Jan. 15, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After a successful first half of the season, the Kentucky swimming and diving teams will return to the competitive waters on Saturday when the Blue and White travel to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face conference-foe Alabama to kick off the second half of its dual meet season.
UK enjoyed tremendous successes in the early portions of its 2009-10 schedule including the men knocking off perennial powerhouse Indiana and the UK women capturing the Tennessee Invitational crown.
Several of Kentucky’s athletes notched career-best times in the first-half of the season. Nine of Kentucky’s returning men scored collegiate best times during the early stages of the season, while three athletes emerged on UK’s all-time career top-10 lists.
Junior Tyler Reed led the veterans with two career-best marks which escalated his name among the record books. Reed now holds the third best time in school history in the 500-freestyle (4:20.89) and the sixth best mark in the 1000-freestyle (9:21.81). Sophomore Adam Twer posted the sixth-best clip in the 200-backstroke with a career-best time of 1:48.63 at the Tennessee Invitational in the event.
Freshman Travis Green found his name in the record books with two outstanding performances this fall. Green now holds the ninth best times in both the 500- and 1650-free events. Green charted a 4:27.74 time in the 500-free and a 15:44.67 time in the 1650-free.
On the women’s side, seven veterans clocked in career-best times in the first half of the season, while six women earned a spot on UK’s all-time top-10 lists.
Diver Lisa Faulkner made her presence felt immediately for the Wildcats. Faulkner emerged on UK’s all-time top lists in all three of her events. She now holds the fifth best score on the one-meter board (309.75), the sixth best mark on the platform (229.50), and the seventh best score on the three-meter (318.45).
Sophomore Claire Archibald posted the sixth best time in the 200-individual medley with a time of 2:03.76. Senior Casey Miller and sophomore Mandy Myers both nudged into the 10th spot in the 400-individual medley (4:26.61) and the 100-butterfly (55.88), respectively.
A pair of newcomers thrust themselves not only among the top performers on the team as freshmen, but among the top performers in school allure in just their first semester as collegiate athletes. Freshmen Megan Eppler and Trina Winsor both scored times that placed them among the all-time best at UK.Eppler scored the eighth best time in the 200-backstroke with a time of 2:00.43, and the ninth best time in the 100-backstroke with a time of 56.63 at the Tennessee Invitational. Winsor became UK’s top threat in the distance events this season with the seventh best time in school allure in the 1650-freestyle (16:49.69), the ninth best time in the 500-free (4:51.75) and the 10th best clip in the 1000-free (10:07.74).
The meet with Alabama will mark the first of three remaining dual meets prior to the Southeastern Conference Championships in February. Kentucky’s men are currently rated as the 17th best team in the country, while the women are just out of the top-25 with an overall ranking of 26. Alabama’s men are ranked No. 21 and the women No. 29.
The meet is slated for a 12 p.m. ET start time in Tuscaloosa. For the most up-to-date information regarding the Kentucky swimming and diving squads please visit UKathletics.com.
