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Oct. 23, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams commence their 2003-2004 season by hosting 2003 Men’s and Women’s NCAA Champion Auburn as well as Penn State in a double-dual meet at the UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center this weekend. The meet gets under way with one and three-meter diving at 2:00 p.m. Friday (October 24). The swimming portion of the meet will begin at 6:00 p.m. Friday. The two-day meet continues Saturday (October 25) at 11:00 a.m. Admission to the meet is free of charge.
In addition to the diving competition Friday afternoon, events being contested during the first day include: 200 free relay, 200 individual medley, 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 butterfly, and 400 medley relay. On Saturday, events being contested are: 200 medley relay, 1000 freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 400 individual medley, and 400 freestyle relay.There will be two heats of each individual event and one of each relay. Each of the three schools is limited to two entries per heat.
The Cavaliers are under the direction of 26th-year head coach Mark Bernardino. The men’s team finished a program-best 10th at the 2003 NCAA Championships and also won its school record-tying fifth consecutive ACC Championship. UVa was also 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the ACC in dual meets in 2002-2003. Virginia returns 19 letterwinners, including six All-Americans from last season. The Cavaliers’ returning All-Americans are: second-year Fran Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa./Germantown Academy), fourth-year Jon Haag (Ashland, Ohio/Ashland), fourth-year Adam Kerpelman (Lutherville, Md./St. Paul’s School), fourth-year Ian Prichard (Ventura, Calif./Buena), third-year Michael Raab (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson), and fourth-year Luke Wagner (Englewood, Colo./Regis Jesuit).
The Virginia women placed 13th at the 2003 NCAA Championships, marking the team’s fifth consecutive top 13 finish at the national championship meet. UVa also claimed the 2003 ACC Championship, the team’s fourth ACC title. In dual meet action, the Cavaliers were 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the ACC. Virginia returns 16 letterwinners, including four All-Americans. The returning All-Americans are: fourth-year Amy Baly (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School), second-year Rachael Burke (Bethesda, Md./Good Counsel), second-year Katie Gordon (Winter Park, Fla./Trinity Prep), and second-year Brielle White (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside School).
Auburn’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams won their respective NCAA Championships in 2003 and for the Tiger women, it marked their second consecutive NCAA title. The Auburn women stand at 2-0 in 2003-2004 and have won 33 consecutive dual meets. The Tiger men have strung together 15 straight dual meet victories and have won three NCAA team titles in the last seven years.
This weekend’s meet is the season-opener for Penn State. The Nittany Lion men were 4-3 last season and placed sixth in the Big Ten Championship. They also tied for 34th at the 2003 NCAA Championships. The Penn State women finished the 2002-2003 season with a 6-2 dual meet record. The Nittany Lions placed third in the Big Ten Championships and 22nd at the NCAAs.