Feb. 2, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri women's swimming and diving team could not have planned it any better. Not only did the Tigers cap off a perfect 9-0 season on Saturday with a 168-55 victory over Evansville, the Mizzou women found out that they are now ranked No. 25 in the country by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. The national ranking marks the first time in school history that a Missouri swimming team has been nationally ranked.
Everything went right for the Missouri swimming and diving program on Saturday at the MU Natatorium. The men's team also knocked off Evansville by a score of 138-65 to finish the regular season with a 4-3 record. On a day when the Tiger senior class was recognized for their last home meet of their careers, three of the four seniors won individual events on the day.
Molly Vetter, the school record holder in the 200 freestyle, competed for the final time in her career in front of the Missouri fans and won the event in a time of 1:55.54. Vetter led a Missouri 1-2-3 sweep in the event. Sophomore Lizza Igoe finished second (1:56.45) followed by freshman Lindsay Palbykin. Palbykin later went on to win the 100 freestyle in a time of 53.81.
Senior Tara Brooks was also victorious in her final home meet of her career. Brooks won the 50 freestyle in a time of 24.69. Brooks, who holds school records in two relay events, was also a part of the winning 200 freestyle relay.
On the men's side, senior Shane Whildin helped lead the Tigers to a victory in the 200 medley relay, and then went on to win the 100 butterfly in a time of 50.54.
The Missouri Tigers dominated the meet from start to finish. The Missouri women swept the top three places in the 1000 freestyle, led by a solid performance by junior Katy Chandler, who won the race in a time of 10:22.34. Sarah Stowe and Molly Christensen finished second and third respectively.
Freshman Josh Boyd, who broke the pool record in the 1650 freestyle on Friday night, came back to win the 1000 freestyle on Saturday in a time of 9:43.24. Boyd also won the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:41.12. Boyd won all four races he competed in over the weekend. Freshman Blake Davis finished in second place in both the 1000 and 500 freestyle events on Saturday.
Freshman Justin Zeimetz continued to roll in the 50 freestyle on Saturday with a winning time of 21.58. Tyler Belanger finished just behind Zeimetz with a time of 21.66.
The Missouri women swept the top three places in the 400 individual medley, led by freshman Megan Morford, who won the event in a time of 4:32.94. Fellow frosh Belinda Wood came in second followed by junior Leslie Hoh. In the men's 400 IM, sophomore Dustin McKnight won his first career collegiate race with a time of 4:07.89.
Other winners for the Tigers on the women's side were freshman Becca Dawson (58.24) in the 100 butterfly, junior Ellen Cross (58.96) in the 100 backstroke, junior Sarah Stowe (5:13.85) in the 500 freestyle, and freshman Mariona Costa (1:05.27) in the 100 breaststroke. Costa led the Tigers to a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 breaststroke, with Tiffany Bohon finishing second and Sarah Lo in third.
Other winners on the men's side included sophomore Tyler Belanger in the 100 freestyle (47.34), junior Radu Miclaus in the 100 backstroke (51.81), and freshman Matt North in the 100 breaststroke. North, along with Dan Knudson and Chris Musfeldt, swept the top three places in the 100 breaststroke.
In the diving competition, freshman Anna Massey became the third Missouri women's diver to qualify for NCAA Zone competition. Massey won the one-meter competition with a score of 260.40. She came in second place behind teammate Amanda Maret on the three-meter board, but earned her qualifying mark with a score of 271.88. Senior Erin Wilke competed for the last time at the MU Natatorium by placing second on the one-meter board and third on the three-meter.
Junior Jamie Sweeney was the lone competitor in the men's diving competition.
Both the men's and women's teams will begin training this Monday for the 2002 Big 12 Championships held in College Station, Texas beginning Feb. 20.