Swimming And Diving Defeats South Carolina

Nov. 11, 2000

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson swimming and diving teams defeated in-state rival South Carolina this afternoon at McHugh Natatorium. The Tigers improve to 2-1 overall with the win.

The Clemson women’s team won eight of the 13 contested events to capture the 153-88 victory over the Gamecocks. Junior Caroline Peterson (Franklin, TN) won the 50 (23.59) and 100 (51.63) free events and was a member of the winning 400 freestyle relay team to lead the Tigers. Freshman Lindsey Kroeger (Cincinnati, OH), sophomore Mandy Commons (Cincinnati, OH), sophomore Elise Thieler (Harbor Township, NJ) and sophomore Jenna Burtch (Holland, MI) opened the meet by winning the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:49.79. Freshman Kate Walker (Woodbine, MD) claimed the 200 back (2:05.70) and sophomore Courtney Ellis (Edmonds, WA) won the 200 individual medley in 2:07.62. Sophomore Catherine Blaney (Columbia, SC) won the 500 free with a time of 5:11.21 and the relay team of junior Nina Douglas (Gaithersburg, MD), senior Leslie Anderson (Cary, NC), junior Patty Hider (Reston, VA) and Peterson won the 400 free relay with a time of 3:32.54. Senior Betsy Potter (Elmira, MY) won the three meter diving with a score of 293.625 and finished second on the one meter board (259.8).

The Clemson men’s team won six events to slip past South Carolina, 122.5 to 120.5. The Tiger 400 medley relay team of freshman Mark Henly (Denver, PA), sophomore Matt Norman (Vienna, VA), freshman John Dean (Raleigh, NC) and senior Will Rogers (West Columbia, SC) finished five-tenths of a second ahead of South Carolina to win the event with a time of 3:25.15. Freshman Travis Taylor (La Crescenta, CA) won the 500 free (4:41.14) and 1000 free (9:35.44) while Rogers claimed the 50 free with a time of 20.86. Dean claimed the 200 fly in 1:52.81, edging South Carolina’s Chris McCrary by three-one hundredths of a second. Henly captured the 200 back with a time of 1:51.30. Sophomore Craig Thomas (Maryville, TN) took second in the three meter board (205.64) and was third on the one meter board (238.13) to lead the Tiger divers.

The Clemson men’s team will host Georgia Tech next Friday, Nov. 17, at 6:00 p.m. before both swimming and diving teams travel to the Georgia Invitational Dec. 1-3.