University of Minnesota Athletics
NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships Day 2 Notes
3/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY TWO FINALS NOTES
• California set a new University Aquatic Center record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:23.12. The Bears broke the 2007 record set by Auburn (1:23.37). They also defended their NCAA title from a year ago. Nathan Adrian posted some amazing splits in the anchor leg, splitting an 8.64 on the first 25 and an 18.14 overall.
• After the 200 medley relay, California took back the lead over Texas by one point (174-173).
• Georgia’s Bill Cregar won the 400 individual medley in 3:40.97, becoming Georgia’s second champion in the event joining Robert Margalis in 2003. Cregar finished third in the event last year. He ended Michigan’s run of four straight champions although Wolverine freshman Kyle Whitaker was the runner-up in 3:41.69.
• After taking a year off from college competition, Stanford’s Austin Staab won the NCAA title in the 100 butterfly, winning in 44.69. He was the 2009 champion with a time of 44.18. Staab edged 2010 champion Tom Shields of California (44.91). Michigan’s Dan Madwed was third in 45.57. Staab is Stanford’s ninth 100 fly champion and third multi-year champion.
• Staab won his third total NCAA title, winning the 2009 and 2011 100 fly titles and the 200 individual medley last night
• California racked up major team points in the 100 fly, finishing 2-4-8-13 to open a 37-point lead on second place Stanford (240-203).
• Florida registered its first national champion of the meet as Brett Fraser led wire-to-wire in the 200 freestyle en route to a time of 1:32.21. He held off Texas’ Dax Hill (1:32.64). The win gives Florida three straight champions in the event (his brother Shaune Fraser in 2009 and Conor Dwyer in 2010). He is Florida’s fifth champion overall in the event.
• Fraser set a new University Aquatic Center record with his win in the 200 free, breaking Simon Burnett’s 2005 NCAA Championships effort of 1:33.28. The top four finishers all broke Burnett’s previous pool record.
• The Fraser brothers became the second set of brothers to win the same event at the NCAA Championships. Shaune (2009) and Brett (2011) in the 200 freestyle joined Seth and Martin Pepper of Arizona (1993 and 1996).
• With 20 points, Stanford closed within 17 of California after the 200 free.
• Damir Dugonjic of California won his third straight championship in the 100 breaststroke becoming just the sixth swimmer to accomplish the feat. Dugonjic broke the University Aquatic Center record of 51.56 set by Mike Alexandrov of Northwestern at the 2007 NCAA Championships and recorded the second-fastest time in history (only topped by his own time of 50.86 in 2009).
• California went 1-2-4 in the event and opened a 295-242.5 lead on Stanford after the 100 breaststroke.
• Tom Shields of California followed up his 100 butterfly runner-up performance by winning the 100 backstroke in 45.02, holding off Indiana’s Eric Ress (45.14). He became California’s first champion in the 100 backstroke. The top four finishers in the 100 back are all sophomores. None of the finalists were seniors.
• Purdue’s David Boudia completed a sweep of the springboard diving events, winning the 3-meter with a score of 472.30, edging Texas A&M’s Grant Nel by a mere .95 points. Boudia also won the 3-meter event for the third straight year, becoming just the fourth to ever accomplish the feat. Boudia now has six NCAA diving titles (2010-11 1-meter, 2009-11 3-meter and 2009 platform).
• Florida won the 800 freestyle relay (6:14.88) for the first time since 2005 and the seventh time overall while Virginia was second.
• California opened a big lead on the second day with 352 points. Cal is trailed by Texas (288.5), Stanford (278.5), Arizona (214), Florida (213), Auburn (178.5), Southern California (146), Virginia (145), Michigan (131) and Ohio State (97).
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY PRELIMS TWO NOTES
• California looks to defend its national title in the 200 medley relay, posting the top time of the session in 1:24.39. Texas was second in 1:24.74.
• Arizona’s Austen Thompson turned in the top time of the morning in the 400 individual medley in 3:42.37. North Carolina’s Tyler Harris was secnd in 3:42.48. Neither school has ever had a champion in the event. Freshman Kyle Whitaker of Michigan will try to keep the Wolverines’ streak of four straight champions in the event. He owns the third-best time entering finals.
