CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The LSU swimming and diving team wrapped up the 2001 Nike Cup in fine fashion on Saturday, with the women finishing third and the men placing second at the Maurice J. Koury Natatorium.
“This was a really good meet overall for us in men’s and especially women’s,” said LSU head coach Jeff Cavana. “The women did outstanding, this is a tought meet and we really did well.”
Host North Carolina won both the men’s and women’s titles, with the women edging Virginia Tech and the men placing just ahead of the Lady Tigers. LSU stayed near the top of the leader board all three days of the meet, but the Tar Heels won their second straight Nike Cup title.
LSU received several outstanding performances on Saturday. Sophomore Stephanie Smith won the 1650-freestyle in a time of 16:37.15, which is the second-best all-time mark in LSU history and also made the NCAA “B” Cut of the Qualifying Standards. Four Lady Tigers were the top four finishers in the finals of the 1-meter diving competition. Freshman Jessica Wantz won the event with a score of 298.90. Barb Gorst placed second, Michelle Coryell was third, and Holly Winters came in fourth.
Mandy Leach finished third in the 100-freestyle, just missing the “B” Cut by three seconds. Fransisco Paez won the 100 freestyle with a time of 45.37. Martin Latz and Chris Stanczyk placed third and fourth respectively. Margot Gathings placed second in the 200-butterfly with a time of 2:03.50. LSU’s team of Paez, Latz, Stanczyk, and Reed Robelot won the 400-yard freestyle relay. Evan Martinec alsp placed third in the 200-yard backstroke.
The Tigers made nine NCAA “B” Cuts at the three-day meet, and eight were by women and four women moved into the top five all-time in LSU history.
“This was just an outstanding meet by our women here,” said Cavana. “We are way ahead of what where we were last year at this point. Everyone is swimming and diving well now.”
LSU will next face the Florida Gators in a men-only meet in January, 2002 in Baton Rouge.
TEAM SCORES
WOMEN
1. North Carolina 874
2. Virginia Tech 639
3. LSU 637.50
4. Kentucky 619
5. Duke 370
6. East Carolina 204.50
7. Kenyon 204
8. Syracuse 172
MEN
1. North Carolina 875
2. LSU 764
3. Virginia Tech 697
4. Kentucky 589
5. East Carolina 321
6. Duke 261
7. Kenyon 255
8. Syracuse 39