March 1, 2010

ATHENS, Ga. – South Carolina senior Andy Atzhorn clocked an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 400-yard individual medley to lead a contingent of Gamecock swimmers at the Bulldog Invitational “Last Chance” meet on Saturday and Sunday.

Atzhorn, who missed the last two days of last week’s SEC Championships with illness, was able to swim his best event at the Bulldog Invitational and took advantage with a 3:53.14 in the 400 IM, his second `B’ cut of the season while shaving four seconds off his season-best time. Atzhorn also swam the 200 breaststroke and posted a career-best time of 2:01.36, the sixth-fastest time in school history.

In all, seven Gamecock men and 12 Carolina women competed in the meet, most of whom were not on the SEC Championship roster. Several participants posted season- and/or career-best times in the meet.

For the men, freshman Garrett Snipes turned in career-bests in the 50 free (21.14) and 100 free (46.71), while junior Brett Sexton set a personal record in the 100 free (47.11). Freshman Michael Flach also competed in a pair of his “off” events, posting the team’s second-best time of the season in the 100 back (50.74) and a career-best time in the 200 IM (1:52.15).

Eight Gamecock women set career-best times in at least one event, and two seniors competed for the final time in the Garnet and Black. Sharntelle McLean set a personal best in the 100 backstroke (57.48) and also swam the 100 breaststroke for the first and only time in her collegiate career, wrapping up a solid Carolina tenure for the two-time Olympian. Meridith McKee also competed for the Gamecocks for the last time, clocking season-best times in the 100 and 200 back and the 50 free.

Freshman Logan Griffith showed major improvement over her previous best times, posting personal records in the 100 free (54.43), 100 breast (1:06.51) and 100 fly (59.23). Katie Glanton had PRs in the 100 fly (58.62) and 100 breast (1:09.49), Anna Pfeiffer had her best times in the 100 breast (1:08.57) and 200 breast (2:28.35), and Lauren Plowman had her top times in the 100 fly (58.18) and 400 IM (4:30.32). Blair Bowers also posted the best times of her Carolina career in the 200 free (2:00.86), 100 back (1:03.49) and 200 back (2:19.29), while Claire Shannon (500 free, 5:18.23) and Elizabeth Wilner (400 IM, 4:38.63) posted top times in one event apiece.

The event wrapped up the season for the majority of the South Carolina team, while a select few with NCAA provisional qualifying times will await invitations to their respective NCAA Championship. The women’s championship is March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind., and the men’s championship runs March 25-27 in Columbus, Ohio.