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Jan. 25, 2004
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 11th-ranked Virginia men’s swimming and diving team won 15 of 16 events in dominating Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina 211-89 in dual meet action Sunday (January 25) at Koury Natatorium. With the victory, the Cavaliers improve to 8-1 overall and remain perfect in the ACC at 5-0. With the loss, the 22nd-ranked Tar Heels fall to 5-4-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the ACC.
Six different Cavaliers had a hand in at least two wins during the meet with five coming home with at least three wins. Fourth-year Luke Wagner (Englewood, Colo./Regis Jesuit) was involved in four event wins, while second-year Fran Crippen (Conshocken, Pa./Germantown Academy), fourth-year Jon Haag (Ashland, Ohio/Ashland), fourth-year Adam Kerpelman (Lutherville, Md./St. Paul’s School), and first-year Vanja Rogulj (Zagreb, Croatia/Split) were involved in three Cavalier victories on the day.
Wagner helped Virginia get off to a fast start by leading off Virginia’s winning 200 medley relay that posted a season-best time of 1:30.82. Rogulj, Haag, and Kerpelman rounded out the winning relay. Wagner also won the 100 backstroke with a time of 49.39, then completed a sweep in the backstroke events by winning the 200 back in 1:45.83 (NCAA B). Wagner picked up his fourth victory of the meet in the 400 free relay, helping UVa clock a time of 3:01.43. Haag, second-year Ethan McCoy (McMinnville, Ore./McMinnville), and Kerpelman also swam legs on the winning free relay.
Crippen, who won three individual events in the meet, picked up his first win in the 1000 free with an ACC season-best time of 8:57.84. He was also victorious in the 500 free, touching in 4:23.90 (NCAA B). Crippen registered his third win in the meet in the 400 individual medley with a time of 3:54.39.
In addition to swimming on UVa’s winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams, Haag and Kerpelman picked up individual event victories. Haag won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.86, while Kerpelman won the 100 free in 45.53. Rogulj swept the breaststroke events in addition to swimming a leg on UVa’s winning 200 medley relay. Rogulj registered NCAA B times in winning the 100 breast (55.13) and 200 breast (2:00.74).
Third-year Michael Raab (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson) rounded out Virginia’s double event winners as he swept the butterfly events. Raab won the 200 fly with time of 1:46.01 (NCAA B) and also touched in 49.22 to win the 100 fly. Fourth-years Ian Prichard (Ventura, Calif./Buena) and Pete Amstutz (St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph) also picked up event victories for the Cavaliers. Prichard won the 200 freestyle with a personal season-best time of 1:38.85, while Amstutz scored 340.20 points in winning the one-meter diving competition.
Eric Portras was North Carolina’s only event winner as he took the three-meter diving competition with 343.28 points. Second-year Andrew Barber (Vienna, Va./Marshall) was second with 332.70 points and Amstutz was third with 317.18 points.
Virginia returns to action on Sunday, February 1 when it hosts Pittsburgh at noon in the UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center. It is the final home dual meet of the season for the Cavaliers.