Nov. 20, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina junior Michael Flach has been named the SEC Male Swimmer of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.

Flach wins the award after leading the 21st-ranked Gamecock men’s team to a second-place finish in the Virginia Tech Invitational last weekend. He won all three of his individual events with NCAA B cut times and led the 800 freestyle relay team to a first-place finish and the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 400 medley relay teams to second-place showings.

A native of Annandale, Va., Flach got off to a strong start at the invitational as he swam a NCAA B cut of 4:20.33 in the 500 freestyle preliminary heats. He then lowered his time by almost two seconds in the championship final to win the event in 4:18.38, which is the nation’s fastest time.

On the second day of competition, Flach shot up the national time charts once again by winning the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:35.86, which is the fourth fastest time in the country. He wrapped up the week by posting the nation’s fastest time (1:45.51) in the 200 butterfly to win the championship final.

Flach and the Gamecocks return to action on Jan. 12 in a road dual meet at Duke. The meet is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in Durham, N.C.