Feb. 22, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Auburn's swimming and diving teams won four SEC titles each on Friday as the men's team extended its lead to 150 points and the women's team took its first lead of the meet, putting each in control of their own destiny as the 2008 SEC Championships enters its final day.
Auburn's men have 597 points in the meet, holding a 150-point advantage over its nearest competitor (Florida, 447 pts.). Tennessee is currently in third with 399 points.
On the women's side, the Tigers bounced back in a big way after entering the day in a 42-point deficit to Florida to take a 16-point lead heading into the final day of competition. Auburn currently has 492 points, followed by Florida with 476 and Georgia with 387.
"I'm thrilled at how we brought our `A Game' today, but we still have one more day," said co-head women's coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker. "Tomorrow is a really important session for us."
Tierney-Walker said the highlight of the nigh for her was seeing seniors Kara Denby and Emily Kukors win their first individual SEC titles. Denby won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.37, a mark that sets a new pool record and ranks third all-time at Auburn. Kukors earned her win in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:43.47, breaking her own Auburn record in the event.
The seniors then teamed up with Margo McCawley and Ava Ohlgren to win the 400 medley relay.
"I'm just thrilled about two of our seniors tonight winning their first individual SEC titles in Kara Denby in the 100 breast and Emily Kukors in the 200 free, just absolutely thrilled for them," said Tierney-Walker.
Ohlgren also earned an individual title on Friday, swimming a 4:05.78 in the 400 IM to set a new pool and SEC record. She has now won the 400 IM at both the SEC and NCAA Championships as well as earning the sweep in the individual medley at SECs after winning the 200 IM on Thursday.
"I'm excited for Ava Ohlgren winning her first SEC title in the 400 IM, mainly because she didn't do it last year," said Tierney-Walker. "But, that is mainly a reflection on the kind of people we have that they are willing to do whichever event they need to do to help the team. All-around, we had a great day today and looking forward to another tomorrow."
Along with swimming on the winning 400 medley relay, McCawley also had a big day individually as she finished runner-up in both the 100 back and 100 fly. She touched in with a time of 53.22 in the 100 fly, giving Auburn its best finish in the event since Kirsty Coventry won it in 2005.
In the 100 back, McCawley's time of 52.76 ranks her fourth all-time at Auburn in the event.
The men also earned four SEC titles on the day and extended their lead to 150 points over Florida.
"We really had a good day, our guys really stepped up today and I'm proud of them," said head coach Richard Quick. We had to withstand Florida's 400 individual medley, but we really fought back with Alexei Puninski winning the 100 butterfly, Mike Silva taking the 100 breaststroke, Dan Mazzaferro on the diving and everybody else."
Puninski, a senior, earned Auburn's first title of the evening as he set new pool, SEC and Auburn records in the 100 butterfly with a time of 46.50. Puninski led an Auburn sweep in the event as Jordan Anderson and Tyler McGill finished second and third, respectively.
Sophomore Michael Silva gave Auburn its second title as he touched in at 53.60 in the 100 breast, a time that ranks 10th all-time at Auburn.
Silva and Puninski then teamed up with freshman Kohlton Norys and Cesar Cielo to win the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:08.57, setting a new pool record along the way.
Norys and Cielo earned some top individual finishes on the day. Norys led the Tigers with a third-place finish in the 100 back, coming in at 47.36, coming one hundredth of a second from Auburn's top 10.
Cielo posted a third-place finish in the 200 free, clocking a time of 1:34.35. Cielo's time ranks him third all-time at Auburn.
In the lone diving event of the day, sophomore Dan Mazzaferro kept an Auburn streak alive as he set a new SEC record with a score of 444.65 on the platform to give Auburn its sixth platform title in the past seven years. Kelly Marx finished behind him in third with a score of 414.90.
"What an awesome job by Dan and Kelly today," said head diving coach Jeff Shaffer. "What a great contest, that is one of the best men's platform contests that the SEC has witnessed over the past several years and that is exciting for them to be a part of it and exciting that diving in the SEC is that good."
Action in the final day of the 2008 SEC Championships resumes at 10 a.m., Saturday with preliminaries in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and women's platform diving. All events will take place at the Don Gambril Olympic Pool at the Alabama Aquatic Center.