in the 100 breaststroke (53.90) at the NCAA Championships
Peter Jameson (Jr., Indianapolis, Ind.)
- Second NCAA Championships appearance
- Ranks eighth all-time at UT in the 200 freestyle (1:34.00)
- Seeded 12th in the 200 freestyle (1:34.00) at the NCAA Championships
Hayes Johnson (Nashville, Tenn.)
- Represented Team USA in the 100m and 200m backstroke at the 2008 FINA World Junior Championships
- Seeded ninth in the 400 IM (3:44.27) and 13th in the 200 IM (1:44.38) at the NCAA Championships
- Ranks sixth all-time at UT in the 400 IM (3:46.31)
Scott Jostes (So., Chesterfield, Mo.)
- Ranks fifth all-time at UT in the 200 freestyle (1:33.21)
- Qualified for the NCAA Championships with a time-trial swim at the Big 12 Championships
- First NCAA Championships appearance
Michael Klueh (Sr., Evansville, Ind.)
- NCAA, American, U.S. Open record holder, 800y freestyle relay
- 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials finalist (400m freestyle)
- 11-time All-American
- UT school record holder in the 500 freestyle
- Placed second in the 500 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay and third in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- Represented Team USA at the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand
Drew Livingston (Fr., The Woodlands, Texas)
- Won the 2009 Big 12 platform title with a phenomenal performance and totaled 542.95 points
- 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials finalist (platform)
- Qualified for the NCAA Championships by winning the one-meter event at the NCAA Zone "D" Diving Meet
- Brother of UT senior diver Jessica Livingston, a 2007 NCAA platform diving champion; teamed up with Jessica to become the first brother-sister duo to win conference diving titles at the Big 12 Championships
Agustin Magruder (Sr., Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
- Second NCAA Championships appearance
- Ranks second all-time at UT (behind Brendan Hansen) in the 200 breaststroke (1:54.41) and fourth in the 100 breaststroke (53.29)
- Placed seventh in the 200 breaststroke at the 2008 NCAA Championships
Alan Maher (Jr., Nashville, Tenn.)
- First NCAA Championships appearance
- Ranks sixth all-time at UT in the 200 backstroke (1:42.32) and 10th in the 100 backstroke (47.19)
- Seeded 12th in the 200 backstroke (1:41.49) and 27th in the 100 backstroke (47.19) at the 2008 NCAA Championships
Sean Patton (Sr., Charlotte, N.C.)
- Ranks fifth all-time at UT in the 200 backstroke
- Placed sixth in the 200 backstroke at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- Seeded 14th in the 200 backstroke at the 2009 NCAA Championships
Hill Taylor (Jr., Birmingham, Ala.)
- Placed sixth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 100 backstroke at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- Seeded first in the 100 backstroke (45.65) and fifth in the 100 butterfly (45.57) at the 2009 NCAA Championships
- 2009 Big 12 Championships' Outstanding Men's Swimmer of the Meet
- Captured the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke at the Big 12 Championships
Ben Van Roekel (Jr., Ankeny, Iowa)
- Helped UT set a new American record in the 400 freestyle relay (2:49.17) at the 2009 Big 12 Championships
- Seeded 39th in the 50 freestyle (19.63) at the 2009 NCAA Championships
Dave Walters (Jr., Yorktown, Va.)
- 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist, 800m freestyle relay (swam prelims)
- 2008 NCAA Champion, 200 freestyle (1:32.56)
- Broke Michael Phelps' American record in the 200 freestyle (1:31.83) at the Texas Invitational in December
- Co-owns two American relay records - helped UT set a new American record in the 400 freestyle relay at the 2009 Big 12 Championship and a new American record in the 800 freestyle relay at the 2008 Big 12 Championships
- Broke Garrett Weber-Gale's UT 100 freestyle record (41.92) on the lead leg of the American record-setting 400 free relay at the 2009 Big 12 Championships
- Seeded first in the 200 freestyle, fourth in the 100 freestyle and 11th in the 50 freestyle at the 2009 NCAA Championships
Jackson Wilcox (Fr., Nashville, Tenn.)
- Captured the 500 freestyle (4:1 3.50) and the 1,650 freestyle (14:41.85) at the 2009 Big 12 Championships
- Ranks second all-time at UT in the 500 freestyle and the 1,650 freestyle, behind teammate Michael Klueh
- Seeded fourth in the 500 freestyle and third in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2009 NCAA Championships
Jonathan Wilcox (Sr., Bellevue, Wash.)
- Placed seventh in the three-meter event and 13th in the one-meter event at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- Qualified for the 2009 NCAA Championships by placing third in the three-meter event at the NCAA Zone "D" Diving Meet
- 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials finalist, three-meter diving
Brian Wilson (So., Short Hills, N.J.)
- Placed 11th in the 200 medley relay, 21st in the 200 IM, 27th in the 100 butterfly and 28th in the 200 butterfly at the 2008 NCAA Championships
- Ranks fourth all-time at UT in the 200 IM (1:44.10) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (46.63)
- Seeded 10th in the 200 IM (1:44.10) and 28th in the 100 butterfly (46.63) at the 2009 NCAA Championships
- Placed 26th in the 200m IM at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials