Swim Teams Head to NCAA Championships
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March 11, 1999
Cavaliers sweep ACCs; women repeat: For the second consecutive season, the University of Virginia captured the ACC women’s swimming and diving championship. This year, the Cavaliers also boasted a school-first unblemished record at 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference. This marks the first time in school history that either the men’s or women’s team has won back-to-back conference titles. However, not to be outdone, the men’s team also captured the ACC title to give UVa its first sweep of the conference since 1990. It was the first conference title for the men since that season.
Bernardino dubbed coach of the year: For an Atlantic Coast Conference record 13th time, UVa swimming and diving head coach Mark Bernardino was named ACC Coach of the Year after leading the Cavaliers to a sweep of the conference championships. Bernardino was named coach of the year in both men’s and women’s competition, taking both awards for the first time since 1994. He now has seven such honors on the women’s side and six such honors on the men’s side. The 21-year UVa head man was named women’s coach of the year last season, as well, and has now won the women’s award five times this decade.
Wizniuk chosen swimmer of the meet: UVa’s Danica Wizniuk, a freshman from Albert, Canada, was named most valuable swimmer at the ACC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. Wizniuk became the first Cavalier to be so honored since Nicole Rutkowski in 1994 and the fifth in school history. She established ACC records in both the 100-yard and the 200-yard breaststroke. Success is nothing new for Wizniuk, though. She finished sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 1997 World Short Course Championships and she was a three-time second-place finisher at the Canadian Senior Nationals.
Cavaliers establish records left and right: In all, the UVa women’s swimming and diving teams established four ACC records, five ACC meet records and five University of Virginia records at the conference championships. Meanwhile, the men’s team laid claim to one ACC record, one ACC meet record and four school records. Here’s a look at the Cavalier marks or mention:
Women Event Time Records* Rebecca Cronk 50 Freestyle 22.53 UVa * Rebecca Cronk 100 Freestyle 49.49 ACC Meet* Danica Wizniuk 100 Breaststroke 1:00.52 ACC ACC Meet UVa* Danica Wizniuk 200 Breaststroke 2:11.82 ACC ACC Meet UVa* Cronk, Gehm, 200 R-Freestyle 1:31.58 ACC Iffland, McCubbins ACC Meet UVa* Iffland, Wizniuk, 400 R-Medley 3:39.28 ACC McCubbins, Cronk ACC Meet UVa
Men Event Time Records* Ed Moses 200 Breaststroke 1:57.37 ACC ACC Meet UVa* Ed Moses 100 Breaststroke 53.55 UVa* Pietucha, Moses, 400 R-Medley 3:15.09 UVa Finch, Renshaw* Pietucha, Moses, 200 R-Medley 1:29.63 UVa Finch, Lee
1998-99 Results
MEN’S RESULTS
7-3 overall, 4-2 acc
Date Opponent Time / scoreOct. 31 CLEMSON * W, 161-82Nov. 6 at No. 4 Tennessee L, 107-136Nov. 8 VIRGINIA TECH W, 166-77Nov. 13 at Pittsburgh W, 131.5-111.5Nov. 20 Nike Sprint Classic 2nd of 5 (42)Nov. 21-22 Nebraska Husker Shootout 1st of 5 (335)Dec. 4-6 Princenton Invitational 2nd of 4 (870)Jan. 9 at Florida State * L, 81-147Jan. 15 at Duke * W, 169-84Jan. 16 at North Carolina State * L, 120-123Jan. 23 NORTH CAROLINA * W, 135-108Jan. 30 at Villanova W, 150-108Feb. 6 at Maryland * W, 135.5-100.5Feb. 25-27 ACC Championships FirstMar. 12-14 NCAA Zone Diving Regionals (Baton Rouge, La.)Mar. 25-27 NCAA Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.)Mar. 28-31 U.S. National Championship (Long Island, N.Y.)
WOMEN’S RESULTS
9-0 overall, 6-0 acc
Date Opponent Time / scoreOct. 31 No. 25 CLEMSON * W, 130-113Nov. 8 VIRGINIA TECH W, 162-79Nov. 13 at Pittsburgh W, 133-104Nov. 20 Nike Sprint Classic T2nd of 5 (51)Nov. 21-22 Nebraska Husker Shootout 2nd of 5 (329)Dec. 4-6 Princenton Invitational 2nd of 4 (966.5)Jan. 9 at Florida State * W, 134.5-98.5Jan. 15 at Duke * W, 143-115Jan. 16 at North Carolina State * W, 150-95Jan. 23 NORTH CAROLINA * W, 180-120Jan. 30 at Villanova W, 164-132Feb. 6 at Maryland * W, 154-86Feb. 18-20 ACC Championships FirstMar. 12-13 NCAA Zone Diving Regionals (Baton Rouge, La.)Mar. 18-20 NCAA Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.)Mar. 28-31 U.S. National Championship (Long Island, N.Y.)
* Atlantic Coast Conference meets