Dec. 5, 2009
AUBURN, Ala. - The No. 5/7 Auburn swimming team concluded competition at the Texas Swimming & Diving Hall Of Fame Invitational Saturday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas. The Tiger men finished third overall with a score of 421 points, while the women's 386 points placed them fourth.
"We finished on a high and had our best session of the weekend tonight," Brett Hawke, head coach, said. "The team battled through the tiredness and pain and pushed through very well. There is a lot of positive to take away from this weekend."
Highlighting the day was the performance by sophomore Micah Lawrence in the 200 breast. The Pflugerville, Texas, native, earned first in the event and recorded a NCAA B cut time of 2:11.90 in the process.
"Micah had a break through win tonight," Hawke said. "She swam against rested and suited opponents and we're very excited for her."
Also picking up a B time for Auburn was Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace. The sophomore recorded a seventh-place finish in the 100 free in a time of 50.01.
Other top finishers for Auburn were Maggie Bird, Erica Meissner and Stephanie Horner. Bird took seventh in the 1650 free in 16:59.75, while Meissner finished 11th in 1:59.92 in the 200 back. Horner recorded a ninth-place finish in the 200 fly in 2:02.60.
Closing out the meet was the 400 free relay team of Ava Ohlgren, Melissa Marik, Hannah Riordan and Vanderpool-Wallace. The squad finished fifth in a B time of 3:23.37.
On the men's side, the quartet of Gideon Louw, Andrew Mitchell, Kohlton Norys and Karl Krug took fourth in the 400 free relay. The group finished in a B time of 2:58.30.
Norys finished sixth overall in the 200 back, finishing in 1:47.45. Mitchell competed in the B Final of the 200 back and picked up a B time of 1:46.60. Louw took ninth in the 100 free with a time of 44.57, while Adam Klein took eighth in the 200 breast in a time of 2:00.52 and Tyler McGill took seventh in the 200 fly in 1:49.44.
The Auburn diving team continues competition at the Georgia Invite and then heads to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama Diving Invitational Dec. 17-19. The entire squad returns to competition Jan. 7 when the Tigers return to Austin for a dual meet against Texas.
Auburn Swimming and Diving
Saturday, December 5, 2009
2009 Texas Swimming & Diving Hall Of Fame Invitational
Lee And Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center; Austin, Texas
Team Scores:
Women: 1. Arizona - 1084.5; 2. Texas - 1011; 3. Wisconsin - 406.5; 4. Auburn - 386; 5. North Texas - 275
Men: 1. Arizona - 1125.5; 2. Texas - 964; 3. Auburn - 421; 4. UC-Davis - 358.5; 5. Wisconsin - 251
Auburn Best Finishes- Women: 1650 Free - 7. Bird (16:59.75); 200 Back - 11. Meissner (1:59.92); 100 Free - Vanderpool-Wallace (50.01); 200 Breast - 1. Lawrence (2:11.90); 200 Fly - 9. Horner (2:02.60); 400 Free Relay - 5. Ohlgren, Marik, Riordan, Vanderpool-Wallace (3:23.37).
Men: 200 Back - 6. Norys (1:47.45); 100 Free - Louw (44.57); 200 Breast - 8. Klein (2:00.52); 200 Fly - 7. McGill (1:49.44); 400 Free Relay - 4. Louw, Mitchell, Norys, Krug (2:58.30).