KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two LSU swimmers and one Tiger diver reached championship finals, while the women’s 200 freestyle relay team shattered its own school record as Day 2 of the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships came to a close at the UT Student Aquatic Center.
The Tiger men moved up to fifth place after 16 events with 191 points. The LSU women are in seventh place with a score of 153. Georgia remained atop the women’s standings with 376 points, and Auburn leaped to first on the men’s leaderboard with a tally of 421. A total of 15 SEC records have fallen in two days of competition.
“We had some good swims across the board today,” said head coach Adam Schmitt. “It shows the kind of progress the program is making when we qualified two individuals in the finals and had the 200 free relay end up like it did in one day. Last year, we only had one individual make a championship final the entire meet.”
Freshman Julius Gloeckner, competing in his first SEC meet, set a personal-best time in the preliminaries of the 500 freestyle (4:23.38) to earn a berth in the championship final. Gloeckner finished sixth overall, swimming a final clocking of 4:25.46.
Sophomore Miko Malberg improved on the fifth-fastest time in school history in the 50 free. Malberg placed fifth in the championship final with a strong “B” cut finish of 19.85. He would set a career-fast time of 19.83 in the 200 free relay at the end of the day.
The LSU women entered the final event of the day with the No. 1 seed in the 200 freestyle relay. All nine relay teams would finished with pool records, including the Lady Tigers who eclipsed their school record time set two weeks ago.
Katherine Noland, Colleen Bertirotti, Katie Gilmore and Heather Brand placed third overall with a time of 1:31.10, .42 seconds better than their previous school record against Tulane on Feb. 3. The group edged Kentucky as Brand touched the wall .01 seconds ahead of the Wildcats.
“It is a neat accomplishment to see the team on the podium accepting third place,” said Schmitt. “I definitely think we can go even faster when the NCAA Championships roll around.”
In the women’s 50 free, three LSU swimmers from the relay reached the consolation final and all three swam career-fast times in the individual event. Noland placed third (ninth overall) with her best time in the event (23.37). Gilmore reached the “B” final with a prelim time of 23.45 and then finished sixth (12th overall) with a final time of 23.62.
Bertirotti was the Lady Tigers’ second highest finisher, taking fourth (10th overall) with a time of 23.41 in the final. Bertirotti swam her career-best in the prelims (23.04). Brand placed second (14th overall) in the “C” final (23.62).
Clare Schepens placed 18th in the 500 free with a final time of 4:59.90.
The men’s 200 free relay team closed out the day with a season-fast seventh-place finish (1:20.70), sparked by Malberg’s pace of 19.83.
In diving, freshman Nathan Schreiber reached the finals of the 1-meter with a brilliant performance. Schreiber qualified with a score of 272.45 and then topped that mark with a seventh-place tally of 290.90.
“Nathan did a fabulous job today,” said diving coach Doug Shaffer. “He improved on his score from the prelims and finals, and we as a team are proud of that.”
Sophomore Niko Dalman was 12th (258.80), and junior Andrew Keane took 17th (228.55).
Junior Hali Saucier was LSU’s best finisher in the women’s 3-meter on Thursday. Saucier finished 12th with a final score of 262.45. Paige Brown and Alyson Thomas placed 20th and 21st, respectively. Freshman Ryanne Snyder was 22nd (206.15).
Friday’s schedule events begin at 10 a.m. with the prelims of the 400 IM.
2006 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships
UT Student Aquatic Center
Knoxville, Tenn.
Men’s Scores (After Day 2)
1. Auburn 421
2. Florida 351
3. Georgia 316
4. Tennessee 248
5. LSU 191
6. Alabama 190
7. Kentucky 160
8. South Carolina 148
Women’s Scores (After Day 2)
1. Georgia 376
2. Auburn 338
3. Kentucky 330
4. Florida 239
5. Tennessee 230
6. South Carolina 210
7. LSU 153
8. Alabama 146
9. Arkansas 75
Friday’s Schedule of Events
Preliminary Competition
10 a.m. 400 IM
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle
100 Breaststroke
100 Backstroke
400 Medley Relay (Time Trial)
1 p.m. Men’s Platform Diving Prelims
Finals Competition
6 p.m. 400 IM Final
100 Butterfly Final
200 Freestyle Final
100 Breaststroke Final
100 Backstroke Final
Men’s Platform Diving Finals
400 Medley Relay (Timed Final)