Feb. 2, 2013
THE FLATS – February 2, 2013
Yellow Jackets Roll Past Emory On Swimming & Diving Senior Day Tech’s senior come up big in men’s victory
THE FLATS – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams wrapped up their regular-season schedules with victories over Emory on Senior Day Saturday at the GT Aquatic Center. The men rolled past the Eagles, 197-77, while the women won, 167-130.
The Yellow Jackets honored their 10 graduating seniors before the meet — Eric Chiu (Martinez, Ga.), Michael Hart (Cincinnati, Ohio), Bo Hatchett (Demorest, Ga.), Chris Khosravi (Missouri City, Texas), Brandon Makinson (Calgary, Alberta), Kate Riley (Oak Ridge, N.C.), Colin Schouten (Lititz, Pa.), Zach Tillman (Dacula, Ga.), Matthew Vaughan (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Alexis Weber (Cumming, Ga.).
Four of those seniors, Vaughan, Hatchett, Hart and Chiu had big days for the Jackets, who now begin preparations for the ACC Championships later this month.
“I’m proud of the effort today and it’s always great to send our seniors out on a winning note,” said head coach Courtney Shealy Hart. “We didn’t put up our best times of the season, but we raced well and that’s good to see. We still have work to do and improvements to make before the ACC Championship.”
Vaughan won both the 100 breast (56.27), the 200 breast (2:04.51) and was part of the winning 400 medley relay (3:20.10) to aid Tech’s cause, while Hatchett picked up the victory in the 200 back (1:53.24), was third in the 100 back (51.45) and swam on the second-place 400 medley relay (3:24.98). Hart won the 200 free (1:40.12) and was second in the 100 fly (49.93). Chiu won the 50 free (20.62), and was second to Andrew Kosic (44.91) in the 100 free (45.59).
Led by Hart, the Jackets swept the top five spots in the 200 free, with Schouten in second (1:40.52), Yuval Safra in third (1:42.57), Mats Westergren in fourth (1:43.21) and Wilson Wei in fifth (1:44.43).
Safra had another strong meet for Tech as the freshman won the 500 free in a season-best time of 4:34.75 and was third in the 200 free.
Sophomore Nico van Duijn won both his individual events and was on both winning relays. He put down a time of 49.31 in taking the 100 fly, dropped a 1:50.42 in winning the 200 fly, teamed with Kosic, Vaughan and Andrew Chetcuti in the 400 medley relay win and with Chetcuti, Kosic and Elliott Brockelbank to win the 400 free relay (3:04.38).
Brockelbank also won the 1,000 free (9:36.30) and was second to Safra in the 500 (4:39.74), while Kosic led Tech to a top-three sweep in the 100 back in a time of 50.44.
“Our women turned in a very good effort,” said Hart. “That was a meet that could have been a lot closer. Emory is a very, very good Division-III program and I was pleased to see us race well.”
Tech was in control early as the women’s 400 medley relay of Carly Sweeney, Catherine Richards, Kate Brandus and Kate Riley got the meet started with win in a time of 3:54.18. Kate Woolbright (10:20.84) and Sara Williford (10:27.81) went 1-2 in the 1,000 free, Hailey White led the Jackets to a top-three sweep in the 200 free, and Sweeney won the 100 back (58.97).
White also won the 500 free for the Yellow Jackets (5:00.75); while freshman Frederique Lefebvre took the 200 fly (2:05.63) and was second in the 200 IM (2:09.68).
On the diving board, Ashley Hardy won both the 1m springboard with a score of 297.75 and posted a score of 318.15 to win the 3m competition.
Next for the Yellow Jackets is the ACC Championships in Greensboro, N.C. The women’s championship runs Feb. 20 through Feb. 23, with the men’s meet set for Feb. 27 through March 2.
