HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Feb. 18. THE UNIVERSITY of Pittsburgh men and the Notre Dame women each captured its fifth consecutive BIG EAST Championship tonight at the 2001 BIG EAST swimming and diving championships, being held at the Goodwill Games Swimming Center.
The Panthers won the men's competition with 647 points, while St. John's finished second with 428 points. Virginia Tech took third place (417), Notre Dame placed fourth (385.5) and Rutgers rounded out the top five with 385 points.
The Pittsburgh men were led by Most Outstanding Men’s Swimmer Mike Grube,who claimed the 50 and 100 freestyle titles and swam on the Panthers’ record-setting 200 and 400 free relay squads. He established a new meet mark in the 50 free during the prelims, sprinting to a time of 19.87. Pittsburgh also got wins from Eric Limkemann (1,650 free), Randy
Gerternbach (200 breast) and its 400 medley relay team.
The St. John’s men finished second with victories by Michal Szapiel (500 free) and Danilo Perunovic (100 breast). Red Storm coach John Skudin was named Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year. Syracuse claimed six individual titles led by Djordje Filipovic’s wins in the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 IM. SU’s Josko Vucetic successfully defended his titles in the 100 and
200 backstroke. Miami diver Kyle Prandi captured both diving events en route to Most Outstanding Men’s Diver honors.
The Fighting Irish secured the women's competition with 672.5 points and Virginia Tech is the runner-up with 482 points. Rutgers finished in third (450.50), Villanova placed fourth (406) and Miami rounds out the top five for the women (391.5).
On the men's side on the final day of competition, Eric Limkemann, a freshman from Pittsburgh, took the 1650-yd freestyle title with an NCAA 'B' time of 15:19.08. Josko Vucetic of Syracuse won the 200-yd backstroke for the second consecutive year, finishing in an NCAA 'B' time of 1:44.43.
Pittsburgh's Mike Grube grabbed another crown with a 43.94 in the 100-yd freestyle. Pittsburgh took its third men's title of the night when freshman Randy Gertenbach finished the 200-yd breaststroke in an NCAA 'B' time of 2:01.41.
Djordje Filipovic of Syracuse is now a three-time 200-yd butterfly champion, winning tonight's race in a BIG EAST record time of 1:45.70. All three top finishers in the 200 fly swam NCAA 'B' qualifying marks. In the final event of the night, the 400-yd freestyle relay, the team from Pittsburgh broke the BIG EAST record (2:58.69) with a 2:56.56.
On the women’s side, Notre Dame was led by Kelly Hecking, who captured the 100 and 200 backstroke, establishing a new mark in the 100. ND’s Lisa
D’Olier swept the 100 and 200 butterfly. The Irish also posted wins in the 200 and 400 medley relay, racing to a record in the 400. Notre Dame head
coach Bailey Weathers earned Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year honors. League newcomer Virginia Tech made a splash, finishing second. The Hokies were paced by a win in the 50 free by Lindsey Tew and a victory in the 400 free relay.
U.S. Olympian Maddy Crippen of Villanova claimed Most Outstanding Women’s Swimmer accolades after winning the 500 free, 200 breast and eclipsing her own record in the 400 IM. Fellow Sydney Olympian Jenny Keim of Miami was named Most Outstanding Women’s Diver. She won the 3-meter event and took second in the 1-meter.
In the women's competition on Saturday, Erin McIntyre of Rutgers won the 1650-yd freestyle championship in a time of 16:30.36. The top seven finishers in the 1650 all finished in NCAA 'B' qualifying times. Kelly Hecking of Notre Dame won her second title of the Championships when she defended her 200-yd backstroke title with an NCAA 'B' time of 1:58.70.
Villanova swimmer Kristen Olson took the 100-yd freestyle crown with an NCAA 'B' time of 50.21. 2000 Olympian Maddy Crippen of Villanova captured another BIG EAST title when she posted a 2:14.33 in the 200-yd breaststroke. Notre Dame swept the top three spots of the 200-yd freestyle with freshman Lisa D'Olier placing first in an NCAA 'B' time of 2:01.17. The women from Virginia Tech won the 400-yd freestyle relay in an NCAA 'B' time of 3:23.28.
