School Records Fall on Second Day of GT Invite

Nov. 20, 2010

Results | Complete Day Two Results (PDF)

Atlanta, Ga. – After setting two new school records on the first day, the University of Miami swimming & diving team was back in action on Saturday for the second day of the Georgia Tech Invitational at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta. Miami is currently in fourth place with 372 points.

Under the direction of fifth-year head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas, the Hurricanes continued their record-breaking performances Saturday, in addition to making up ground in the overall points standings.

The day began for UM in the 200 medley relay with the team of Whitney Stephenson (leadoff), Sofia Johansson (second), Annika Saarnak (third) and Kelsi Hall (anchor) turning in a second place time of 1:41.35. In the process, the team collected an NCAA “B” cut time – the third of its kind on the weekend for the `Canes. Annika Saarnak (Pühalepa, Estonia) punched an NCAA “B” cut time on Friday in the 50 freestyle, while the UM 400 medley relay team did the same.

Not only was the time an NCAA provisional qualifying time for the 200 MR squad, but it was also a new school record, taking down the old mark of 1:42.95 set back in 2009. In the race, UM finished ahead of in-state foes Florida and Florida State, respectively.

The achievements were not finished, as Saarnak took her third NCAA provisional qualification of the season with a win in the “A” finals of the 100 butterfly. Saarnak’s mark of 53.59 is a new school record for the senior who was one of the first recruits by Shefchunas, besting the old time of 54.18 that was staked by All-American Julie Gorman and has stood atop the UM leader board since 1986.

The win for Saarnak came against some of the best swimmers in the country for the 100 fly, finishing ahead of Rita Medrano, Kendra Chernoff and Paige Miller – all from Big XII member Texas A&M.

Sophomore Sofia Johansson (Ramlösa, Sweden) was the next Hurricanes swimmer to register an NCAA “B” cut time on the day, turning in a career-best and UM season-best time of 1:02.40 in the “A” finals of the 100 breaststroke. Johansson finished fourth overall in the event. This is her second NCAA provisional qualification in the 100 breast in as many years, also claiming the honor last season at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in Chapel Hill, N.C.

In the diving events, freshman Samuel Dorman (Tempe, Ariz.) finished sixth on the men’s 3-meter springboard, earning a score of 341.70 after six dives. Dorman was fifth after the prelims with a score of 353.40. In the women’s 1-meter springboard event, junior transfer Carrie Dragland (Woodinville, Wash.) finished third as she scored 287.40 points. UM freshman Lindsay Lester (San Jose, Calif.) finished sixth with a score of 273.65.

Back in the pool, senior swimmer Dana Hatic (Coral Springs, Fla.) finished second in the “B” finals of the 100 breast as she finished in a season-best performance of 1:04.44, and sophomore Christine Anderson (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was fourth in the “C” finals with a mark of 1:05.69.

During the qualifying round of the 100 backstroke, junior transfer Whitney Stephenson (Grass Valley, Calif.) was less than a tenth of a second from tying the school record set by Britta Boesing in 2009. She finished with a time of 56.05, earning a trip to the finals where she took a time of 56.28 in the “A” finals portion of the competition.

Senior Ryann Labreche (Fort Myers, Fla.) finished sixth for UM during the “C” finals of the 200 freestyle, touching the wall at 1:52.57. The time is a season-best for Labreche, and is the second-fastest time posted on the campaign for the Hurricanes in the 200 free. Stephenson holds the honor of season-best with a time of 1:52.45 against Rice two weeks ago in Houston.

Overall on the weekend, Miami has set five school records and laid claim to five NCAA “B” cut times. The five school records being set in a single meet is approaching the seven set during the 2009 ACC Championships. The five NCAA provisional qualification times are the most in a single season since prior to the arrival of Shefchunas to the helm of the program in Coral Gables.

Texas A&M leads the overall point standings with 1143.5 points, followed by Florida State (696.5) and Florida (595).

The third and final day of the Georgia Tech Invitational begins on Sun., Nov. 22, at 9 a.m. Complete final results from the weekend will be available at HurricaneSports.com shortly after the conclusion of the final race.

For more information on the Georgia Tech Invitational, please log on to www.ramblingwreck.com.

For more information on the University of Miami swimming & diving program, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, results and information regarding the Hurricanes swimming & diving program.

You can also keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports.