USC
NCAA Championships (Diving)
Men's Swimming, Diving 6th After Day One At NCAAs
March 23, 2000 | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 23, 2000
MINNEAPOLIS - Freshman Erik Vendt and sophomore Mark Warkentin finished second and seventh, respectively, in the 400m freestyle, and the Trojan 400m medley relay took fifth to highlight USC's efforts on the first day of the 2000 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday (March 23) at the Minnesota Aquatics Center.
USC finished the first day in sixth place with 80 points. Texas was first (173), followed by Auburn (151), Arizona (114.5), California (100) and Stanford (88). USC was also sixth after the first day at the 1999 NCAAs with 83 points. The meet is being swum in short course meters.
Vendt, competing in his first NCAA Championship final, took second in 3:42.81, behind Ryk Neethling of Arizona (3:40.47), who won the 500y free each of the last two years. Warkentin was seventh in the event in 3:47.53.
Said Vendt: "I'm happy with the time. I wish I had made my move a little earlier. I should have started my last kick at 100 meters instead of 50, but it's still a good time. I was happy to be close to Ryk."
Sophomore first-year Trojan Thomas Kerekjarto won the consolation finals of the 200m IM (ninth overall) in 1:58.23. Sophomore teammate Nick Kaschik scored for the first time in his USC career by taking third in the consolation finals (11th overall) in 1:59.91.
USC's 400m medley relay of juniors Leonardo Costa, Philippe Demers, Ryosuke Imai and Gabe Woodward took fifth in 3:33.85. The prelim relay of Costa, Imai, Kerekjarto and Woodward swam a 3:35.78 to qualify fifth.
The Trojans' 200m free relay of Woodward, Costa, senior Bret Awbrey and freshman Jeff Lee took 13th in 1:29.65.
Said USC Coach Mark Schubert: "I was really pleased with Erik Vendt. After being sick at Pac-10s, he is getting his confidence back. He has two more events (1500m free, 400m IM) and should really be tough. I was very pleased with the guys on the IM (Kerekjarto and Kaschik). They moved up well in consols. And Gabe Woodward on the medley relay was awesome. I'm hoping this gets him going for the 100m free. Philippe Demers was also great on the relay."
Other USC finishers included Lee (400m free, 18th, 3:49.68), Awbrey (400m free, 39th, 3:52.88), sophomore Joel Everman (400m free, 40th, 3:53.11), junior Slawek Richter (200m IM, 37th, 2:02.38), freshman Mike Gausman (200m IM, 40th, 2:02.98), Demers (200m IM, 46th, 2:04.90) and Woodward (50m free, t-28th, 22.49).
The meet continues Friday and Saturday (March 24-25). Prelims begin at noon and finals begin at 7 p.m. both days (CST).
Top 10 after Day One of Three
1. Texas 173
2. Auburn 151
3. Arizona 114.5
4. California 100
5. Stanford 88
6. USC 80
7. Tennessee 77
8. Minnesota 63
9. Georgia 53
10. Florida 50
200m Freestyle Relay
1. Auburn 1:25.14
2. California 1:25.21
3. Arizona 1:26.74
4. Texas 1:27.09
5. Hawaii 1:27.37
6. Stanford 1:27.87
7. Minnesota 1:28.32
8. Florida 1:28.53
13. USC (Woodward, Costa, Awbrey, Lee) 1:29.65
400m Freestyle
1. Ryk Neethling (Arizona) 3:40.47
2. Erik Vendt (USC) 3:42.81
3. Chris Thompson (Michigan) 3:43.81
4. Scot Goldblatt (Texas) 3:44.44
5. Adam Messner (Stanford) 3:46.07
6. Michael Windisch (Nebraska) 3:47.28
7. Mark Warkentin (USC) 3:47.53
8. Austin Ramirez (Virginia) 3:47.76
18. Jeff Lee (USC) 3:49.68
39. Bret Awbrey (USC) 3:52.88
40. Joel Everman (USC) 3:53.11
200m Individual Medley
1. Atilla Czene (ASU) 1:54.65
2. Nate Dusing (Texas) 1:56.84
3. Beau Wiebel (Georgia) 1:57.86
4. Kevin Clements (Auburn) 1:58.06
5. Steven Brown (Stanford) 1:58.52
6. Joe Montague (Texas) 1:59.32
7. Zane DeWitz (Tennessee) 1:59.49 8. Jeffrey Somensatto (Auburn) 2:01.09
9. Thomas Kerekjarto (USC) 1:58.23
11. Nick Kaschik (USC) 1:59.91
37. Slawek Richter (USC) 2:02.38
40. Mike Gausman (USC) 2:02.98
46. Philippe Demers (USC) 2:04.90
50m Freestyle
1. Anthony Ervin (Cal) 21.21
2. Roland Schoeman (Arizona) 21.22
3. Gregory Busse (Auburn) 21.49
4. Bart Kizierowski (Cal) 21.50
5. Matthew Busbee (Auburn) 21.64
6. Matthew Macedo (Cal) 21.66
7. Aaron Ciarla (Auburn) 21.75
8. Bryan Jones (Texas) 22.00
28t. Gabe Woodward (USC) 22.49
1-Meter Springboard 1. Troy Dumais (Texas) 605.20
2. Shannon Roy (Tennessee) 570.95
3. Imre Lengyel (Miami) 565.40
4. Stefan Ahrens (Miami) 560.20
5. Dan Croaston (Minnesota) 556.45
6. Jud Campbell (Georgia) 551.00
7. Tyce Routson (Miami) 543.15
8. John Eisler (Texas) 533.35
400m Medley Relay
1. Texas 3:31.23
2. Tennessee 3:32.22
3. Auburn 3:32.69
4. Virginia 3:33.47
5. USC (Costa, Imai, Demers, Woodward)
3:33.85
6. Stanford 3:35.06
7. Arizona 3:35.48
8. Minnesota 3:38.24