Men’s Standings
1. Pittsburgh 647
2. St. John’s 428
3. Virginia Tech 417
4. Notre Dame 385.5
5. Rutgers 385
6. Syracuse 366
7. West Virginia 287
8. Connecticut 244
9. Seton Hall 182
10. Miami 179.5
11. Villanova 150
12. Boston College 59
13. Georgetown 47
Most Outstanding Men’s Swimmer:
Mike Grube, Pittsburgh
Most Outstanding Men’s Diver:
Kyle Prandi, Miami
Men’s Diving Coach of the Year:
Julian Krug, Pittsburgh
Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year:
John Skudin, St. John’s
Women’s Standings
1. Notre Dame 672.5
2. Virginia Tech 482
3. Rutgers 450.5
4. Villanova 406
5. Miami 391.5
6. Pittsburgh 346
7. West Virginia 283
8. Syracuse 230
9. Connecticut 228
10. Boston College 124
11. St. John’s 94
12. Seton Hall 52
13. Georgetown 31
Most Outstanding Women’s Swimmer:
Maddy Crippen, Villanova
Most Outstanding Women’s Diver:
Jenny Keim, Miami
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year:
Randy Abbleman, Miami
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year:
Bailey Weathers
2001 BIG EAST MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONS
50 freestyle 20.06@ Mike Grube, Pittsburgh
100 freestyle 43.94 Mike Grube, Pittsburgh
200 freestyle 1:37.72 Kleyton Franca, West Virginia 500 freestyle 4:25.10 Michal Szapiel. St. John’s
1,650 freestyle 15:19.08Eric Limkemann, Pittsburgh
100 backstroke 48.10 Josko Vucetic, Syracuse
200 backstroke 1:44.43 Josko Vucetic, Syracuse
100 breaststroke 55.62 Danilo Perunovic, St. John’s
200 breaststroke2:01.41 Randy Gertenbach, Pittsburgh
100 butterfly 48.14# Djordje Filipovic, Syracuse
200 butterfly 1:45.70 Djordje Filipovic, Syracuse
200 IM 1:48.46 Djordje Filipovic, Syracuse
400 IM 3:57.37 Dustin Riley, Syracuse
200 medley rel 1:28.85*Rutgers
400 medley rel 3:17.11 Pittsburgh
200 free relay 1:19.62*Pittsburgh
400 free relay 2:56.56*Pittsburgh
800 free relay 6:43.75 West Virginia
1m diving 340.75 Kyle Prandi, Miami
3m diving 597.15 Kyle Prandi, Miami
* – BIG EAST Championship Record
@ – Grube established a meet record of 19.87 in the preliminaries.
# – Jaak Savvi of St. John’s established a meet record of 48.10 in the preliminaries.
2001 BIG EAST WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONS
50 freestyle 23.16 Lindsey Tew, Virginia Tech
100 freestyle 50.21 Kristen Olson, Villanova
200 freestyle 1:48.60*Samantha Caetano, Rutgers
500 freestyle 4:46.71 Maddy Crippen, Villanova
1,650 freestyle 16:30.36Erin McIntyre, Rutgers
100 backstroke 54.98* Kelly Hecking, Notre Dame
200 backstroke 1:58.70 Kelly Hecking, Notre Dame
100 breaststroke1:02.86 Allison Lloyd, Notre Dame
200 breaststroke2:14.33 Maddy Crippen, Villanova
100 butterfly 55.00 Lisa D’Olier, Notre Dame
200 butterfly 2:01.17 Lisa D’Olier, Notre Dame
200 IM 2:01.87 Marie Labosky, Notre Dame
400 IM 4:11.60*Maddy Crippen, Villanova
200 medley rel 1:43.11 Notre Dame
400 medley rel 3:41.66*Notre Dame
200 free relay 1:32.40*West Virginia
400 free relay 3:23.28 Virginia Tech
800 free relay 7:22.67 Rutgers
1m diving 305.35 Katie Beth Bryant, Miami
3m diving 542.10 Jenny Keim, Miami
* – BIG EAST Championship Record