Feb. 26, 2002
ATLANTA — With a small team and just a season’s worth of collegiate experience, the Georgia Tech women’s swimming and diving squad had every reason to be nervous headed to its first ACC Championships last weekend in College Park, Md. But if nerves were an issue, the team did a great job of hiding it.
Tech still finished eighth, but tallied 220 points and was only 27 points behind seventh-place Duke, and the Jackets were competitive in nearly every event. Not bad for a first-year team in one of the nation’s most competitive conferences.
“The women’s meet exceeded our expectations,” said Yellow Jacket head coach Seth Baron. “Everyone on the team swam very well and approached this first-ever ACC Championships in a positive manner. The efforts yielded some great results.”
Tech broke 19 school records in the meet, including a NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the 400-yard individual medley by Cara DeVinny. Her time of 4:16.60 was good for fourth place. DeVinny also posted NCAA “B” qualifying marks in the 200 fly and 200 IM. She holds school records in both events.
The Jackets’ other standout in the meet was Anna Saum, who earned All-ACC honors with a third-place finish in the 100 back. Her time of 56.43 also met the NCAA “B” qualifying standard. She also set school records in the 100 fly and 200 back at the meet.
“Anna and Cara set the tone for the future of our women’s program,” added Baron. “Cara’s NCAA automatic qualifying time was a great swim. It took us four years to have a male athlete qualify for NCAAs, but it happened in the first year of the women’s program. Anna’s All-ACC honors also speak loudly for the future of this program. She had an amazing meet.”
DeVinny will compete in the 2002 NCAA Championships, another first for Tech. The meet is slated for March 21-23 in Austin, Texas.
“The immediate goal for both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving team is the same. We want both teams ranked in the Top 25 at the NCAA Championships. With continued hard work and dedication, that goal will be met.”
The men’s team, which placed 29th at NCAAs a year ago and is currently ranked 22nd nationally this season, is close to making that goal a reality, and as evidenced by the strides made by the women in their first season, they won’t be too far behind.
-GT-
