COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The 17th-ranked LSU men’s swimming and diving team opened the 2009 NCAA Championships with a pair of honorable mention All-America honors in relay competition Thursday at Texas A&M’s Student Rec Center Natatorium in College Station, Texas.
The 200-yard freestyle foursome of Hannes Heyl, Sean LeNeave, Julius Gloeckner and Brandon Selts captured 12th overall with a time of 1 minute, 18.50 seconds. The team’s finish marks the second consecutive season the Tigers have placed in the top-12 in that event.
Furthermore, the 400 medley relay group of Heyl, Gloeckner, Christoph Lubenau and LeNeave posted a time of 3:12.82 to secure 16th in the finals. Lubenau led the effort, recording the fastest butterfly split of the consolation final, 45.38.
In individual competition, Gloeckner improved his school record-setting time in the 200 individual medley with a mark of 1:44.88 to place 27th overall. Selts tied for 57th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.11.
Moreover, senior Niko Dalman tallied a six-dive total of 278.95 in the one-meter springboard to take 28th.
The Southeastern Conference shined on the first day of racing with three record-setting performances. Auburn’s 200 freestyle and 400 medley relay squads claimed new NCAA and U.S. Open records in both events, and Florida’s Bradley Ally overtook former Gator great Ryan Lochte’s NCAA mark in the 200 IM.
California’s Nathan Adrian improved his American-record time in the 50 free to take the sprinters’ crown, while Texas diver Drew Livingston emerged on top with a meet record in the one-meter board.
LSU is expected to turn it up a notch Friday, especially in individual competition as several athletes compete in their best events. Lubenau is seeded 11th in the 100 butterfly, while fellow German Gloeckner is 13th in the 400 IM. Dalman will take off from the three-meter springboard, and Heyl will race in both the 100 fly and 100 backstroke.
In addition, the Tigers will line up in the 200 medley relay. The prelims will begin at noon (CDT) with the finals following at 7 p.m. Check back with www.LSUsports.net for a link to live video and results.
2009 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships ? Schedule of Events
Friday, March 27
Prelims – 12 p.m. (CDT)
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
800-yard Freestyle Relay
Three-meter Diving
Finals – 7 p.m.
200-yard Medley Relay
400-yard Individual Medley
100-yard Butterfly
200-yard Freestyle
100-yard Breaststroke
100-yard Backstroke
Three-meter Diving
800-yard Freestyle Relay
Saturday, March 28
Prelims – 12 p.m.
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
400-yard Freestyle Relay
Platform Diving
1,650-yard Freestyle
Finals – 7 p.m.
1,650-yard Freestyle
200-yard Backstroke
100-yard Freestyle
200-yard Breaststroke
200-yard Butterfly
Platform Diving
400-yard Freestyle Relay