Tigers Post Strong second Day at Nike Cup

Nov. 16, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Tigers resumed action on Friday at the Nike Cup with strong performances in many events during the morning session, and were able to maintain the momentum heading into the finals. After the second day, the men are in 2nd place with 559 points, while the women are 3rd with 444 points.

Junior Michelle Parkhurst had an impressive morning, posting NCAA-B cuts in the 200 free (1:49.19) and the 100 back (55.44). In the nighttime session, she finished third in the 200 free, posting a 1:48.77, keeping her fifth in Clemson history. She also took first in the 100 back, posting a 54.53, only 0.04 seconds off her school record.

In the preliminaries of the 100 breast, Attila Ruszka, Andy Bergren, and Eric Lane finished first, third, and fourth, respectively. Lane’s time of 56.55 was the tenth-best time in Clemson history in the 100 breast. Ruszka and Bergren are both already on the all-time top ten list. In the finals, Ruszka took second, Lane third, and Bergren fourth.

Other highlights from the morning include three Tigers finishing in the top-5 in preliminaries in the 200 free, guaranteeing two top-four finishes in the event. Also, senior Adam Farnham swam the 100 fly in 49.38 to take fourth in prelims. Farnham finished fourth overall in the event. Also in the 100 fly, senior Stephen Russell moved to sixth on Clemson’s all-time list with a 48.99.

Sophomore Matt Angelini had the best time in the 400 IM in prelims, clocking in at 3:59.40, before finishing fourth overall in the event. The Tigers then placed three of the top six in the 200 free, led my junior Daniel Mengering and Brian Possee.

Sophomore Thomas Recko put in a career-best 51.44 in the 100 back.

The Nike Cup Invitational will conclude Saturday with the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay, and 1650 free. Results can again be found real-time at Tarheelblue.com.