North Carolina State University Athletics
Third Place Wolfpack Men's Swimming Heads to ACC Championship
2/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Swimming
Feb. 22, 2006
The men's swimming team was outstanding all year long, starting the season 6-1 and going 5-0 at home. They finished 5-1 in the ACC and finished third in the conference behind perennial powers Florida State and Virginia. The team is lead by a bevy of senior standouts, from all-American Cullen Jones to ACC top-time holder Kevin Velleca.
Jones is a familiar name to those in the swimming community around the country, and his final ACC meet should be an exciting one. He comes into the contest with three individual gold medal and one relay medal. He won the 50 free and 100 free in 2004 and repeated in the 50 free last season as well. He was the anchor of the 200 medley relay that set an ACC record with 1:27.46 at last years' championship as well. He enters the meet with the top 50 free and 100 free times in the conference. His 50 free time of 19.35 is second nationally and the second fastest time ever at NC State. In addition, Jones has the ACC's third fastest time in the 100 butterfly in 2005-06.
Velleca is no stranger to fast times, as his 48.79 in the 100 backstroke is a NC State pool record, the top time in the ACC this season and the tenth fastest time in school history. He is a vital part of the relay teams as well, as he teamed with Jones and two others in the ACC record swim last season. Velleca won silver in the 100 backstroke at last year's ACC meet.
Not to be out done, seniors Peter Ranstead, Lyle Babcock and Dan Velez have all posted an ACC top-10 time this season. Ranstead is an elite sprinter, ranking seventh in the conference in the 50 freestyle with a relay leadoff of 20.53.
Babcock holds tenth place in the 100 butterfly with a 49.85 and is the team's top threat, along with Jones, in the event.
Velez has been outstanding in the breaststroke events as a member of the ACC record setting relay and in individual swims. He finished fourth at the ACC meet last season in the 100 breast, and his time of 55.15 is the second fastest ever at NC State. He comes into his final ACC meet seventh in the 200 breaststroke and fifth in the 100 among ACC swimmers.
One of the team's most versatile swimmers isn't a senior - but he's close. Redshirt junior Steven Cowling has posted an ACC top-10 time in four events - the 100 freestyle, 100 and 200 back, and the 200 IM. He ranks 10th in the 100 free (45.47), third in the 100 back (49.20), ninth in the 200 back (1:49.79) and fifth in the 200 IM (1:50.78). Cowling is the reigning ACC Champion in the 100 back.
Not to be outdone by the upperclassmen, freshman Andrew Lester continues to shine in the pool. He ranks sixth in the ACC in the 1000 freestyle and ninth in the 1650 freestyle. He also turned in a 3:58.90 in the 400 IM for this third top-10 ACC time.
Always important to a teams success, relay times are a strong suit for the Wolfpack. They hold the top 200 freestyle and medley times in the ACC and rank second in the 400 freestyle, third in the 400 medley and sixth in the 800 freestyle this season.
