Alabama
UT Invitational
Swimming and Diving Continues to Shine at UT Invite
11/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Nov. 19, 2010
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Alabama senior swimmer Kate Shannon Gray broke another Alan Jones Aquatic Center record on day two of the Tennessee Invitational when she shattered the 400 individual medley record in the preliminary session.
Gray's record morning swim of 4:13.55, bettered the old mark by five seconds, and followed up on the 200 IM pool and school record she shattered on Thursday.
Her performance was far from the only highlight the Alabama swimming and diving team posted in Knoxville on Friday. The Crimson Tide won five events on the day starting with the men's 200 medley relay, which took first when seniors Alan Axford and Daniel Armstrong combined with rookies Alex Coci and Vlad Caciuc to post a 1:29.38. And for the second day in a row, Alabama closed out the day by taking first and second in the final relay. Senior Denes Zubcsek and Catalin Cosma along with freshman BJ Hornikel and Joe Ziegler led the way with a 6:37.32 in the 800 freestyle relay followed by freshman Hunter Hinson, freshman Brian Carr, junior Gilles Gutnecht and freshman George Wong who took second with a 6:42.51.
"Kate Shannon had another great swim and another record," UA head coach Eric McIlquham said. "We had some good performances across the board and our guys finished it off strong by going one-two in the relay again tonight. Anytime you can do that it's a good thing. Our freshmen are still figuring it out a little bit, but they're getting better with each race and overall it was a good day."
Hinson kept things going for the men after the opening relay, winning the 400 IM with a time of 3:55.28, nearly a second better than his nearest competitor and among the nation's top-5 times this season. His time also ranks him eighth all-time for the Tide.
Sophomore Anestis Arampatzis won the 100 butterfly with a 48.00 while Coci took third with a 48.31 in a very tight race. Coci's time ranks him seventh all-time at Alabama, and both men are ranked in the top-10 nationally.
"Anestis did a great job of getting his hand on the wall first, beating the second place guy by one-hundredth of a second. It was a gutsy swim."
Freshman Devan Terry and Armstrong gave the Tide a one-two sweep of the 100 breaststroke with Terry touching at 55.44 and Armstrong coming in with a 55.77, putting both men in the top-20 nationally. Senior Adam Booher was third off the 3-meter board with a score of 352.60 a day after winning the 1-meter competition.
Cosma, fresh off winning the 500 freestyle on Thursday, took second in the 200 freestyle with a 1:37.81, which ranks in the top-10 nationally. Ziegler and Hornikel were third and fourth while Gutnecht and sophomore Brandon Lowe were sixth and eighth, giving five of the eight slots in the events championship final.
"To have five or six guys at, or faster, than 1:40 in the 200 freestyle at this point in the season is really good to see," McIlquham said. "It gives us a lot of options when it comes to relays."
In addition to her fast time in the 400 IM, which puts her in the top-five nationally this season, Gray posted a career-best time in the 100 breaststroke, taking third place with a 1:03.30. In the prelims, she touched with a 1:03.00 which puts her seventh all-time for UA. Freshman Kristel Vourna was second in the 100 butterfly with a 53.82, which ranks her fifth for the Tide and fifth nationally this season.
Freshman Paige McCleary was third off the 1-meter board with a score of 252.70. Freshman Lauren Piper was fifth in the 100 backstroke with a 55.45. Her prelims mark of 55.21 puts her fourth all-time at Alabama.
Action at the Tennessee Invitational concludes Saturday.
Players Mentioned