• The last two NCAA champions in the 100 butterfly will face-off tonight. 2010 champ Tom Shields of California owns the top time of 44.96 while 2009 champ Austin Staab owns the second-best at 45.45. The final of the 100 fly will include 50 free champion Nathan Adrian of California as well, who finished sixth in the prelims.
• Three teams have two finalists in the 200 freestyle. Virginia’s Scot Robison owns the top time of 1:33.27, breaking the University Aquatic Center record of 1:33.28 set by Simon Burnett of Arizona at the 2005 NCAA meet. Robison will be joined by his teammate and 500 free champion Matt McLean (fifth). Southern California has two finalists in Clement Lefert (third) and Dimitri Colupaev (fourth). Florida also has two finalists with Brett Fraser (sixth) and Sebastien Rousseau (seventh).
• Two-time defending NCAA champion in the 100 breaststroke, California’s Damir Dugonjic, posted the top time in the 100 breaststroke (51.70), followed by teammate Nolan Koon (52.10). Martti Aljand gives California its third finalist in a tie for third (52.39).
• Shields returned to the blocks to post the top time in the 100 backstroke (45.67). California has never had a champion in the 100 backstroke. Texas’ Cole Cragin is second with a time of 45.69.
• California has eight championship finalists this evening while Texas, Arizona, Florida and Stanford each have four apiece.
QUOTES
200 Medley Relay
Graeme Moore. Sr, Cal
On coach and fan support throughout the meet:
“It definitely distracts us from the seriousness behind the meet and it’s just a lot of fun having like 18 guys. We’re all really different; from different backgrounds. It’s just been a lot of fun. It’s been cool.”
400 IM
Bill Cregar, Sr., Georgia
On what it took to win this race:
“I’ve been with all my coaches for about four years, so they’ve known how much work I put into it. I think the biggest part was getting this right up here [pointing to his head]. I finally got it down, and I couldn’t be happier. Coach couldn’t be happier either.”
100 Fly
Austin Staab, Sr., Stanford
On facing last year’s champion, Tom Shields:
“I had some slight concern coming off the 200 IM yesterday. My legs were a bit tired, but I took care of myself after the session this morning, I got some good rest, and I came back with a lot of confidence that I could beat him.”
200 Free
Brett Fraser, Sr., Florida
On working the walls and whether it was a strength:
“Yea I’ve been working my walls a lot this year. At the beginning they weren’t too good but I fixed them and I tried to take two to three dolphin kicks off of each wall and make them as powerful as possible.”
100 Breast
Damir Dugonjic, Sr., Cal
On if taking an early lead was part of his plan:
“Yeah. I just wanted to go out really fast today, my last chance to go fast in the 100 yards. I’m really happy with the time. I’m really happy that my teammates performed well, too. Pretty much, they keep me going, so I’m really happy with today’s performance.”
100 Back
Tom Shields, So., Cal
On his race:
"Eric was by himself out there. I heard I was eighth after the first 25, so I guess I'm not too good at backstroke starts yet. I caught him, and then I knew by the time I hit my third wall that this is what matters, so I put my head down and went for it, and closed my eyes and pushed it for the last 15. It worked out."
3-Meter Diving
David Boudia, Jr. Purdue
On the difference from day one:
“Today’s competition was a lot different from last night because it was so close. After the third round I was so excited to hit that dive that I didn’t really keep focus and it showed in round four. But coming back in round six knowing that I had to hit the dive to win was definitely a good challenge and I love rising up to the opportunity.”
800 Free Relay
Conor Dwyer, Sr., Florida
On leading off the race:
“Brett really got it going with the (200-yard) free, so that gave us confidence going into the relay. I just wanted to do my part, and we all knew what we had to do to get it done. We set this goal last year after we got second to Texas, and we really wanted it this year.”
Brett Fraser, Sr., Florida
On the race:
“Every day at practice, we were talking about how we were going to win the 800 free relay and how we were going to do the most work for it. After Connor led off in his pretty impressive time, I tried to just keep the pace. I saw the guy out there—I think it was lane eight—so I just tried to catch up as good a race as I could and set up a good race for (his teammates).”