March 26, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Kentucky men’s swimming and diving team enjoyed a fantastic start to the 2010 NCAA Championships with the 200-freestyle relay placing fifth in the nation, and three UK swimmers among the top-16 in the 50-free to highlight the first day of competition. Seniors Alex Forbes, Warren Grobbelaar and Eric McGinnis scored top-16 finishes in the 50-free, while classmate Kyle Greene joined the trio in the top-five finish in the relay event.
The Wildcats added incredibly valuable points when the trio of seniors placed in the top-16 in the country in the 50-free. Forbes, Grobbelaar and McGinnis all earn individual All-America honors in the event for the first time in their careers in the 50-free.
Forbes placed 14th with a time of 19.76. He set a career-high time in the event in the qualifying rounds with a clip of 19.61. Grobbelaar tapped in 15th with a 19.78 clip. His 19.56 time in the preliminary heat is also a career-best mark. McGinnis rounded out the scoring with a 16th place finish and a time of 19.85.
The Wildcats shattered the previous school record with a 1:17.26 time in its fifth-place tap in the 200-free relay. The previous record stood at 1:17.48 which was set in 2005.
McGinnis opened the race for the Wildcats and charted an opening clip of 19.57. Forbes was second with a time of 19.20. Grobbelaar took the third leg and clocked in with a time of 19.17. Greene anchored the race and tapped in at 19.01.
Greene and Elvis Burrows also competed in the 50-free today. Greene placed 30th with a time of 19.88, and Burrows placed 33rd with a tap of 19.90 and a season-best mark.
Junior Tyler Reed was the final athlete in action today and he touched in 37th in his first individual event of the meet with a 4:23.41 finish in the 500-freestyle.
Kentucky capped off the night by scoring 34 points on the opening night of competition. The Wildcats stand in 10th place after six events on the schedule and trail the host Ohio State Buckeyes who scored 46.5 points.
Each day of competition will see preliminary heats begin at Noon ET each morning with the finals set for a 7 p.m. ET start time. Live results and video is available through NCAA.com.
For the most up-to-date information regarding the Kentucky swimming and diving squads please visit UKathletics.com.
Friday, March 26200-Medley Relay100-Butterfly (Burrows, Grobbelaar)200-Freestyle (Greene, Reed)800-Freestyle Relay
Saturday, March 27100-Freestyle (Burrows, Forbes, Greene, McGinnis, Reed)400-Freestyle Relay
