Feb. 28, 2004
Athens, Ga. –
The University of South Carolina Swimming and Diving team wrapped up the fifth and final day of competition at Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens. The women placed fifth overall and the men placed eighth. Winning the SEC Championship for both the men and women were the defending National Champions, Auburn University.
Competing for the women in the 100 yard freestyle Consolation Final were Junior Carolynn McHugh and Senior Ashleigh Bastak. McHugh finished 14th overall with a time of 50.45 and Bastak finished 16th overall with a time of 50.79. In the Championship Final Senior Heather Skaggs came in eighth with a time of 50.02 and Senior Jennifer Van Asssen came in fifth with a time of 49.40 breaking her personal best time and a USC record that she had previously set last year.
Senior Istvan Bathazi competed in the 200 Individual Medley Championship Final. He placed fifth in this event with a time of 1:47.31. This is the second fastest time in school history and one of the top 20 times in the country. Bathazi currently holds the school record in the 200 IM. Senior Ed Murphy competed in the Consolation Final for the 100 yard freestyle and finished 14th with a time of 45.25.
“Competing against these top ranked teams will give us a good advantage going into the NCAA’s” stated Head Coach Don Gibb. “We have top athletes and we are in one of the best conferences in the nation”. Gibb was also impressed with the performances of the swimmers tonight, “they had good swims and kept us in there.”
The Gamecocks head back to Athens March 5-6 for the Bulldog Invitational.
