Gamecocks Collect Two More All-America Finishes at NCAA Championships
March 24, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS – Two more members of the University of South Carolina Swimming & Diving program earned All-America honors on Friday at the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships. Nils Wich-Glasen grabbed his first All-American finish of the meet, while Tomas Peribonio claimed his third.
Wich-Glasen finished eighth in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Peribonio scored ninth in the 400-yard IM. Thanks to the duo, the Gamecocks increased their point total to 60 after three days at the IU Natatorium, good for 14th position overall.
RECAP
Wich-Glasen came into the 100-yard breaststroke prelims carrying the nation’s eighth-best time this season and went on to finish sixth in the morning swim with a time of 51.86. The sixth-place result meant that Wich-Glasen was headed for his third career NCAA championship final.
In the finals, Wich-Glasen placed eighth with a swim of 51.92. The junior finished seventh in this event last year, and today’s performance was a huge improvement over his freshman finish in the 100 breast, when he came in 28th.
Peribonio entered the 400 IM prelims with the nation’s 20th-fastest time in the event, but he surpassed all expectations and smashed the Carolina record with a swim of 3:40.89, more than two seconds faster than his previous record. The performance was the ninth-best of the morning and booked the junior a consolation finals spot.
In his evening swim, Peribonio turned in a time of 3:40.24 to place first in the heat and ninth overall. The junior finished the day with an All-American honor for the third consecutive event, and he’ll go for a fourth on Saturday in the mile.
QUOTABLES
HEAD SWIMMING COACH McGee Moody – “We had another great day. Tom Peribonio started us off with a new school record in the 400 IM and Nils Wich-Glasen had a great swim in the championship final tonight. We have set ourselves to battle on the last day for a top 15 finish. This is a position that we haven’t been in for a long time. I believe our men are ready for the challenge.”
UP NEXT FOR CAROLINA
The 2017 NCAA Men’s Championships reach a thrilling conclusion on Saturday as several Gamecocks compete in their top events. Wich-Glasen enters the meet owning the nation’s fourth-fastest time in the 200-yard breaststroke and Minuth is set to take part in the 200-yard butterfly, with prelims starting at 10 a.m. Gotro dives for the final time in his collegiate career as the platform begins at noon. Early heats of the 1650-yard freestyle start at 3:45 p.m., with the remaining heats starting at 6 p.m. Mahmoud, Bekemeyer and Peribonio are all slated to compete in the 1650 free.
