Feb. 28, 2016

ATHENS, Ga. — Two more Gamecocks posted season-best times on Sunday as the University of South Carolina Swimming & Diving program took part in the Bulldog Last Chance Invitational. Freshman Cody Bekemeyer and senior Kevin Leithold each moved one step closer to the NCAA Championships with their performances in the last opportunity for swimmers to post a qualifying time.

Bekemeyer posted a time of 14:55.46 in the 1,650-yard freestyle, more than seven seconds lower than his effort last week at the SEC Championships. The freshman finished 10th at the conference meet and now holds the 19th-fastest mile time in the season this year, giving him an outstanding opportunity to represent the Gamecocks at the NCAA Championships.

Leithold swam a 100-yard breaststroke split of 53.01 on Sunday, lowering his season-best time by .07 seconds. That time would rank as 35th-best in the nation this season as of Sunday.

Gamecocks Jonathan Boland and Taylor Worrell also competed at the Last Chance Invitational, with Worrell breaking her own school record in the 500-yard freestyle on Saturday. Her time of 4:41.67 is 28th-best in the nation.

UP NEXT FOR CAROLINA

All four Gamecocks who competed in Athens hold NCAA B Cut times in at least one race and hope to represent South Carolina at the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Championships. The Women’s Championships will be held March 17-19, with the Men’s Championships one week later.

The Carolina divers will attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championships when they compete at the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships, which run March 7-9. Both Zone Diving and the NCAA Championships will be held in Atlanta, Ga.