Feb. 28, 2014
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech achieved six NCAA “B” cuts and the 400 medley relay team set the second-fastest time in school history Friday night as the ACC Men’s Swimming Championship continued at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
The Yellow Jackets saw nine different swimmers score points on Friday night. With 329.5 points, Tech maintained its hold on seventh place in the team standings, and enters Saturday’s final day just 4.5 points clear of eighth-place Duke and 47.5 points ahead of ninth-place Pittsburgh.
Virginia Tech is the Day Three leader with 815.5 points, followed closely by NC State (807.5) for second place.
“Tomorrow is a huge day for our guys,” said head coach Courtney Shealy Hart. “We had a good today and saw a lot of different guys contribute, but we have to maximize our opportunities if we’re going to hold off Duke and Pitt. I know our team is ready and excited for tomorrow morning.”
Tech got things started Friday night with Andrew Kosic, Rickey Lehner, Mark Sarman and Nico van Duijn clocking in at 3:12.16 in the 400 medley relay. That time was good for seventh place, and is the second-fastest in school history.
van Duijn and Kosic each achieved B-cuts in the 100 fly, as van Duijn put down a 10th-place finish in 46.96, and Kosic checked in in 12th place with his time of 47.43.
Lehner and Anton Lagerqvist each scored points and secured B-cuts in the 100 breast. Lehner put down a career-best time of 54.35 in taking 16th, while Lagerqvist posted a 22nd-place finish in 55.12.
The 200 free saw Tech’s other two B-cuts, with Declan Poorman finishing 13th in 1:36.90 – the third-fastest in school history, and Mats Westergren clocking in at 1:37.46, which was good for 15th.
The Jackets rounded out Friday night with Jake Johnson 21st (49.75) and Robert Borowicz 22nd (49.85) in the 100 back.
The final day of the championship starts on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the preliminaries of the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly. The swimming finals, including the 1650 freestyle, start at 7 p.m.
A live video stream of event finals will be available on theACC.com on Thursday through Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m., with Dean Linke handling play-by-play and Warren Perry adding analysis.
