March 26, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – On the first night of competition at the 2009 NCAA Championships the Kentucky men’s swimming team earned a top-10 national finish in the 200-freestyle relay to highlight the day for the Wildcats.
The UK quartet comprised of juniors Eric McGinnis and Kyle Greene, senior Shane Eliason and junior Elvis Burrows acquired All-America honorable mention honors in their ninth place finish. The team touched in a season-best time of 1:17.74, improving upon their preliminary time of 1:17.77 when they earned the 11th seed of the meet.
In the “B” final the Kentucky squad out-touched the other remaining seven schools which included earlier season opponents in LSU and Virginia.
McGinnis took the first leg of the heat and earned a split time of 19.59–which is a career-best time for the junior. Additionally it is just off of Tim Patrick’s 19.58 school record time by one-one hundredth of a second.
Greene took the second leg with a time of 19.31, followed by Eliason’s 19.67 finish. Burrows took the anchor leg and clocked in with a split time of 19.17. Kentucky finished ahead of Southern Methodist who placed 10th in a time of 1:18.09.
For the ninth place finish Kentucky earns 18 points on day one of the Championships. McGinnis and Eliason both earn the third All-America distinction of their careers, while Greene and Burrows capture their first All-America honor in their careers.
Kentucky had a number of athletes competing as individuals in today’s start to the NCAA Championship run–including five for the first time ever as an individual in the 50-freestyle.
Sophomore Tyler Reed was the first to take to the pool as an individual in the 500-freestyle for the first time on the national scene. Reed scored a 33rd place finish in the event with a season-best clip of 4:21.32. The time just misses his career-best time of 4:21.26 set as a freshman. Reed will also compete in the 100- and 200-free. As a freshman he scored an All-America honor as a top-16 finisher in the 200-free.
McGinnis was the top finisher for the Blue and White in the 50-free, just missing a chance to compete as one of the top-16 contenders. McGinnis touched in 21st overall with a time of 19.53. This was his first time among the field of individual competitors as well–and he will be back in action in the 100-free later in the meet.
Greene put on a performance of a lifetime scoring a career-best time of 19.68 in his 28th place finish. The time moves him into fourth place all-time on UK’s career record list. He will also take to the pool in the 100- and 200-free.
Forbes placed 45th overall with a time of 19.95, followed by sophomore Colin Faris’ 48th place when he clocked in a time of 19.99. Burrows rounded out the UK field placing 57th overall with a time of 20.11. Forbes and Burrows will return to the pool as a part of the 100-butterfly field.
Complete coverage of the Kentucky men’s swimming and diving team at the NCAA Championships can be found by visiting UKathletics.com. For complete information regarding the national meet please visit www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/swimming/men/
