UM Swimming & Diving Ready For ACC Championships
Feb. 19, 2008
CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla. – The University of Miami swimming and diving team is set to participate in the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming & Diving Championships this week at the GeorgiaTechAquaticCenter in Atlanta, Ga. The championships, which begin Wednesday, Feb. 20 with a pair of evening events, will last four days and culminate with seven event finals Saturday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Hurricanes (9-3, 0-1 ACC) head to Atlanta having won three of their last four meets, with wins over Vanderbilt, Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast and the lone loss coming at Florida Atlantic in UM’s most recent meet, Feb. 2.
On the swimming side, Miami is led by junior Britta Boesing and freshman Annika Saarnak. Boesing, who swam the seventh-fastest time in school history in the 200 IM with a mark of 2:04.58 in Atlanta during the fall season, will lead UM in backstroke, among other events this week. Saarnak, who has proven to be Miami’s top short distance freestyler this year, will look to make a statement at her first ACC Championships.
“We’re all eager for the ACC Championships,” head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas said. “This is what the girls have worked all year for. Going up against some of the best swimmers and divers in the country, we look forward to seeing the girls step up this week.”
Last season, the Hurricanes finished in seventh place at the ACC Championships in College Park, Md., scoring 299 points, their highest-total at the event since Miami joined the league in 2005.
“This team has made such huge strides this year,” Shefchunas added. “They’re going in confident and excited for a great meet.”
Sophomore Brittany Viola will be representing UM in the women’s diving events while freshman J.J. Kinzbach will be competing on the men’s side. Viola owns the league’s top mark of 263.00 on the platform this season, in addition the seventh-highest mark in the one-meter event (296.45) and sixth-highest in the three-meter event (308.70). Kinzbach’s mark of 346.15 on the platform trails only teammate Reuben Ross in the ACC this year while Kinzbach also ranks fifth in the one-meter event (356.15).
Ross, who owns the ACC’s top mark in all three diving events this season, is currently in China with the Canadian National Team at the 2008 FINA Diving World Cup and will miss this week’s championships.
The ACC has had a different winner each of the last four seasons at the ACC Championships. After Virginia won the event in 2003 and in 2004, the last three championships have gone to Maryland in 2005, FloridaState in 2006 and North Carolina last year.
For complete results of this week’s action in Atlanta, visit the 2008 Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship website.
Fans can also follow the action live via ACC Select at www.ACCSelect.com.
2008 Championship Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 20
Finals – 7 p.m.
200 Medley Relay
800 Free Relay
Thursday, Feb. 21
Prelims — 11 a.m.
500 Free
200 IM
50 Free
Three Meter Dive (Men) — 1 p.m.
One Meter Dive (Women) — 3:15 p.m.
Three Meter Dive Finals (Men) — 5:15 p.m.
Finals — 7 p.m.
500 Free
200 IM
50 Free
One Meter Dive Finals (Women)
200 Free Relay
Friday, Feb. 22
Prelims — 11 a.m.
400 IM
100 Fly
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Back
One Meter Dive (Men) — 1 p.m.
Three Meter Dive (Women) — 3:15 p.m.
One Meter Dive Finals (Men)
Finals — 7 p.m.
400 IM
100 Fly
200 Free
100 Breast
100 Back
Three Meter Dive (Women)
400 Medley Relay
Saturday, Feb. 23
Prelims — 11 a.m.
200 Back
100 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
Platform Dive (Men) — 1 p.m.
Platform Dive (Women) — 3 p.m.
1650 Free — 4 p.m.
Platform Dive (Men) — 4:30 p.m.
Finals — 7 p.m.
1650 Free — Final Heat
200 Back
100 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
Platform Dive (Women)
400 Free Relay
