Oct. 3, 2015
FT. MYERS, Fla. – The South Carolina swimming and diving team concluded the FGCU Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. on Saturday afternoon with the Gamecock men claiming the title with 427 points and the women tallying 346 points for a third place finish.
South Carolina finished with a 13-point lead over second-place Grand Canyon University on the men’s side. The Gamecocks won six of the day’s nine events. Buffalo (353) and FAU (297) placed third and fourth, respectively, to complete the men’s standings. Ohio State took first place in the women’s competition with 410 points while FGCU (394.5) and South Carolina (346) rounded out the top three. Rutgers (297.5), Buffalo (258) and Grand Canyon (247) finished fourth through sixth, respectively.
Sophomores Akram Mahmoud and Nils Wich-Glasen each won two events on the second day of the meet. Mahmoud claimed first place in the 500 freestyle (4:25.02) and 200 butterfly (1:49.27) while Wich-Glasen’s wins came in the 200 breaststroke (2:03.19) and 200 IM (1:51.79). Senior Kevin Leithold also secured a pair of wins for the Gamecocks with first-place finishes in the 100 IM (51.02) and 100 freestyle (45.37).
Sophomore Tomas Peribonio won both consolations heats he raced in, taking first in the 100 IM (51.55) and 200 IM (1:52.81). Freshman Cody Bekemeyer won the consolation heat of the 500 freestyle (4:29.84) and junior Jonathan Boland placed first in the consolation heat of the 100 freestyle (45.49).
In the 200 backstroke Bryce Kananowicz finished second with a time of 50.90 while Caleb Tosh took second in consolation heat (52.32). Freshman Fynn Minuth added a second place finish in the consolation heat of the 200 butterfly (1:52.14).
Freshman Paige Maynard had another big day for the Gamecocks as she won the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:00.25. Fellow freshman Emma Barksdale added a pair of third-place finishes in the 100 IM (58.18) and 200 breaststroke (2:20.31). Also racing in the 200 breaststroke, sophomore Kersten Dirrane finished first in the consolation heat (2:20.55).
Sophomore Taylor Worrell touched the wall third in the 500 freestyle (5:01.88) and junior Megan Carlson placed fourth in the consolation heat (5:06.18).
NOTABLES
- The Gamecock men won six of the day’s nine events, including six of seven individual races.
- Mahmoud won all three individual events he raced in over the two-day meet.
QUOTABLE South Carolina Head Coach McGee Moody
This was a good start out of the gate. We’ve been doing some heavy training leading up to this meet. Our freshmen really stepped up for us and proved they can handle the training. We have a few weeks before our dual meet season starts. We’ll get some more training in and look forward to more fast races as our season continues.
UP NEXT
The Gamecock men open South Carolina’s home slate when they host Purdue on Oct. 24 at the Blatt P.E. Center/Carolina Natatorium.
