Eight members of the 22nd-ranked Kentucky men?s swimming and diving team head to East Meadow, N.Y., this week for the 2004 NCAA Men?s Swimming and Diving Championships. The action runs Thursday through Saturday at the Goodwill Games Aquatic Center.
Representing Kentucky are senior Fernando Barros, juniors Jerram Chudleigh, Daniel Cruz, Clay Gasparovich, Tim Patrick and Mario Rodriguez and sophomores Daniel Farnham and Steven Manley. The Cats are looking to improve upon the team?s 17th-place showing at the 2003 NCAA Championships.
Kentucky is set for day-one competition in the 200-meter freestyle relay, 400-meter freestyle, 50-yard freestyle and one-meter diving events. The Kentucky 200 relay team enters the NCAAs with the nation?s 12th-fastest time at 1:18.99. UK took 13th place in this event a year ago. Manley figures to be a contender in the 400-meter freestyle after placing second in the 500-yard freestyle event at last month?s SEC Championships and 26th at the 2003 NCAA Championships. His time of 4:19.95 is the ninth-fastest time recorded in the country this season.
Rodriguez makes his NCAA debut in the one-meter diving event Thursday after a serious knee injury cut short his 2003 sophomore season. The native of Mexico City has big shoes to fill, as former Wildcat Clayton Moss placed third on the one-meter a season ago.
No fewer than three Wildcats are slated for the 50-meter freestyle event. Farnham, Gasparovich and Patrick each scored in this event at the SEC Championships, though they?ll be forced to overcome a deep field to do the same on Thursday. Former Wildcat Roger Watkins was Kentucky?s lone representative in this event a year ago.
UK Coach Gary Conelly notes the contrasting means of preparation between conference and NCAA Championship meets.
?In general, we try to approach the NCAA meet much like the SEC Championships. However, the athletes perceive the meet much differently,? Conelly said.
?The entire team doesn’t go, and that makes it a little more difficult for those who go. There is a sense of team, but there also is a very strong sense that it is an individual effort.?
Though weary of the challenges ahead, Conelly anticipates strong Kentucky showings in New York this week.
?If everything goes well, we could finish in the top 15. If the women’s meet was any indication, the men have their work cut out for them. I am expecting fast times, so our men will have to show some significant drops if we are going to do well.?
On Friday, a number of Wildcats will take part in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle relay and three-meter diving events. Kentucky also is slated for competition in Saturday?s 200-meter butterfly, 400-freestyle relay and platform diving events.
