Dec. 1, 2001
Results
AUSTIN, Texas - Powered by their tremendous depth in the 200-yard freestyle, Arizona State's men's swimming and diving team remained in second place with one day remaining of the Texas Invitational at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas, Saturday.
The Sun Devils qualified four swimmers into the final championship heat of the 200y free, whereupon junior Anders Lyrbring led the way with a third-place 1:37.10 performance. Senior Gavin Meadows (1:37.31) and sophomore Nick Brunelli (1:37.47) were just behind in fourth and fifth, respectively, while senior Bo West placed seventh (1:38.05). All four earned NCAA 'B' consideration times.
Racking up 57 points in that heat alone, ASU's fifth-ranked men's team wrapped the second day of the three day meet with 373.5 points, behind only national No. 2 Texas at 436. California is in third with 332.5 points.
Despite the Sun Devils' obvious depth in the 200y free, ASU missed a chance to win the 800y free relay due to a disqualification of its 'A' team. The Sun Devils' 200y medley relay team fared better, as sophomore Ahmed Hussein, freshman Russell MacDonald, senior Simon MacDonald and Brunelli combined to place fourth in 1:28.90.
Hussein earned ASU's top finish of the evening, with a second-place 48.03 showing in the 100y backstroke that made him the second-fastest Sun Devil ever in that event, behind on Pablo Abal's school record of 47.85. Junior Christian Harcsas placed fifth in 48.94. Both earned NCAA 'B' consideration times.
Not to be forgotten among the blistering times was ASU's diving contingent. Accumulating a championship finals total of 321.75, sophomore Gordon Blukis led the Sun Devils with a third-place finish.
The other two event finals of the day were in the 400y individual medley and the 200y breaststroke. Sophomore Rich Jacobs remained the seventh-fastest Sun Devil of all-time in the 400y IM, while recording a personal best with his fifth-place swim of 3:54.29. Russell MacDonald was ASU's top swimmer in the 100y breast with a finals time of 56.58 to place 14th.
Competition concludes tomorrow with prelims and finals of the 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay.
Day Two -- Team Scores:
1. Texas 436, 2. Arizona State 373.5, 3. California 332.5, 4. Arizona 320, 5. USC 300, 6. Auburn 294, 7. Wisconsin 262, 8. Michigan 177, 9. SMU 104, 10. Harvard 72, 11. Hawaii 45, 12. Stanford 39, 13. TCU 22.