Feb. 23, 2007
AUBURN, Ala. - Four former Auburn swimmers won titles and three current swimmers had NCAA provisional qualifying times at the second day of the American Short Course Championships Friday in Austin, Texas.
Blakeley Bunch earned her second provisional qualifying mark in as many days, finishing fifth in the women's 400 IM with a time of 4:20.41, meeting the `B' cut standard by nearly three seconds. Former Tiger Kirsty Coventry, who won the 200 IM Thursday, took the 400 IM title Friday with a time of 4:09.42.
Coventry finished tied for second in the 100 back in 54.12, but more importantly, Katherine Caldwell recorded a provisional qualifying time of 55.97 while placing seventh. Coventry was also second in the 200 free with a mark of 1:47.41, while Kara Nelson clocked a 1:54.14 in the prelims.
Former Auburn swimmer Mark Gangloff won his second event of the meet, taking the 100 breast in 52.53 seconds. Michael Silva met the NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the prelims with a time of 54.83, then topped that with a third-place time of 54.52 in the finals. Jonathan Hiett finished 13th with a time of 57.54 after swimming a 56.66 in the prelims.
Another former Tiger, Eric Shanteau, won the men's 400 IM in 3:46.23 after finishing second in Thursday's 200 IM. Current Tigers Jeff Smith (3:56.05) and Marshel Renz (3:59.08) placed fourth and seventh, respectively.
The men's 100 back was also won by a former Auburn swimmer, as Doug Van Wie took the title in 46.66 seconds. Andrew Bretscher was seventh with a time of 50.42.
Kyle Mase finished sixth in the men's 200 free in 1:39.67, slightly slower than his prelim time of 1:39.52, while Van Wie was eighth in 1:40.26. Jeff Smith (1:39.87) finished 11th and John Long (1:41.21) was 15th.
Competition at the American Short Course Championships continues through Sunday.