University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
ACC Men's Championships Finals
Wyher Captures Two Titles, Sets Two ACC Records At League Championships
February 26, 2010 | Swimming & Diving
Feb. 26, 2010
Complete Results |
Photo Gallery 
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heel men's swimmers and divers were led by two record-breaking first-place finishes by junior Tommy Wyher in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke Friday night in the 2010 ACC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships at Koury Natatorium. UNC had another strong day, maintaining their second-place standing after day three of the championship meet with 449.5 points. The University of Virginia remains in first place with 554.5 points. Florida State University is in third with 369 points.
"Tommy Wyher was spectacular tonight as a repeat double ACC champion," said UNC head coach Rich DeSelm. "He had an amazing evening and then a phenomenal split on the 400 medley relay and really broke it open for us."
Junior Tyler Harris was the top seed in the 400-yard individual medley after his preliminary time of 3:47.04, only two one-hundredths of a second ahead of Georgia Tech's defending ACC champion Gal Nevo. Harris touched in second place in the finals with a NCAA automatic qualifying time of 3:43.61. Harris' time was almost two full seconds below the previous Koury Natatorium pool record in the event and he was only nine one-hundredths of a second short of his own school record in the event.
Freshman Tom Luchsinger and junior Andy Brake were also in the championship heat of the 400 IM for the Tar Heels. Luchsinger was seeded sixth going into finals with a career best time of 3:51.03 and Brake was seeded seventh after touching in a time of 3:51.71. In the final, Brake moved up three places in the standings and finished in a career best time of 3:50.75 for fourth place. Luchsinger followed in sixth place in a time of 3:51.08. Junior Joe Kinderwater swam in the consolation heat of the 400 IM where he touched in 12th place overall with a NCAA "B" qualifying time of 3:54.03.
"I am certainly pleased with our 400 IMers," said DeSelm. "Tyler Harris nearly broke his school record set last year. Andy Brake had a best time and Tom Luchsinger was our third guy in that final which was big for us."
Junior Tommy Wyher was another Tar Heel top seed going into finals for the 100-yard butterfly. Wyher went a 46.21 in the morning session, which tied his career best time and UNC school record. Wyher went even faster at night and finished on the podium in first place for the second consecutive year in the event with a time of 45.57, a NCAA automatic qualifying time. Wyher also broke his own UNC school record, the ACC meet record and the conference record. He also broke the previous Koury Natatorium pool record of 47.33 set by Olympian Ricky Berens of Charlotte's South Mecklenburg High School in 2006.
UNC had three men qualify in the championship heat of the 200-yard freestyle. After prelims, sophomore Evan Reed was seeded fourth with a time of 1:36.73, followed in seventh by senior Hank Browning with a time of 1:37.40 and in eighth by sophomore Wil Singley with a time of 1:37.53. In the championship final, Reed finished the event in fourth place with a career best time of 1:36.32. Browning touched in a time of 1:37.46 for sixth place and Singley was just behind him in eighth place with a time of 1:38.35.
Junior Chip Peterson swam a career best time of 1:37.84 in prelims of the 200-freestyle and was seeded first in the consolation heat. Sophomore Steve Cebertowicz was not far behind, seeded second in the consolation heat with a time of 1:37.89. In the consolation final, Peterson and Cebertowicz tied for 10th place with both touching in a time of 1:37.98.
Junior Vinny Pryor competed in the championship heat of the 100-yard breaststroke for UNC. Pryor was seeded fifth after his morning time of 54.62. Pryor did even better in the championship final as he tied for fourth place with a career best time of 54.25. That time allowed Pryor to break his own school record of 54.35, which he set last year. Junior Flynn Jones swam in the consolation heat of the 100 breast after going a career best time in the morning of 55.05 seconds, a NCAA "B" qualifying time. In the consolation final, Jones finished in a time of 55.07 in 10th place.
Tommy Wyher again represented the Tar Heels as the No. 1 seed for his second event of the night in his best event, the 100-yard backstroke. Wyher was seeded first with a time of 46.93 after prelims.
Wyher claimed his fifth individual ACC championship in three years, winning this event for the third year in a row, by finishing with a time of 46.08, a NCAA automatic qualifying time. Wyher broke his own school record, the conference record and the ACC meet record in the process. He also broke the pool record of 46.72 set in 1991 by Martin Zubero of Florida.
Junior Josh Hafkin was seeded seventh in the championship heat with a time of 48.42 after the morning session. Hafkin finished in sixth with a time of 48.45, a NCAA "B" qualifying time. Junior Robert Grimmett-Norris swam his second event of the evening, competing in the consolation heat of the 100 back. Grimmett-Norris finished in a time of 50.00 in 16th place.
"This was a tough double for Tommy," said DeSelm. "But he is learning how to do it and he is among the best at doing it. There is always someone better and always someone chasing you, but Tommy's got it in him to win."
Wyher has claimed an ACC individual championship in the 100-yard butterfly two consecutive years and the 100-yard backstroke title three consecutive years. Wyher has broken a total of 10 records through day three of the ACC championship meet.
"It hurt a lot swimming that many races," said the two-time champion Wyher. "But I can't complain."
In three-meter diving, freshman Ryland Jones was a championship finalist, taking seventh place in the competition. Jones totaled 348.00 points.
UNC finished the night with the 400-yard medley relay. Josh Hafkin led off the relay with the backstroke leg in a season best time of 48.23. Vinny Pryor swam the breaststroke leg in a time of 53.68, followed by Tommy Wyher swimming butterfly in 45.37. Steve Cebertowicz anchored the relay in a time of 44.35. The Tar Heels finished in second place in a time of 3:11.63, a NCAA "B" qualifying time and a new UNC school record. The Tar Heels broke the previous school mark of 3:12.41 set in 2009 by Wyher, Pryor, Jason McLaughlin and Jeff James.
The final prelims session will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and will include the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, , 200-yard butterfly, and 200-yard breaststroke. The finals of the 1650-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay will be swum at night.
The Tar Heels enter the fourth day with 444.5 points. They are in position to potentially reach the 600-point total for the first time since the 2000 ACC Championships when Carolina finished in second place with 662.5 points.
Players Mentioned
