Cavalier Swimming Notes
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March 30, 1998
CAVALIER MEN PLACE 17TH AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: The Virginia men’s swimming team finished in 17th place at the 1998 NCAA Championship, which was held in Auburn, Ala., from Mar. 26-28. The Cavaliers totaled 89 points, their highest ever score at an NCAA Championship meet. Virginia’s 17th place finish is also the best in school history. The previous best performance in UVa history for points came in 1989 when the Cavaliers scored 69, while the best finish in school history had been 19th (in both 1989 and 1992).
VIRGINIA WOMEN FINISH 18TH AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: The Cavalier women came in 18th at the 1998 NCAA Championship, which was held in Minneapolis, Minn., from Mar. 19-21. Virginia finished with a total of 51 points to earn a top 20 finish for the first time since 1990. The Cavaliers’ 18th place finish and 51 points are both the best for Virginia since the 1990 team finished in 11th place with a total of 99 points.
FOUR CAVALIERS EARN MEN’S ALL-AMERICA HONORS: At the men’s NCAA Championship meet, four of the five Virginia swimmers who participated earned All-America honors. Three of those Cavaliers were first team All-Americans, in Shamek Pietucha (third in the 200 fly), Austin Ramirez (fourth in the 1,650 free and seventh in the 500 free) and Doak Finch (seventh in the 200 fly and eighth in the 400 I.M.). Virginia’s honorable mention All-Americans were Pietucha (ninth in the 100 fly and 15th in the 100 back), Jason Webb (11th in the 200 back) and the 800 free relay team of Pietucha, Ramirez, Finch and Webb (14th). The only Cavalier who did not earn All-America honors was Jamie Grimes, who came up one spot short at 17th in the 1,650 free.
NINE UVA WOMEN EARN ALL-AMERICA HONORS: At the women’s NCAA Championship meet, nine of the 10 Cavaliers who swam earned All-America honors. The lone first team honoree was Meghan McCubbins, who finished eighth in the 100 fly. Virginia’s honorable mention All-Americans were Rebecca Cronk (11th in the 50 free), Kori Forster (16th in the 100 fly), the 400 free relay team of Emily Trakas, Meghan Iffland, Cronk and McCubbins (11th), the 200 free relay team of Iffland, Cronk, Julie Gehm and McCubbins (12th), the 800 free relay of Trakas, Laura Sullivan, McCubbins and Emily Carrig (13th), and the 200 medley relay of Iffland, Lindsay Schubert, Forster and Cronk (15th). The only Cavalier who did not earn All-America honors was Sharon Riedlinger, who finished just one spot short at 17th in the 1,650 free.
CAVALIER WOMEN CAPTURE SECOND ACC CHAMPIONSHIP: In the women’s 1998 ACC Championship meet, held at the UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center from Feb. 18-21, the Cavaliers claimed their second conference title in school history. Virginia, which won its only previous ACC title in 1990, finished in first place with 818.5 points, outdistanced second-place North Carolina (728.5) by 90 points. Defending-champion Clemson finished in third place with 547 points, followed by Maryland with 391 points. North Carolina State (389), Florida State (301) and Duke (172) rounded out the scoring.
VIRGINIA MEN PLACE SECOND AT ACC CHAMPIONSHIP: In the 1998 ACC men’s meet, held at the UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center from Feb. 25-28, the Cavaliers finished in second place with a total of 690 points. North Carolina won the meet for the sixth consecutive season, finishing with a total of 735.5 and outdistancing Virginia by 45.5 points. Florida State finished in third place with 587.5 points and North Carolina State came in fourth with 502.5. Maryland (359), Clemson (298), Georgia Tech (156.5) and Duke (130) rounded out the scoring.
TWELVE RECORDS FALL IN 1997-98: A number of school records were broken by the Cavaliers during the 1997-98 season. On the men’s side, Austin Ramirez broke the record in the 1,000 free (9:04.76), Shamek Pietucha set new marks in the 100 fly (47.29), 200 fly (1:44.28) and 100 back (48.11), and Doak Finch broke the record in the 200 I.M. (1:47.97). For the women, Rebecca Cronk set a new mark in the 50 free (22.74) and Lindsey Schubert broke the records in the 100 breast (1:03.94) and the 200 breast (2:15.85). In addition, the women set new marks in the 200 free relay (1:31.50), the 400 free relay (3:20.34), the 200 medley relay (1:42.77) and the 400 medley relay (3:43.48).
MEN'S RESULTS8-1 OVERALL, 4-1 ACC Nov. 1 at Clemson * W, 148-83 Nov. 9 Pittsburgh W, 163-131 Nov. 15 Virginia Tech W, 160-82 Dec. 4-6 UVa Invitational Second / 1,147.5 Jan. 12 at Rowan University W, 47-33 Jan. 17 North Carolina State * W, 125-116 Jan. 24 at North Carolina * L, 118-176 Jan. 31 Villanova W, 128-98 Feb. 7 Duke * W, 135-61 Feb. 7 Maryland * W, 130-102 Feb. 25-28 ACC Championship Second / 690 Mar. 26-28 NCAA Championship (Auburn, Ala.) 17th / 89
WOMEN’S RESULTS7-2 OVERALL, 3-2 ACC Nov. 1 at Clemson * L, 98.5-144.5 Nov. 9 Pittsburgh W, 168.5-128.5 Nov. 15 Virginia Tech W, 159-75 Nov. 21-22 Sun Devil Classic I (Tempe, Ariz.) Third / 739.5 Nov. 22 Sun Devil Classic II (Tempe, Ariz.) Fourth / 208 Dec. 4-6 UVa Invitational First / 1,339 Jan. 12 at Rowan University W, 47-36 Jan. 17 North Carolina State * W, 152-89 Jan. 24 at North Carolina * L, 140-160 Jan. 31 Villanova W, 120-103 Feb. 7 Duke * W, 132-90 Feb. 7 Maryland * W, 126-101 Feb. 18-21 ACC Championship First / 818.5 Mar. 19-21 NCAA Championship (Minneapolis, Minn.) 18th / 51
* Atlantic Coast Conference meetsHome meets held at the UVa Aquatic & Fitness Center