March 30, 2002

ATHENS, Ga. – University of Kentucky junior diver Clayton Moss scored 534.40 points in the platform finals to finish sixth and sophomore Joey Faltraco clocked a 1:44.33 in the 200-yard backstroke consolation finals to place 11th as competition concluded on Saturday, March 30 at the 2002 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the University of Georgia campus. UK tallied 50 points to finish 16th in the nation, the highest finish ever for a Wildcat squad.

Moss, who had placed second on the one-meter and fifth on the three-meter earlier during the championships, became the first UK swimmer or diver to claim All-America honors in three different events in the same year. The sixth-place finish on the platform was also the highest finish of his three-year career at the NCAA Championships, bettering his 10th-place finish from the 2000-01 season. Miami (Fla.) senior Imre Lengyel won the event with a score of 620.25.

Faltraco, who had placed sixth in the 200-yard backstroke as a freshman at South Carolina, clocked a school-record 1:43.96 in the preliminary round to break his own record by 1.37 seconds and advance to the consolation finals. His 11th-place finish marks the first time a Kentucky swimmer earned honorable mention All-America honors in the backstroke. Stanford sophomore Markus Rogan won the event with a time of 1:41.14

Junior Roger Watkins rounded out the UK competitors by placing 31st in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:01.13.

UK’s 50 points was three-points shy of the Wildcats record of 53, which was set last season. Last year???sup>TMs 17th-place was the previous best showing for the Swim Cats. Texas won the championship with 512 points for its third straight national title.

NCAA Champions and UK Finishes200-Yard Backstroke1. Markus RoganSOStanford1:41.1411. Joey FaltracoSOKentucky1:44.33

200-Yard Breaststroke1. Brendan Hanson SOTexas1:52.8831. Roger Watkins JRKentucky2:01.13

Platform Diving1. Imre LengyelSRMiami (FL)620.256. Clayton MossJRKentucky534.40

Team Scores1. Texas 512 pts2. Stanford 5013. Auburn 365.5 16. Kentucky 50

-UK-