Fourteen Tigers Advance to Championship Finals on Day Three

2/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming & Diving

Feb. 24, 2012

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Fourteen members of the University of Missouri men's swimming and diving team advanced to the championship finals in Friday morning preliminary action of the 2012 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships at the Mizzou Aquatic Center.

In the first event of the morning, two Tigers advanced to the championship finals of the 400 IM. Senior Yaniv Shnaider swam the second fastest time of the morning, 3:51.62, and freshman Mack Darragh finished in fifth with a time of 3:54.36. Freshman Connor Nolan earned a spot in the consolation finals with an 11th place finish in a time of 4:01.87.

In the 100 fly, freshman Neil O'Halloran clinched a spot in the championship finals with the fifth place finish in 48.18. Additionally, three Tigers moved on to the consolation finals: sophomore Jason King (9th place, 48.82), junior John Krause (12th place, 49.48) and junior Ryan Sellers (14th place, 50.32).

Freshman Eegan Groome posted the seventh best time in the 200 free to claim a spot in the evening's championship finals, as he swam the event in 1:38.51.

The Tigers had a strong showing in the 100 breast as five different swimmers moved on to the championship finals. Freshman Igor Kozlovskij, sophomore Mark Conroy and freshman Sam Tierney all posted NCAA `B' times as the trio swam 54.33, 54.97 and 55.01, respectively. Senior Michael Lopresti (55.68) and junior Joe Hladik (55.70) earned the final two spots in the championship finals.

Mizzou also took five of the eight championship spots in 100. O'Halloran led the way for Missouri with a 49.06, while Sellers (49.74), Hladik (49.85), senior Adam Abernathy (50.05) and freshman Robert Fish (50.15) also advanced.

Friday finals action starts at 5 p.m. at the Mizzou Aquatic Center.