University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech Invitational
Tar Heel Swimmers Excel At Virginia Tech Invitational
February 4, 2012 | Swimming & Diving
Feb. 4, 2012
CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. - The University of North Carolina men's and women's swimming and diving teams turned in impressive performances on the opening day of the Virginia Tech Invitational at the Christiansburg Aquatics Center. UNC swimmers won six individual championships on the first day of the meet and sophomore Kyle Ficker moved into second place all-time in the 50-yard freestyle event as a Tar Heel.
Carolina's individual champions included freshman Brian Bollerman in the men's 400-yard individual medley, senior Sarah List in the women's 100-yard backstroke, senior Nuffy Swanson in the 100-yard butterfly, freshman John Paul Gaylor in the 500-yard freestyle, freshman Kim Carducci in the 50-yard freestyle and sophomore Kyle Ficker in the 50-yard freestyle.
Tar Heel freshman Brian Bollerman of Ridgefield, Conn., won the championship in the men's 400-yard individual medley in a career best time of 3:52.43. He took almost four seconds off his previous career best time of 3:56.32. That winning time also moved him into ninth place all-time in UNC annals in the event. Bryce Mendes and Jesse Mendes finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in 4:04.38 and 4:04.88. Bollerman also set a Christiansburg Aquatics Center record in the event, eclipsing the old mark of 3:56.57 by Taylor Grey of Virginia on January 11, 2012.
Carolina swimmers took the top two places in the women's 100-yard backstroke as senior Sarah List finished first in 55.27 seconds and freshman Kim Carducci was second in 56.28. That was a career best time for Carducci, beating the 57.43 mark she had at the 2011 Nike Cup. List went 55.04 seconds in the prelims to set the pool record in the event.
Senior Nuffy Swanson led a 1-2-3 finish for Carolina swimmers in the 100-yard butterfly as she won in a career best time of 54.48, almost a second faster than her previous career best of 55.33. Senior Laura Ruscoe finished second in 55.43 seconds and sophomore Danielle Jansen was third in 56.89. Swanson's time elevated her into the seventh spot all-time in the event in Carolina history. She also set the pool record in the event, breaking the old mark of 54.88 set by Virginia Tech's Heather Savage on January 21, 2012.
Freshman John Paul Gaylor was the individual champion in the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 4:28.95. Gaylor's previous career best was 4:30.65. He also set a pool record, beating the old mark of 4:29.46 set by Virginia's Jon Daniec on January 11, 2012.
Carolina swimmers won both of the 50-yard freestyle events. Freshman Kim Carducci won the on the women's side in a time of 23.63. In the prelims Carducci went a career best 23.61, .14 better than her previous best.
On the men's side, sophomore Kyle Ficker was the individual champion in 20.02 seconds. His previous career best was 20.41. That time of 20.02 moves him into second place all-time in the event in UNC history behind only Steve Cebertowicz. Ficker's time was also a pool record clocking.
Freshman Kim Carducci was UNC's top finisher in the women's 200-yard freestyle as she took second place in the championship final with a time of 1:50.88. In the men's 200-yard freestyle, sophomore Kyle Ficker finished third in the event with a career best time of 1:40.57, beating his previous career best by .42 of a second. UNC freshman Graham Williams won the consolation final in 1:41.45, beating his previous carer best of 1:42.78.
In the men's 100-yard backstroke, UNC freshman Clifton Gordon set a new career best in 49.45 seconds, while taking fourth place. That was more than a second faster than Gordon's previous career best time of 50.68. Junior Mike Mohr won the consolation final in 52.21 seconds.
In the men's 100-yard breaststroke, UNC swimmers finished 3-4-5 in the championship final as Walker Knop clocked a career best 56.70, Brian McClintock went 56.73 and Brian Bollerman swam a 56.85.
Clifton Gordon was the runner-up in the men's 100-yard butterfly in a time of 49.08 seconds. That time matches Gordon's previous career high.
Players Mentioned
