University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
SEC Swimming Championships
STRONG DAY FOR SWIM VOLS AT SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS
February 09, 2007 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 9, 2007
The Tennessee men's swimming team capitalized Friday on the third day of the SEC Championships in Lexington, Ky. The Vols improved from a weaker performance earlier this week.
"We needed a catalyst this morning, and that came by the way of Stephen Fortney's 400 individual medley," UT head coach John Trembley said. "And again tonight in the same race, he improved his best time that he achieved this morning, which was also his best time. That performance fueled the Tennessee Volunteer fire."
Fortney took 12th-place in 3:55.93. Florida's Bradley Ally won the race in 3:45.82.
"In the 100 butterfly, it was great to see Octavio Alesi on the podium to receive the silver medal," Trembley said. "And it was nice to see Andrew Engle, Peter McVey and co-captain Travis Wright score as well."
The four contributed 29 points to the team effort. Alesi, Engle, McVey and Wright finished the race in 47.35(2nd), 48.37(11th), 48.94(12th) and 49.33(16th), respectively.
"We also had very impressive swims in the 200 freestyle," Trembley said. "Senior Chris Wary earned his varsity letter by scoring. Jim Dabney continues to swim great. And Nolan Morrell improved his previous best unshaven 200 freestyle by 4.1 seconds."
Morrell swam an impressive 1:36.94, finishing in 5th place. Dabney grabbed 12th-place and Wary trailed in 16th.
"In the 100 breaststroke, Jeff Sudbury swam his best unshaven time," Trembley said. "Co-captain Michael Russo also scored while Barry Murphy swam his lifetime best unshaven in 55.0."
Murphy led in 11th-place (55.08) and Russo followed in 16th (56.62). Sudbury stood by as an alternate in 18th-place.
"Stan Czarnecki scored in the 100 backstroke," Trembley said. "Both Michael Wolfe and Brad Boswell swam lifetime bests unshaven in the finals."
Wolfe swam a time of 48.31 (5th), Boswell a 48.62 (7th) and Czarnecki a 50.79 (14th).
"The final event of the meet tonight was the 400 medley," Trembley said. "The team of Wolfe, Murphy, Alesi and Morrell swam brilliantly in a time 3:13.15, which is incredible in that none of those swimmers have rested or shaved for this meet. They finished 3rd in that relay."
The Vols clocked in that race in 3:13.15, only four-one hundredths behind the second-place Florida Gators.
"We sit firmly in fourth-place as a team," Trembley said. "The swimmers were challenged this morning by the coaches, and they stood tall. We are very pleased with the results from today."
The Tennessee swimmers prepare for the finals day of competition tomorrow at the Lancaster Aquatic Center. Auburn still leads the competition, heading into the last day with over a 150 point lead over second-place Florida.
Players Mentioned
