UVA Hits Four NCAA Auto Marks on First Day in Georgia

Story Links

Dec. 2, 2016

Results | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

ATHENS, Ga.-Four automatic NCAA-qualifying times highlighted the Virginia men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams’ first day of the Georgia Fall Invitational Friday (Dec. 2) at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.

After one day of action, the Virginia women are in third with 218 points, behind California (285) and Georgia (270). Michigan is fourth (159), while Florida State is fifth (92).

On the men’s side, UVA is fourth with 181 points, behind California (259), Georgia (223) and Auburn (209). Florida State is fifth (174), while Michigan is sixth (143).

“It was a very solid first day for us,” UVA head coach Augie Busch said. “We had a good percentage of best times and most finals swims were faster than prelims. The team has a really great energy about them which is so fun to see. They couldn’t be more excited about what is to come the rest of the weekend.”

In the women’s 200-yard IM, senior Kaitlyn Jones (Newark, Del.) finished second in a UVA and ACC-record time of 1:54.05. Junior Jennifer Marrkand (Westford, Mass.) was third in 1:55.90. In the prelims, Jones had set a new school record in a time of 1:54.47, while Marrkand moved up to No. 2 on UVA’s all-time list in 1:55.20. Both Jones and Marrkand automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships with their respective times.

The foursome of sophomore Megan Moroney (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), senior Laura Simon (Simmern, Germany), Jones and senior Ellen Thomas (Guildford, United Kingdom) placed second in the women’s 400 medley relay an NCAA automatic-qualifying mark of 3:29.92.

The women’s 200 free relay of junior Dina Rommel (East Amherst, N.Y.), Thomas, junior Caitlin Cooper (Atlanta, Ga.) and sophomore Eryn Eddy (Loveland, Colo.) placed third in an NCAA automatic-qualifying time of 1:28.74.

Freshman Bryce Shelton (Vienna, Va.) finished third in the men’s 1-meter diving with a score of 304.10, while fellow freshman Samson Miller (Fairfax, Va.) 13th with a score of 264.85.

On the women’s side, freshman Sydney Dusel (Naperville, Ill.) qualified for the A final on 3-meter and placed fifth overall with a score of 276.15. Sophomore Kirsten Parkinson (Stamford, Conn.) was 13th with a score of 264.00, while junior Corey Johnson (Ambler, Pa.) was 15th with 243.60.

“We had a good start to the meet today,” UVA head diving coach Jason Glorius said. “Both men’s divers did better in the finals and moved up in the standings. Our women were solid and it was nice having three of them diving tonight in the finals. This was our first opportunity this year to dive in a prelim/final format. We’ll get better because of this experience.”

In the men’s 200 free relay, the team of senior Matt Lockman (Charlottesville, Va.), freshman John Whiteside (Fairfield, Conn.), junior Luke Georgiadis (Jacksonville, Fla.) and freshman Ryan Baker (Arlington, Va.) placed fourth in 1:18.60.

Senior Austin Quinn (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) placed fourth in the men’s 200 IM in 1:44.58, which ranks fourth on UVA’s all-time list. In the B final, sophomore Bryce Keblish (Fairfield, Conn.) finished 11th overall in 1:45.66, good enough for eighth on UVA’s all-time list.

The team of Quinn, sophomore Alex Albracht (Mission Hills, Kan.), Keblish and Whiteside placed fifth in the men’s 400 medley relay in 3:09.41. In the B final, freshman Joe Clark (Worcester Park, Great Britain) led off with a 46.67 100 back, which ranks third on UVA’s all-time list. Baker’s lead-off 100 back in the C final of 47.42 ranks ninth.

In the men’s 500 free, sophomore Sam Magnan (Bethlehem, Pa.) was fifth in 4:19.38, while fellow sophomore Matthew Hrabchak (Concord, Mass.) was right behind in sixth in 4:20.02.

Cooper and Thomas went seventh and eighth in the women’s 50 free in 22.25 and 22.39, respectively.

Junior Cece Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.) finished eighth in the women’s 500 free in 4:46.82.

In the men’s 50 free, Lockman won the C final in 19.71, which ranks in a tie for fourth on UVA’s all-time list.

The action continues Saturday (Dec. 3) with prelims at 9:30 a.m. and finals at 5 p.m. Diving action begins at 11:30 a.m.