Alabama
Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast
Swimming and Diving Wins Season Opener in Atlanta
10/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Oct. 3, 2009
ATLANTA, Ga. - The Alabama Swimming and Diving teams opened up their seasons with dominating performances at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center Saturday, with the women picking up four wins and the men bringing home a pair of victories.
"It's good to get that first meet in the books and get a starting point," Alabama head coach Eric McIlquham said. "We had some good races out there and were able to go into someone else's pool and come away with the "W". Now we just have to come back home and get back to work and keep getting better."
In a tri-meet with Georgia Tech and Florida Atlantic, the Tide men beat the Yellow Jackets 190.5-100.5 and downed the Owls 208-83. The Alabama women were involved in five-way meet and came away with wins over host school Georgia Tech (187-113), Georgia Southern (248-46), Florida Atlantic (247-53) and Florida Gulf Coast (209.5-90.5).
Alabama's men were nearly unstoppable, taking first and second place in 11 of 16 events, including the first six races of the meet and winning 14 overall. Riley Boulden started his senior off with a trio of wins, taking first in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 IM. Boulden touched the wall at 56.68 in the 100 breaststroke and 2:07.33 in the 200 while going 1:54.99 in the 200 IM.
Senior All-American Mark Randall won the 1000 and 500 freestyle, posting a 9:35.95 and 4:29.63 respectively. Randall put up one of the toughest doubles of the meet, winning the 100 freestyle and then returning for the 200 freestyle one event later where he took second with a 1:40.99. Junior All-American Catalin Cosma won the 200 freestyle with a 1:40.36.
Junior Alan Axford won the 100 and 200 backstrokes, going 51.38 and 1:55.37 while Junior Denes Zubcsek won the 200 butterfly with a 1:51.44.
Jake Reynolds became the first of the rookies for the Tide men to come away with a win, taking first place in the 50 freestyle with a 21.43. All eight of the freshman on the men's team saw action in the Tide's opener. Freshman Anestis Arampatzis also opened his career with a win, taking first in the 100 butterfly with a 50.40.
Senior All-American Aaron Fleshner won the three-meter diving event with a362.55 while junior Adam Booher won the one-meter board with a score of 329.65.
Axford, senior Luke Boutwell, Zubcsek and Boulden combined to win the opening race of the meet, the 200 medley relay, with a time of 1:32.99.
The Tide women won 10 of 16 events, including the open and closing relays. Freshman Jenna Gallo won the first of Alabama's eight individual races, opening her rookie season with a victory in the 1000 freestyle, touching the wall at 10:17.33. Senior All-American Agustina de Giovanni won both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, touching at 1:03.72 and 2:17.82 respectively.
Alabama won both diving events with junior Lauren Dunn taking top honors off the three-meter board with 286.40 points while sophomore All-American Carrie Dragland won the one-meter competition with 281.40 points.
Senior Hannah Brinks and sophomore Suzanne Schwee won the 100 and 200 butterfly respectively. Brinks touched at 55.72 while Schwee turned in a 2:03.02 for the win. Junior Kate Shannon Gray rounded out the individual victories with a winning time of 2:05.31 in the 200 IM.
The 200 medley relay of junior Cassie Craddock, de Giovanni, Brinks and junior Ida Persson won with a time of 1:44.88. while seniors Nicole Roberts and Brooke Baldi and and juniors Katrice Ewanich and Kelsie Ludloph combined to win the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:29.57.
Alabama opens up its home slate Saturday (Oct. 10) at 1 p.m. in the Alabama Aquatic Center. The Tide women will take on Vanderbilt and Centenary while the men face Centenary.
