University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Tar Heels Send Comfort Out A Big Winner
January 27, 2007 | Swimming & Diving
Jan. 27, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In the final dual meet of North Carolina head coach Frank Comfort's 39-year head coaching career, the University of North Carolina men's and women's swimming and diving team made absolute sure they sent him out a winner with dual meet wins over Maryland at the Maurice J. Koury Natatorium. Comfort, who was the head coach at Johns Hopkins for nine years prior to spending the last 30 years at UNC, finished with an overall men's and women's record of 578-173-2. Comfort has won more dual meets in college swimming history than any other coach.
The Tar Heel men vanquished the Terrapins 204-90 while the UNC women were victorious 205-83.
It was the final home meet at Koury Natatorium for 16 UNC senior swimmers and divers. The men included Wade Baccich, Robbie Bittner, Aaron Burns, Jon Fox, Ben Grafchik, Jared Kleber, Stewart Norman, Adam Schauer and Paul Weir. The women were Erin Cutrell, Meagan Eickman, Lauren Karatanevski, Bridget Kimmel, Marissa Nilon, Emily Reardon and Becky Smock.
Fittingly, several of the seniors won individual events in their final home meets, led by senior breaststroker Aaron Burns who swept the men's 100- and 200-yard races in 57.98 and 2:08.67. Senior diver Jon Fox won the one-meter diving event with a score of 333.30. Senior Jared Kleber was the individual winner in the 100-yard butterfly, touching in 50.45.
On the women's side, senior diver Lauren Karatanevski, a native of Toronto, Onatrio who was saluted with the playing of O Canada during senior introductions, edged out teammate Laura Filip to win the one-meter diving with 287.85 points. Senior Meagan Eickman was a winner in the 100-yard backstroke as she clocked a 57.62.
On the women's side, sophomore Whitney Sprague was a two-event winner in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles. Junior Ryan Funderburk set a school record in the meet for a dual meet diving score on the three-meter board, compiling a staggering 399.38 points. Sophomore Hank Browning won a pair of events, taking home the 1000- and 500-yard freestyles.
Other two event winners were freshman Jason McLaughlin in the 200-yard butterfly and 400-yard individual medley, junior Keith Laabs in the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and freshman Alison Clemens in the 100-yard breaststroke and 400-yard individual medley.
North Carolina finished its men's regular season with a 5-3 record and a 4-1 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heel women are 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. This marks the 14th time in Comfort's career that his women's team has finished undefeated in ACC dual meet competition.
The meet was the final dual competition of the season for Carolina. The women will host the ACC Championships February 14-17 and the men will host the ACC Championships February 21-24. Maryland closes its dual meet season at Virginia on February 3 at 1 p.m.
WOMEN'S FINAL SCORE: No. 18 NORTH CAROLINA 189, MARYLAND 83
Event Winners
200-Yd. Medley Relay--Maryland (Natalie Ferdinand, Sasha Malanina, Gigi de Toll, Yelena Skalinskaya), 1:45.95
1000-Yd. Freestyle--Andrea Lehner (MD), 10:05.75
200-Yd. Freestyle--Whitney Sprague (UNC), 1:51.32
100-Yd. Backstroke--Meagan Eickman (UNC), 57.62
100-Yd. Breaststroke--Alison Clemens (UNC), 1:05.36
200-Yd. Butterfly--Lindsey Marck (UNC), 2:04.34
50-Yd. Freestyle--Yelena Skalinskaya (MD), 23.66
One-Meter Diving--Lauren Karatanevski (UNC), 287.85
100-Yd. Freestyle--Andrea Lehner (MD), 51.41
200-Yd. Backstroke--Ashley Howard (UNC), 2:02.65
200-Yd. Breaststroke--Kelly Woodruff (UNC), 2:23.06
500-Yd. Freestyle-- Whitney Sprague (UNC), 4:53.95
100-Yd. Butterfly--Jen Vogel (MD), 56.67
Three-Meter Diving--Erika Matheis (UNC), 298.65
400-Yd. Individual Medley--Alison Clemens (UNC), 4:26.43
200-Yd. Freestyle Relay--North Carolina (Sarah Scott, Aubrette Biegel, Kimmy Davis, Sarah Stankavage), 1:34.64
Dual Meet Records: North Carolina 8-1, ACC 5-0; Maryland 6-4, ACC 3-2
MEN'S FINAL SCORE: No. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 204, MARYLAND 90
Event Winners
200-Yd. Medley Relay--Maryland (Dong Kim, Eric Cullen, Aleksandar Damjanic, Danny Gray), 1:32.49
1000-Yd. Freestyle--Hank Browning (UNC), 9:24.13
200-Yd. Freestyle--Philip Owen (UNC), 1:41.62
100-Yd. Backstroke--Keith Laabs (UNC), 51.31
100-Yd. Breaststroke--Aaron Burns (UNC), 57.98
200-Yd. Butterfly--Jason McLaughlin (UNC), 1:52.13
50-Yd. Freestyle--Danny Gray (MD), 20.60
One-Meter Diving--Jon Fox (UNC), 333.30
100-Yd. Freestyle--Zach Swartz (UNC), 46.62
200-Yd. Backstroke--Keith Laabs (UNC), 1:51.96
200-Yd. Breaststroke--Aaron Burns (UNC), 2:08.67
500-Yd. Freestyle--Hank Browning (UNC), 4:33.56
100-Yd. Butterfly--Jared Kleber (UNC), 50.45
Three-Meter Diving--Ryan Funderburk (UNC), 399.38
400-Yd. Individual Medley--Jason McLaughlin (UNC), 4:04.13
200-Yd. Freestyle Relay--Maryland (Dong Kim, Danny Gray, John Closs, Ryan Greene), 1:23.42
Dual Meet Records: North Carolina 5-3, ACC 4-1; Maryland 2-8, ACC 0-5
