Oct. 25, 2003
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams won an Atlantic Coast Conference dual meet this afternoon over NC State in the first match at the newly-renovated Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. The men won a closely fought battle, 132-107, thanks to a sweep in the 500-yard freestyle, while the women ran away from the Wolfpack, 152-91, winning 10 of the 13 events.
“It was a lot of fun,” said head coach Seth Baron. “A little nerve-racking on the men’s side but we came through at the end.”
Leading the Yellow Jackets was freshman Vesna Stojanovska (Skopje, Macedonia). Stojanovska broke school records in the 200 free (1:51.65) and 1000 free (10:21.52), en route to a three-win afternoon capturing the 500 free (5:02.03).
“Vesna set the tone for the women winning the first two events and the women followed her lead,” said Baron. “They kept the pedal to the medal.”
Also pacing the Jackets were sophomore Sam Morgan (Gainesville, Ga.) and freshman Ryan Bishop (Signal Mountain, Tenn.). Morgan set a new pool record in the 500 free with a time of 4:32.66 and picked up a win in the 1000 free with a time of 9:21.66. Bishop set new pool records in the 200 individual medley (1:52.16) and 200 breaststroke (2:03.60) on an impressive afternoon for the Jacket rookies.
“The men’s side was tied a couple of times and it came down to the final three events,” said Baron. “The coaching staff was proud of the way they battled, sweeping the top three spots in the 500 free and winning the breast and free relay.”
Picking up wins on the women’s side were junior co-captain Lisa Hancock (Pendleton, S.C.) and sophomores Meghan DeVinney (Avondale, Ariz.) and Ashley Kracke (Vestavia Hills, Ala.). Hancock set a new pool record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:07.54, while DeVinney captured the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:05.24. Kracke took first place in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:05.55.
Junior Matt Figh (Montgomery, Ala.) and sophomore Brian Huff (Marietta, Ga.) also picked up victories for the Jackets. Figh took the 200 free with a time of 1:42.71, while Huff captured the 100 free with a time of 47.16.
Leading the diving competition for Georgia Tech was junior Laurissa Prystaj (Fairport, N.Y.). Prystaj won both the one-meter and three-meter diving events with a NCAA Regional qualifying mark of 277.05 in the three-meter. Freshman Tony Burkhardt (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished second in both the one and three-meter events, with a regional qualifying mark of 301.43 on the one-meter board.
The Yellow Jackets will travel to Virginia and Maryland, Nov. 7 and 8, for their next dual meets. The Virginia meet will start at 2 p.m. and the Terrapins and Jackets will square off at Noon.
