March 1, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Led by senior David Laitala’s individual win in the 100-yard butterfly, the Georgia Tech men’s swimming and diving team stands in second place with 386.5 points at the ACC Championships at the University of Maryland’s Campus Recreation Center Natatorium. Virginia leads with 578 points.
Laitala’s time of 48.02 was a NCAA “B” cut and earned him the Jackets first individual title since 1994 and just second all-time.
Junior Shilo Ayalon earned all-conference honors in his second event of the championships, finishing second in the 400 IM with a school record and NCAA “B” cut time of 3:50.27. Sophomore Chris Biedrzycki was fifth, while senior Carl Nylander was 11th in the same event.
In the 100 breast, junior Tomonori Tsuji was fourth with a school record and NCAA “B” cut time of 54.85. Classmate Robbie Foster placed sixth, also with a “B” cut.
Tech also excelled in the 200 free, as Jackets had four of the top nine finishers in the event. Senior Josh Hersko finished in fourth with an NCAA “B” cut time of 1:38.18. Freshman Matt Figh won the consolation final in 1:39.24, also a NCAA provisional performance. Senior Leo Salinas placed seventh, while sophomore Itai Eden was eighth.
The Jackets also had three solid finishers in the 100 back, as James Salazar was seventh, Jeremy Raines was ninth and Jorge Oliver was 11th. Oliver was also 11th in the 100 fly.
Tech also set a pair of relay records, as the 800 free relay team of Hersko, Ayalon, Salinas and Figh, which finished second, posted a school record and NCAA “B” time of 6:36.39. The 200 medley squad of Raines, Foster, Laitala and Mike Comer set a school record with a time of 1:30.49, placing third.
North Carolina is in third with 316.5 points. Florida State (2 59), Clemson (255), Maryland (181), NC State (162) and Duke (58) round out the field after Friday night’s action.
Action resumes tomorrow at 11 a.m. for prelims and 7 p.m. for finals.
-GT-
