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Feb. 18, 2010

ATHENS, Ga. – Michael Flach, Bridget Halligan and Taryn Zack all advanced to finals in their respective events, and three South Carolina swimmers posted NCAA provisional qualifying times in the second day of preliminaries at the SEC Swimming & Diving Championships.

Flach, in his first individual swim at an SEC Championship, earned the eighth and final qualifying spot in the championship final of the 500-yard freestyle, clocking a 4:21.93 to out-touch Florida’s Raymond Jeffery by four-hundredths of a second. The swim lowered his NCAA `B’ cut time by almost a second and ranks as the second-fastest time in school history.

The Gamecock women also earned their first entry into a swimming final as junior Bridget Halligan earned the first NCAA `B’ cut of her career with a 22.93 in the 50 freestyle. She will swim in the consolation final this evening as the 12th qualifier. It was a personal record for Halligan and the fifth-fastest time in school history.

Senior Andrew Atzhorn tied for first alternate (17th place) in the 200 individual medley, but will not swim the evening final as there were no scratches ahead of him. His time of 1:49.19 set a personal record and also earned an NCAA `B’ cut for the Gamecock senior.

In the diving well, junior Taryn Zack was the top qualifier in women’s 3-meter with a score of 348.85. She will advance to the evening’s finals as the defending SEC runner-up in the 3-meter event. South Carolina also had a pair of scorers in men’s 1-meter diving prelims with Ryan Kuser taking 10th place with a 304.45 and Rylan Ridenour finishing 11th with 303.40. Nikolas Sachs barely missed the scoring with a 17th-place score of 271.05.

In the morning session, 21 Gamecocks set personal records in their respective events, either in the competition itself or in a time trial immediately following preliminaries. Those are listed below in the results denoted by “PR” next to their time.

Finals get underway at 6 p.m. at the Gabrielsen Natatorium. Live video and results are available through GeorgiaDogs.com, and fans can receive up-to-the-minute results via Twitter by following @GamecockSwim.

WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE

Claire Thompson 25th 4:52.97
Christine Thompson 27th 4:54.64
Whitney Avers 32nd 4:57.49 PR
Jordan Gibbs 36th 4:58.84 PR
Matea Peteh 41st 5:08.52 PR
Stephanie Hellenga exh 5:07.66 PR

MEN’S 500 FREESTYLE

Michael Flach 8th 4:21.93 PR B
Brooks Ross 24th 4:30.71 PR
Matt Columbus 30th 4:33.76 PR
Dan Jackson 35th 4:36.56

WOMEN’S 200 IM

Aileen Atzhorn 35th 2:05.80 PR
Lydia Hackert 44th 2:13.95
Alyssa Hand exh 2:10.01

MEN’S 200 IM

Andrew Atzhorn T-17th 1:49.19 PR B
James Crawford 22nd 1:50.50
Alex Fitton 26th 1:51.31 PR
Collin Kaden 27th 1:51.52 PR
Bobby Cave 28th 1:51.59 PR
Chris Kelly 29th 1:51.66 PR
Ryan Connolly 33rd 1:53.44 PR
Trey Tharpe 37th 1:56.27 PR

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE

Bridget Halligan 12th 22.93 PR B
Sharntelle McLean 21st 23.36
Kristina Delp 35th 23.94
Megan Sparks 36th 24.04
Kerry Abel 45th 24.61 PR
Shaylyn Blake T-46th 24.62
Colleen MacMillan 48th 24.70 PR
*Colleen MacMillan 24.72

MEN’S 50 FREESTYLE

David Livsey 30th 20.59
Andrew Seiler 34th 20.79
Isaac Badillo 40th 21.33 PR
Brett Sexton exh 21.45
*David Livsey 20.54 PR
*Andrew Seiler 20.81
*Isaac Badillo 21.20 PR
*Brett Sexton 21.46

MEN’S 1-METER DIVING

Ryan Kuser 10th 304.45
Rylan Ridenour 11th 303.40
Nikolas Sachs 17th 271.05

WOMEN’S 3-METER DIVING

Taryn Zack 1st 348.45
Allison Barr 18th 268.60
Helen Alvey 19th 262.20
Sarah Deuell 23rd 224.25