Virginia Men Set for NCAA Championships
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia men’s swimming team, coming off its third consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championship, heads to Columbus, Ohio to compete this week at the 2010 NCAA Championships. The event, which begins Thursday, is being held at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of The Ohio State University.
Fans can watch video streaming of the three-day event online for free at NCAA.com.
Virginia, ranked No. 8 in the latest CSCAA top-25 poll, qualified eight swimmers for the meet. Representing the Cavaliers will be seniors John Azar and Eric Olesen; juniors Matt McLean, Scot Robison, Taylor Smith and John Snawerdt; sophomore Peter Geissinger and freshman Tom Casey.
“We’ve talked about how critically important it is to sustain success and effort in order to remain a top-10 program,” Virginia head coach Mark Bernardino said. “I hope the men have learned from the women and go into their meet with the same energy, the same focus, the same intensity and the same desire. If we can carry and hold momentum and avoid mistakes, we can place anywhere from 8th to 13th. Obviously we would like to complete our goal for the season, which was to be a top-10 team and ACC champions.”
UVa’s highest finish at the national meet was ninth a year ago in College Station, Texas. The Cavaliers have had two individuals win three championships at the NCAA meet. Shanek Pietucha was the first in 1999, claiming the 200 butterfly. Ed Moses was a two-time winner in 2000, taking the 100 and 200 breaststroke titles in addition to being named the most valuable swimmer of the championships.
McLean was UVa’s highest finisher at the NCAA Championships last year after his third-place finish in the 500 free. Robison joined McLean as an All-American after finishing fifth overall in the 200 free as a sophomore. He also placed 14th in the 100 free. McLean and John Snawerdt, who was 10th in the 500 free, were also honorable mention All-Americans in the 1650 free.
Additionally, three members of Virginia’s All-American 800 free relay return, including McLean, Robison and Azar. They were fifth in the race a year ago.
2010 Men’s NCAA Championships
Schedule of Events
Thursday, March 25
200 Freestyle Relay
500 Freestyle
200 Individual Medley
50 Freestyle
400 Medley Relay
One-meter Diving
Friday, March 26
200 Medley Relay
400 Individual Medley
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle
100 Breaststroke
100 Backstroke
800 Freestyle Relay
Three-meter Diving
Saturday, March 27
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
400 Freestyle Relay
Platform Diving
1650 Freestyle