Swimming: WVU Finishes in Record-Setting Fashion
February 20, 2010 08:54 PM | General
February 20, 2010
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| Mandie Nugent |
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The West Virginia University men's and women's swimming teams have completed the 2010 BIG EAST Championships with a third-place finish on the women's side and fourth place on the men's side. The women finished with 525 points, while the men had 442 points. Notre Dame took first-place on the women's side with 773.5 points, while Louisville won the men's competition with 808 points.
Freshmen Kata Fodor and Sloan Storie started the meet for the women with their swims in the 1,650 free. Fodor finished in 11th place with a time of 17:06.42, while Storie placed 14th in 17:11.20.
The men had freshman Tim O'Malley, senior Justin Galbreath and sophomore Ian Stavros all score points. O'Malley swam a season-best time of 15:53.02 for 10th place, while Galbreath finished in 13th place (15:59.96) and Stavros finished in 14th place (16:05.02).
Senior Morgan Callaway and freshman Sara Conner continued their outstanding meets with Callaway placing second in the 200 back with a NCAA “B” cut time of 1:56.99. Conner scored a personal-best time of 1:59.40 in the consolation finals where she came in first place (ninth overall).
Freshman Jared Goldthorpe swam to a third-place finish in the 200 back with a NCAA “B” cut time of 1:45.33. Senior Tim Field and sophomore Eric Johnson swam in the consolation finals where they finished sixth (14th overall) and seventh (15th overall) with times of 1:50.40 and 1:52.36, respectively.
For the third consecutive year, senior Kayla Andrews took home the 100 free title. Andrews finished with a NCAA “B” cut time of 48.49. Senior Shaunna Purtell also swam in the finals and finished in fifth place with a time of 50.42. In the consolation finals, senior Stephanie Shupe swam to a time of 51.42 for a sixth-place finish (14th overall).
Sophomore Brad Eichenseer continued to get faster in the 100 free where he finished in fifth place with a time of 44.20, a NCAA “B” cut time.
In the 200 breast consolation finals, freshman Robyn Matthews finished in a tie for first place (ninth overall) with a season-best time of 2:17.38. Freshman Breanna McCann followed in third (11th overall) with a time of 2:18.18 and sophomore Jaryn Studer finished in fourth (12th overall) in 2:19.27.
Junior George Farquhar took fourth in the finals of the 200 breast, where he finished with a time of 2:00.84. Sophomore Jack Greenhalgh took second (10th overall) for West Virginia in the 200 breast consolation finals with a time of 2:04.03.
Freshman Mandie Nugent took the competition by storm with a NCAA “B” cut and first-place finish in the 200 fly. Her time of 1:58.16 was a new school record and a season-best swim. Freshman Rachael Burnett also swam in the event and finished fourth in 2:00.26, also a season-best and NCAA “B” cut time.
Sophomores Taylor Camp and Martin Vanis each had riveting swims for West Virginia in the 200 fly. Camp finished second with a NCAA “B” cut time of 1:46.35, while Vanis took first (ninth overall) in the consolation finals with a time of 1:48.77.
In the most exciting race of the day, the 400 free relay team of Purtell, Burnett, Callaway and Andrews finished in first place with a meet record, school record and NCAA “B” cut time of 3:17.72.
The men's 400 free relay team of Eichenseer, Goldthorpe, Camp and freshman Graham Kauffman then scored a NCAA “B” cut time of 2:59.51 for a fourth-place finish.
West Virginia is now in a holding period while they wait to see who is invited to the NCAA Championships. The men's championships will be held from March 24-27 in Columbus, Ohio, while the women's championships will be March 17-20 in West Lafayette, Ind.
