Dec. 12, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – In the final Top 25 rankings of the fall from the CSCAA (College Swimming Coaches Association of America), the South Carolina men’s swimming and diving came in at No. 25.
The Gamecocks have been led throughout the season by redshirt freshman Kevin Leithold who has three times that rank in the Top 50 nationally. The native of Sandersdorf, Germany had a performance at Virginia Tech to close out the fall, highlighted by the nation’s 11th-fastest time in the 100 breaststroke (53.57). The time broke the school’s seven-year-old record in the event.
Leithold’s time of 44.25 in the 100 freestyle is the 24th-fastest nationally in the event, while his mark of 1:46.75 in the 200 IM is 37th.
Senior Michael Flach has the team’s other Top 50 time, as his mark in the 500 freestyle of 4:21.38 is currently the 33rd-fastest time in the NCAA.
The Gamecocks also have nine other times that rank in the nation’s Top 100. Leithold (200 freestyle, 56th; 100 butterfly, 57th) and Flach (200 butterfly, 51st; 200 freestyle, 70th) each have two apiece. Posting one time in Top 100 are Jared Kauffman (200 breaststroke, 89th), Sam Lynch (100 butterfly, 89th), Matt Navata (400 IM, 95th), Gerard Rodriguez (500 freestyle, 59th) and Jay Warner (100 backstroke, 53rd).
The Gamecocks continue their season on Jan. 11 as they host Duke at the Carolina Natatorium. The meet is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., ET.
CSCAA Top 25
1. Michigan
2. Texas
3. Florida
3. California
5. Arizona
6. Southern California
7. Missouri
8. Louisville
9. Auburn
10. Georgia
11. Ohio State
12. Stanford
13. Minnesota
14. North Carolina
15. Virginia Tech
16. Florida State
16. Indiana
18. Virginia
19. Penn State
20. Notre Dame
21. Iowa
22. Utah
23. UNLV
24. Harvard
25. South Carolina
25. Princeton
