Alabama
Men's NCAA Championships
Alabama Swimming and Diving Wins B Final of the 200 Medley Relay at NCAA Championships
3/23/2018 8:42:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Crimson Tide won the B final and finished ninth overall in the 200 medley relay, while sophomore Zane Waddell was 12th in the 100 backstroke
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Alabama swimming and diving team scored in a pair of races Friday night at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, including a ninth place finish in the 200 medley relay.
"We really finished strong tonight, coming back well from a disappointing morning," UA head coach Dennis Pursley said. "I was real proud of the character our guys displayed in making the most of their opportunities tonight."
Alabama remains in 12th place in the team standings after Friday's events with 61 points here in the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the University of Minnesota campus.
"After this morning we thought we might slip in the rankings, but we were able to hold our spot," Pursley said. "Tomorrow will be a fight as we try and hold our place."
The 200 medley relay of senior Luke Kaliszak, junior Laurent Bams, sophomore Zane Waddell and junior Robert Howard combined to post a 1:23.71 and win the B final. In second place going into the last 50, Howard clocked a final leg of 18.51, the fastest of B final and fifth fastest among the 16 teams that made finals. The quartet shaved more than a second off its prelims time of 1:24.83.
"Bob has been consistent and dependable for us all week, swimming a lot of races and staying around his best times," Pursley said. "Tonight he had a big leg on that relay, coming from behind to get his hand on the wall first in a tight, tight race. He's got probably his best event tomorrow (100 freestyle) and we're hoping he can take another step forward."
After posting a career-best 45.35 in prelims, Waddell swam a 45.39 in finals to take fourth in the B final and 12th overall in the 100 backstroke.
In other prelims action, Kaliszak was 21st with a 46.17, while sophomore Christopher Staka took 28th with a 46.51 in the 100 backstroke. In the 200 freestyle, Howard posted a 1:34.42 to finish 23rd, while Bams was 38th In the 100 breaststroke with a 53.88.
The Crimson Tide returns to action Saturday morning with the prelims of the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay. Prelims are slated to get underway at 10 a.m. CT on with finals set for 6 p.m. CT.
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