Jan. 23, 2014
WEEKEND INFORMATION
Date/Opponent: Friday, Jan. 24 vs. Queens/Wingate
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Live Results
Date/Opponent: Saturday, Jan. 25 vs. Queens/Wingate
Time: 10 a.m. ET
Live Results
Location: Columbia, S.C.
Facilty: Carolina Natatorium
GAMECOCKS HOST FINAL HOME MEET OF 2013-14 SEASON
Despite only hosting two meets so far this season, South Carolina will host its final meet of the season this weekend in a two-day meet against Division II powers Queens University and Wingate University. Friday will feature swimming events beginning at 4 p.m. ET, while Saturday will start with Senior Day ceremonies beginning at 9:45 a.m., followed by swimming and diving events.
LAST TIME VS. QUEENS & WINGATE
On the men’s side, the Gamecocks swept the two teams, defeating Wingate 269-59 and Queens 221-107. The Carolina women completed the sweep by cruising past the Bulldogs 277-55 and the Royals 282-46.
SERIES HISTORY
The Gamecocks enter the weekend with a combined 46-0 record against this week’s opponents. Both the Gamecock men’s and women’s teams are 21-0 all-time against College of Charleston and 3-0 all-time against Queens. This week marks only the second meeting between South Carolina and Wingate on both sides after the Gamecocks won last year’s meeting.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Both Queens and Wingate compete at the Division II level and are in the Bluegrass Mountain Conference (BMC) Queens’ teams have lost a combined two meets this season. Wingate has only competed in in two dual meets this year, splitting a meet with Queens, while both teams fell to UNC Wilmington.
In the Division II rankings, Queens’ men are second, while Wingate are fifth. On the women’s side, Queens is No. 2 and Wingate is No. 3.
Wingate is the reigning BMC Champions as the men won their sixth title in a row last season and the women won their first title since 2005.
SAYING GOODBYE
Saturday will mark the final day of competition at the Carolina Natatorium for 14 seniors. The group includes six men (Michael Flach, Andrew Helmich, Matt Navata, Gerard Rodriguez, Jay Warner, Jake White) and eight women (Maryn Bieganski, Abby Galbreath, Taylor Josserand, Lindsay Pierce, Lauren Raczkowski, Lauren Rosenberg, Amanda Rutqvist, Rachael Schaffer).
BACK STRONG AFTER 49 DAYS
In their first meet in 49 days, both the South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams came away with convincing wins over Duke on Jan. 11 at the Carolina Natatorium. The Gamecock men claimed their win with a score of 184-116, while the women won 167-133. The Gamecocks won 19 of 32 events on the day and finished 1-2-3 in five events (men’s 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly, 500 freestyle; women’s 200 butterfly and 500 freestyle) and claimed at least the top two spots in 12 races.
TOP 25 X2
Following the meet against Duke, the women’s team earned its first ranking of the season, coming in at No. 19 in the Endless Pools Top 25, while the me came in at No. 23.
GAINING MOMENTUM TO END THE FALL
The Gamecocks put together one of their best performances at an invitational in program history, totaling 15 NCAA B cut times during the three-day Virginia Tech Invitational, with 11 of those times coming from the men’s team which moved them up to No. 17 by Endless Pools’ rankings following the meet. Redshirt freshman Kevin Leithold led the way with five times that rank in the nation’s top 30, including the fourth-fastest mark in the 100 breaststroke at 53.57, which broke the school’s seven-year-old record in the event. Redshirt senior Michael Flach posted three B cuts, while seniors Gerard Rodriguez had two and Jay Warner chipped in one. On the women’s side, South Carolina earned a pair of B cuts in the 200 breaststroke and 400 IM. Junior Victoria Mitchell earned one in each event as he won the 400 IM and took fourth in the 200 breaststroke. Senior Amanda Rutqvist earned her B cut as she won the 200 breaststroke, while senior Abby Galbreath was right behind Mitchell in the 400 IM to capture hers.
Friday schedule
4 p.m. – Swimming begins
–200 freestyle relay
–200 IM
–500 freestyle
Swim break (15 minutes)
–100 breaststroke
–200 backstroke
–100 freestyle
–200 butterfly
Swim break (15 minutes)
–400 medley relay
6:30 p.m. (approx.) – End of meet
Saturday schedule
9:45 a.m. – Senior day ceremony
10 a.m. (approx.) – Swimming begins
–200 medley relay
–1,650 freestyle
–50 freestyle
–100 backstroke
–200 breaststroke
Diving break (15 minutes/diving to keep going when swimming resumes)
–100 butterfly
–200 freestyle
–400 IM
Diving break (15 minutes/diving to keep going when swimming resumes)
–400 freestyle relay
12:30 p.m. (approx.) – End of meet
–Two heats of each event on both days
