TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — LSU sophomore diver Rachel Ware won the 1-meter championship to highlight LSU’s second-place start on the opening day of the Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships Wednesday night at the Alabama Aquatic Center.
The LSU men and women are both tied with Tennessee for second place. Florida leads the women’s side, with Auburn on top on the men’s side.
The Lady Tiger relay team of Monica McJunin, Victoria Givens, Jane Trepp and Katie Gilmore set a school record in the 200-yard medley with a NCAA “B” Cut time of 1:40.39.
“It was great for Rachel to get the first championship of the tournament,” LSU head coach Adam Schmitt said.
“With an individual title, a school relay record and just an overall strong start across the board it sets us up well for the rest of the championships.”
Ware, a two-time All-American, is the first Lady Tiger to win the 1-meter title since Jamie Watkins (2001).
Ware, who was the top-seed heading into the prelims and finals, owned the 1-meter springboard with two outstanding first place scores of 304.40 in the prelims and 315.55 in the finals. Ware’s finals score is a season high.
Senior Page Brown also reached the 1-meter finals by posting a solid fourth-place score of 285.40 n the prelims. Brown finished eighth in the finals with 269.05 points.
On the men’s side, Niko Dalman and Michaell Neubacher placed third 391.55 and fifth 376.90 respectively in the 3-meter dive. Both were career high performances.
Alabama’s Aaron Fleshner won the event with a score of 411.10.
LSU’s diving coach Doug Shaffer was “ecstatic” with his team’s performance but said they understand there is still a lot of work to do in the championships.
“It is fabulous to start off on day one with an individual championship,” said Shaffer. “It sets a standard of how our team has come out on the blocks.
“I was proud of all five divers today. I had a number of goals that I set out in front of the team before the season and they understand what we are trying to accomplish. It is fun right now but we still have three more days of competition so we have to remain focused.”
The men’s relay team of Hannes Heyl, Chris White, Christoph Lubenau and Miko Malberg took fifth place in the 200 medley by clocking a time a NCAA “B” cut time of 1:27.64.
The Lady Tiger team of Katherine Noland, Kannon Betzen, Lauren Grandy and Sabrian Messmer won the first heat of the women’s 800 yard free and finished eighth in the event with a “B” cut time of 7:23.28.
The 800 free relay team of Julius Gloeckner, Connor Farber, Sean LeNeave and Clint Hallum finished sixth by hitting the wall at a “B” cut time of 6:35.95.
Action resumes tomorrow with the 500 free prelims at 10 a.m.
2008 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships Alabama Aquatic Center.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Women’s Team Scores
Day 1
Place School Points
1 Florida 89
2 Tennessee 79
2 LSU 79
4 Kentucky 78
5 Georgia 77
6 Auburn 74
7 South Carolina 65
8 Alabama 63
9 Arkansas 59
10 Vanderbilt 28
Men’s Team Scores
Place School Points
1 Auburn 126
2 LSU 86
2 Tennessee 86
4 Alabama, 80
5 Georgia 68
6 Florida, 66
7 South Carolina 52
8 Kentucky 41
Day 2 Schedule
Thursday, February 21, 2008
500 Freestyle
Prelims 10 a.m.
Finals 6 p.m.
200 Individual Medley
Prelims 10 a.m.
Finals 6 p.m.
50 Freestyle
Prelims 10 a.m.
Finals 6 p.m.
Men’s 1-Meter Diving
Prelims 12:30 p.m.
Finals 5 p.m.
Women’s 3-Meter Diving
Prelims 2:15 p.m.
Finals 6 p.m.
200 Freestyle Relay
Prelims TBD
Finals 6 p.m.