Clemson Men’s Swimming and Diving To Compete At ACC Championships

CLEMSON, SC – The University of Virginia will host the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship Thursday, February 22 through Saturday, February 24 at the UVa Aquatic and Fitness Center. Admission to the ACC Championship is free. Preliminaries begin at 11:00 a.m. each day with finals commencing at 7:00 p.m.

Tigers End Regular Season on High Note The Clemson men’s swimming and diving team (5-3 overall, 2-2 ACC) ended their regular season with a victory over NC State in their final home meet of the 2000-2001 season. In that meet, the Tigers claimed nine of 13 events as they defeated the Wolfpack 142.5-99.5.

The Clemson men swept the relay events as German Martinez, Matt Norman, Rob Kummer and Will Rogers won the 200 medley relay in 1:33.21 while Kenny Roberts, Drew Scheerhorn, Matt Wilson and Brent Hitchcock won the 400 free relay in 3:07.86. Brent Hitchcock won the 200 free in 1:42.41 while Matt Wilson claimed the 200IM with a time of 1:53.98. Craig Thomas won the three -meter diving event with a score of 293.70 and Rob Kummer won the 100 fly in 50.66. Will Rogers claimed the 100 free in 46.70 and Matt Norman recorded a winning time of 57.97 in the 100 breast. German Martinez tied for first in the 100 back with a time of 50.60.

The Last Lap This is the final ACC Championship meet for three Tiger seniors. Alejandro Dubreuil (Lima, Peru), Andy Garrett (Burdett, NY) and Will Rogers (West Columbia, SC) are all making their final appearance at the conference meet.

Dubreuil is a member of the top three 200 medley relay teams on Clemson’s all-time best list. He also has a personal best of 57.68 in the 100 breast and a 2:06.55 in the 200 breast.

Garrett has a personal best score of 279.60 on the one-meter board and an all- time best score of 272.10 on the three-meter board. Garrett will most likely be unable to

participate in this year’s championships due to injury.

Rogers is also among Clemson’s all-time leaders. He is third all-time in the 50 free with a time of 20.17. Rogers is also ranked seventh in the 100 free with a time of 45.22. He was an All-ACC honoree last season in the 50 free event.

Tigers in the ACC Top Ten Eight Tigers are listed in the top ten in seven events entering the ACC Championships.

Will Rogers ranks in the top ten in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events. He is seventh in the 50 free with a time of 20.64 and is tenth in the 100 free with a time of 46.13.

German Martinez’ time of 50.60 in the 100 backstroke ranks ninth in the league. He is also fourth in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:49.84.

Mark Henly is currently third in the league in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:49.74.

In the 200 breastroke, Matt Norman is tenth with a time of 2:04.32.

Diver Craig Thomas is fifth in the one-meter event with a season-best score of 305.10. He also ranks third in the three-meter board with a score of 455.40.

Mike Harris is ranked fifth on the three-meter board with a score of 402.20 and Nate Spice is sixth (399.65). Jonathan Folds also ranks among the leagues’ best on the three-meter with an eighth-place score of 381.85.

Clemson’s All-Time Leaders Besides Clemson’s three seniors, one freshman, two sophomores and three juniors rank among Clemson’s all-time swimming leaders.

Mark Henly, a freshman from Denver, PA, is fourth all-time in the 200 back with a time of 1:49.74 and also ranks eighth in the 100 back (51.29).

Sophomore Gregor Govse, a native of Slovenija, is ranked fourth in the 200 breast with a time of 2:02.29. He also ranks sixth in the 100 breast (56.67).

Matt Norman, a sophomore from Vienna, VA, is fifth in the 100 breast with a time of 56.64

German Martinez, a junior from Cartagena, Columbia, is fifth all-time in the 100 back and the 200 back. He has a time of 50.60 in the 100 back and a time of 1:49.84 in the 200 back.

Junior Kenny Roberts, a native of Mahe, Seychelles, is a member of the second-ranked 400 free relay team.

Junior Matt Wilson, from Wilmington, DE, is second all-time in the 400 IM with a time of 3:54.36. He is third in the 200 IM (1:50.10) and ranks fifth in the 200 breast (2:03.02).

Tiger Freshmen The Tigers have eight rookies who have turned in top-three performances this season.

Ryan Cassella, from Cheshire, CT, also holds two third-ranked times. He is third in the 100 breast (58.71) and the 200 breast (2:08.63).

John Dean, from Raleigh, NC, is second in the 200 fly with a time of 1:52.81. He also ranks third in the 100 fly with a time of 51.88.

A native of Denver, PA, Mark Henly holds the top time in the 200 back (1:49.74) and is second in the 100 back with a time of 51.29.

Brent Hitchcock, from The Woodlands, TX, has also made an impact in the freestyle events, especially in the 200 and 500 free where he has the Tigers’ season-best times of 1:42.07 and 4:35.93, respectively. Hitchcock is also third in the 100 free with a time of 47.17.

A native of Fort Wayne, IN, Rob Kummer holds the top times in the 100 fly (50.66) and 200 fly (1:52.81).

Drew Scheerhorn, a native of Holland, MI, is third in the 50 free, 100 back and 200 back. His times are 21.32, 51.93 and 1:54.80, respectively.

James Stoffer, from West Chester, OH, is second in the 200 free (1:44.38) and 1000 free (9:44.05). He also ranks third in the 500 free (4:36.73).

Travis Taylor, a native of La Crescenta, CA, holds the top times in the 1000 free (9:35.44) and the 1650 freee (16:14.05). He also ranks second on the team in the 500 free (4:36.66).

Clemson at the ACC Championships Clemson has an all-time winning percentage of .356 (84-150-3) in ACC regular season contests. The Tigers are in search of their second ACC title, having won the meet in 1986. Clemson has finished second on six occassions and has been third four times. They own an all-time record of 84-150-3 against ACC schools and a 227-265-3 (.462) mark against all competition.

Clemson Under Bruce Marchionda Under seventh-year head coach Bruce Marchionda, the Clemson men’s swimming and diving teams have placed fourth once, fifth in four meets and were seventh once.

In 1995, Clemson finished fifth with 419 points and improved to fourth in 1996 with 467 points. They were fifth again in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Last year, the Tigers finished seventh with 274 total points at the ACC meet.

The Tigers boast an overall record of 41-30 in the last seven years and are 12-17 in ACC contests during that span. With Marchionda at the helm, Clemson has had three individual ACC Champions and five All-ACC honorees.