LEXINGTON, Ky.? The University of Kentucky men?s and women?s swimming and diving teams will resume their seasons Saturday, when they travel to Columbus, Ohio, to dual with Ohio State.
Kentucky is coming off a 43-day hiatus. Their last competition was against Indiana in Lexington where Kentucky?s women pulled off an upset over their border state rival by defeating Indiana for the first time since the 1999 season, while the top-15 ranked Hoosier men escaped the Lancaster Aquatic Center with a 186-114 win.
UK?s women?s squad used a two-win performance out of both Heather and Jenny Bradford, while also riding the wave of a sweep on the boards to defeat the Hoosiers handedly.
The diving portion of the meet saw both Kentucky divers senior Kari Retrum and freshman Jessie Snowden win an event. Retrum claimed first place on the one-meter board with a season-high score of 293.03. Snowden placed second in the event with a mark of 285.30. The ladies traded places on the three-meter, with Snowden eclipsing her teammate with a score of 314.55. Retrum scored 306.98.
Kentucky?s 200-medley relay team began the meet off with a bang. UK claimed first in the relay event behind the incredible anchor leg swim from Jenny Bradford. The race was close headed into the final leg, but the senior used a 21.84 unofficial split time to pull the home squad ahead with a time of 1:43.13. Joining her were seniors Jill Southerlan, Lindsay Myhre and Heather Bradford.
Bradford then led the way in the individual races as well, topping the field in two events and then earning a second place finish in the 200-individual medley with a career-best time. Bradford took the 100- and 200-free in times of 51.29 and 1:51.60, respectively. She then placed second in the 200-IM to lead all Wildcat scorers in a career-best, and UK sixth best time of 2:05.62.
Heather Bradford also notched two wins in the individual races, claiming the 50-free and 100-butterfly. Bradford used season high times in winning both events. Her first place swim in the 50-free clocked in at 23.18, while the 100-fly timed out at 55.15.
The Wildcat men were led by freshman diver Stephen Andrews who achieved career best scores on his way to winning both the one-meter and three-meter events and a double-dip victory in the relay events.
Andrews began the scoring for the Wildcats, taking both of the boards. He notched a score of 358.27 on the one-meter and 352.95 on the three-meter. Both scores are career-bests, but keep him in third and sixth in the UK record books, respectively.
On the swimming side, UK began with a victory in the 200-medley relay behind junior Shane Eliason, senior Will Vietti, junior Warren Grobbelaar, and sophomore Eric McGinnis. The quartet eclipsed the field with a time of 1:29.81, the best of the season for the men. The men then won the 400-free relay. Sophomore Alex Forbes, McGinnis, Grobbelaar and freshman Tyler Reed scored a 3:00.24 time to take the event.
Kentucky and Ohio State?s men are meeting for the first time since 1999, prior to that UK and the Buckeyes had met for six consecutive seasons with Ohio State winning all six meetings. On the women?s side, UK and Ohio State meet for the first time since 1997. The Lady Wildcats hold a 3-1 all-time record against Ohio State under Head Coach Gary Conelly.
Ohio State will endure a two-meet stretch in less than 24 hours. The Buckeyes will face Wright State Friday night prior to meeting with the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.
Complete coverage of the UK men?s and women?s swimming and diving meet against Ohio State can be found at www.ukathletics.com.
