North Carolina State University Athletics
Cowling Wins ACC Championship In 100yd Backstroke
2/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
Feb. 26, 2005
ATLANTA - Virginia maintains its lead heading into the final day of competition at the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championship, being held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center.
The Cavaliers have scored 502.5 after 14 events, leading Florida State (383), North Carolina (300.5), Georgia Tech (300), Clemson (248.5), Virginia Tech (227.5), NC State (220), Maryland (172), Duke (103) and Miami (73).
Virginia recorded a one-two-three sweep in the 400-yard individual medley. Pat Mellors led the way with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 3:46.93. Fran Crippen placed second with a mark of 3:47.61, while Bo Greenwood recorded a 3:49.49 finish to garner third-place honors.
Tommy Rappold became only the second Clemson swimmer to capture top honors in the 100-yard butterfly and first since 1985, when the senior clocked a winning time of 47.32. Virginia's Michael Raab placed second with a mark of 47.64, while Florida State's Joel Roycik was the third competitor to reach the wall with a time of 48.10.
Virginia recorded its second one-two-three sweep of the evening in the 200-yard freestyle. Luke Anderson reclaimed the title, which he won in both 2001 and 2002, with an NCAA A-standard time of 1:35.96. He was followed to the wall by Stefan Hirniak who recorded a 1:37.50 second-place finish and John Millen who finished the event in third place with a time of 1:37.55.
Virginia's Vanja Rogulj won the 100-yard breaststroke with an NCAA A-cut time of 53.27. Florida State's Billy Jamerson placed second with a mark of 54.13, while Virginia Tech's Kevin Furlong finished third with a mark of 54.94.
NC State's Steven Cowling (48.71) and Kevin Velleca (48.84) placed first and second, respectively, in the 100-yard backstroke. Virginia Tech's Tom Alberi rounded out the medalists in the event with a 49.15 third-place finish.
Miami's Miguel Velazquez tallied a final score of 613.00 to claim top-honors on the three-meter diving board. Florida State's Alez Tilbrook placed second, having scored 580.20 points, while the Hurricanes' Derek Starks finished third with 576.50 points.
Virginia's Bryan Stahl, Rogulj, Raab and Anderson recorded a first-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay to conclude tonight's events.
The final day of the ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championship will consist of the 200-backstroke, 100-freestyle, 200-breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1650-yard freestyle, platform diving and the 400-yard freestyle relay. Preliminaries will begin at 11:00 a.m. with finals commencing at 7:00 p.m.
