Jan. 28, 2006
Auburn, Ala. -
In the final dual meet of the season, the AU men and women's team closed out the year as it started, victorious. It was made even more special for eight senior's who ended their career at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center, the men having never lost a dual meet in their career and the women with just one defeat in four-year's.
With the 143.50-94.50 win over FSU, the Tiger men extend the dual meet win streak to 42, including 10 straight victories to close out this portion of the season. AU's women picked up two dual meet wins today with a 142-90 mark over FSU and a 149-69 win versus Arkansas. The women close out the season 9-0 and earn the Tigers ninth undefeated season at home.
"I think we accomplished what we were looking for in that our team had the opportunity to get some great experience," head coach David Marsh said. "For example, Joey Schneider in the 200 IM qualified for NCAA's today and that is a real good sign for later in the year. Jakob Andjkaer continues to impress me, not only in his racing but his training and work ethic. I was concerned about there being a big let down coming off the big Texas and Florida meets but I think having this meet at home and having a great crowd really got the team excited."
Auburn senior's George Bovell, Kurt Cady, Lauren Duerk, Jana Kolukanova, Jeri Moss, Eric Shanteau, Doug Van Wie and Erin Volcan were honored and were joined on the pool deck by their families before the start of the meet.
"This senior class is interesting in that they are from all over the world and their personalities are so different from each other," Marsh said. "All eight are fantastic human beings and I couldn't be more pleased with them finishing their dual meet season undefeated. I think we look good going into the championship portion of the season and are fit and prepared."
The AU divers put up the first points of the meet on 1-meter as Steven Segerlin and Corey Lynn Gerlach swept the event. Segerlin's score of 269.00 was just off his Auburn record that he set at Texas and Gerlach was just off her personal best with a mark today of 275.10. Teammates Scott Morgan and Lynnsey Segraves completed the one, two sweep for the Tigers. Segraves and Morgan each turned in improved dives and zone qualifying scores, Morgan his first of the season.
"Both Lynnsey and Corey were very consistent today," head AU diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. "There is still room for improvement. Steve had another double win and with today's wins, he finished the dual meet portion of the season undefeated. The diver of the meet was Scott. He put together a great list and was very consistent and earned the zone qualifier on 1-meter. All four divers will be going to the NCAA Zones and that was a big goal at this meet. It was great to see all the other divers congratulate and support his efforts to accomplish this."
 Steven Segerlin  | |
Auburn took the top two places in the men and women's 400 meter relay. The women's group of Margo McCawley, Julie Stupp, Kristen Hastrup and Emily Kukors turned in season best time of 3:43.98, its first provisional qualifying time of the season. Stupp posted the fastest breast split of the season, 1:03.29. On the men's side, the senior quad of Doug Van Wie, Eric Shanteau, Kurt Cady and G. Bovell touched the wall in 3:17.39 for the win. Shanteau posted the fastest split of the season on the breast leg, 53.77.
Adrienne Binder and Blakeley Bunch finished one, two in the 1000 freestyle and Jeff Smith was the top AU finisher for the men, touching the wall third (9:37.22). The Tiger women continued to control the meet, finishing one, two, three in the 200 free, led by Kristen Hastrup (1:49.99). Kolukanova and Moss completed the Tiger sweep. Anthony Fleming took the top spot on the men's side in the 200 free with a provisional qualifier, 1:37.67.
"I thought we were a little up and down today," co-women's head coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker said. "Last week was such an emotional week for us. Overall we did pretty well and had people racing in different events."
In sprint freestyle action, Kara Denby, swimming the 50 for the first time since October, took the win over teammate Emile Ewing with a time of 23.69. Scott Goodrich claimed the victory in the 50 free with a time just off his season best, 20.57. He was followed by teammate Seth Barry (20.99).
"It was nice to have Kara back today," Tierney-Walker said. "This was her first time competing for us in a dual meet since Indiana."
AU's Joey Schneider controlled the men's 200 IM and touched the wall with a time slightly over the automatic qualifier, but a five-tenths personal best - 1:46.88. This time ties him with teammate Shanteau for a season team high. He was followed by Van Wie and Sean Osborne. On the women's side Anne Amardeilh put up a season best swim of 2:03.49, a provisional qualifier, to win the event.
"Anne had a very nice 200 IM and I am very excited about that," Tierney-Walker commented.
Swimming a season best 1:59.39, Tawnie Bethune took the 200 fly win over teammate Kara Nelson, who also posted a season best swim of 2:03.62. The men's team finished in similar fashion by taking the top spot in the 200 fly, led by Shanteau in a season best and bettered provisional qualifying time of 1:46.95. Van Wie followed in a time of 1:50.66.
"Tawnie had another solid meet," Tierney-Walker said. "It is good to see her compete consistently. Some of the freshmen are really coming along, Kara Nelson had a real nice 200 fly today. Emile Ewing had another solid meet."
In the diving well, Segraves posted a 309.82 on 3-meter, her best mark since the November meet at Virginia, to secure the win. Gerlach finished third with a score of 295.95. For the sixth time this year, Segerlin swept both the 1- and 3-meter diving events. On 3-meter he posted a 319.91 and teammate Morgan was sixth (275.77).
"There were some good and disappointing things on 3-meter," Shaffer said. "I thought we had dives that were in position to hit and we didn't focus through the finish and those are mistakes that are nice to pop out now because we have a couple weeks to correct it and get sharp for conference and zones. Overall a very productive meet."
Kolukanova controlled the 100 free, finishing in a time of 50.05. Denby, who won earlier in the 50 free, finished second with a mark of 51.65. Swimming the 100 free for the first time this season, James Wike opened up with a win in a time of 45.31. G. Bovell followed closely in second (45.65).
"I though Jana had a very nice meet and her relay splits in both the 100 and 200 free were very solid today," Tierney-Walker said. "She has had a very nice week of training."
In the 200 back, Volcan with a winning time of 1:59.25 improved her provisional qualifier. Teammate McCawley ended up third (2:00.99). In his first 200 back this season, Goodrich picked up his second win of the day, touching the wall in 1:50.43. Nick Bovell was the runner up finisher (1:50.83).
The Tiger women swam exhibition in the 500 free (points do not go towards team total) but Hayley Peirsol had the fastest time, 4:48.32. Chelsea Haser swam the second fastest time of the event, 4:53.53. On the men's side, Daniel Slocki and FSU's Steve Roof took it to the wire but Slocki came out ahead, 4:29.78.
 Anne Amardeilh | |
In the women's 200 breast the Tiger trio of Amardeilh, Allison Randall and Daniela Brands all swam exhibition. Amardeilh had the fastest time of Auburn's competitors - 2:19.58. The men also swam exhibition but had the fastest time in the event by Sean Osborne, 2:02.19.
"Anne is always a person who leads by example in training and I think now she has results in her races," Marsh noted.
The 200 free relay closed out the meet for Auburn. The women's `A' team of McCawley, Kukors, Ewing and Kolukanova posted a season high 1:32.69, the fastest in the field. Kukors (22.76), Ewing (23.26) and Kolukanova (22.68) each turned in the bests splits of the season in the second, third and anchor positions.
NEXT MEET: The Tigers compete again as a team at the SEC Championship on February 15-18 in Knoxville, Tenn. The AU men will look to extend its SEC Championship run to 10 and the women four.