Matt Columbus

2012-13 – Provided quality depth to the South Carolina distance group…Swam the 200 freestyle (44th), 500 freestyle (35th) and 1,650 freestyle (29th) at the SEC Championships…Finished runner-up on four occasions during the regular season…Posted a career-best time of 4:26.32 in the 500 freestyle at the SEC Championships…Also posted personal records in the 100 backstroke (53.24) and the 200 backstroke (1:56.42) during senior campaign…Ranked in the top five times on the team in the 200 freestyle (fifth), 500 freestyle (fourth), 1,000 freestyle (fourth) and 1,650 freestyle (third)…Named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll.

2011-12 – One of the leaders on the Gamecock distance corps…Won two races on the season, both in the 500 freestyle against Georgia Tech and rival Clemson…Scored 4.5 points at the SEC Championships with a tie for 12th finish in the 1,650 freestyle in 15:33.85, the team[apos]s best time of the season…Also advanced to the consolation final of the 500 freestyle and scored a point at the SEC Championships, finishing 16th overall with a time of 4:30.22…Had the team[apos]s second best time in both the 500 freestyle (4:28.14/SEC preliminaries) and 1,000 freestyle (9:30.89/Duke, Queens)…Swam the 200 butterfly for the first time as a Gamecock against rival Clemson and finished third with a time of 1:59.47…Achieved an Olympic Trial cut of 3:59.62 in the 400-meter long course freestyle at the 2011 ConocoPhillips National Championships, earning chance to compete at 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials…Named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll.

2010-11 – Helped solidify a strong Gamecock distance corps…Posted team[apos]s fastest 1650 free time with 15:25.99 at SEC Championships, finishing 13th to score in the event for the second straight year…Was the third-fastest mile in school history…Posted NCAA `B[apos] cut time in 500 free with 4:26.89 in prelims, just missing SEC finals with 18th-place finish…Top 1000 free time came against Kentucky/Charleston (9:24.40), the eighth-best time in school history…500 and 1000 free times were third-best among Gamecocks this year…Had a career-best 1:39.98 in 200 free at SEC Championships…All times this season were career-bests…Won 500 free vs. Western Kentucky…Took victory in 1000 free at UNC Wilmington.

2009-10 – Was one of the Gamecocks[apos] top distance swimmers… Scored one point at SEC Championships with a 16th-place finish in the 1650 freestyle…Had the second-best 1650 freestyle time on the team (15:40.48); time ranks seventh in school history…Improved by 51 seconds in the event over the course of the season… Third-best on the team in the 500 free with a 4:33.76… Swam a 9:41.75 in the 1000 free against Alabama/Georgia… Won the 800 free vs. College of Charleston and 500 free vs. Duke…Named to SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.

PRE-COLLEGE – Graduated from St. Xavier High School…Coach was Jim Brower…Was a 7-time high school All-American…Three-time first-team GCL…All-City First Team in 2008 and 2009…Won the 2009 Ohio state championship in the 500 free and 400 freestyle relay…Four-time finalist at state championships…Helped the AquaBombers to three state titles (2006, 2007, 2009)…Team won NISCA National Title in 2007 and 2008…Club team is Cincinnati Marlins…USA Swimming Junior National qualifier in 2006, 2007 and 2008…Finished third at 2007 Y-Nationals in 1650 free…Member of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.

PERSONAL – Full name is Matthew John Columbus…Born Jan. 2, 1991…Parents are Michael and Karen Columbus…Has a sister, Sara…Plans to major in biology…Chose South Carolina over UC Irvine and Georgia Tech.