Cougar Swimming & Diving Sweeps SCAD, Campbell

CHARLESTON, SC Jan. 12, 2013 - The College of Charleston combined for 16 individual event titles in defeating Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) and Campbell in men’s and women’s swimming & diving action at the Stern Center Pool on Saturday.

The women’s team defeated Campbell by a score of 164.0-126.0, and also dispatched SCAD by a score of 216.0-73.0. The men defeated SCAD by a team score of 164.0-95.0.

“We competed well today,” head coach Bruce Zimmerman said. “These were our first dual meet victories of the season and it set the tone for a strong second half of the season.”

The Cougars were in high gear for Championship season with depth in most events and a number of first-place finishers across the board.

On the men’s side, sophomore Pablo Ortiz took home three first-place finishes swimming a 1:00.98 in the 100-meter back, clocking in at 2:09.31 in the 200-meter fly, and touching the wall in 2:13.72 in the 200-meter back.

Junior Dave Sherrier won the 100 freestyle (53.00) and the 200 freestyle (1:55.56) events, while classmates Greg Karel and Blake Buchanan rounded out the freestyle events with wins in the 50 free (24.04) and 800 free (8:42.84), respectively.

Senior Peter Gibbons earned his second zone qualifying performance by upping his own school record in the one-meter dive to 321.75. He also won the three-meter dive with a score of 287.10.

The Cougars won the 200 meter medley relay as Michael McCarthy, Nick Alonso, Chris Verboncoeur and Greg Karel combined for a time of 1:48.03.

On the women’s side, junior Sarah Boyle won both of the backstroke events, earning a time of 1:04.37 in the 100 back, and 2:23.07 in the 200 back.

Sophomore Sarah Graif won the 50 free (26.63) and the 100 free (58.72) while Jayme Groth finished right behind her in both events.

Freshman Taylor Hollingsworth won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:17.07, while the Cougar team of Meredith Smith, Layne Thornton, Groth and Graif won the 400 free relay with a time of 4:00.81. The Cougars also won the 200 medley relay as Boyle, Hollingsworth, Gracie Herlong and Graif combined for a time of 2:02.35.

In the diving events, Megan Norton won the one-meter dive (198.75) and Nicole DeMarco took home the three-meter dive (209.70).

College of Charleston concludes the 2012-13 home season next weekend with Parents Weekend and Senior Day at the Stern Center Pool. The Cougars will take on conference foe Gardner-Webb on Friday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. and continue on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m.