Feb. 22, 2006

Results

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Two meet records and one league record fell on the first day of competition at the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, which ended Wednesday with Virginia holding a narrow lead over second-place Florida State at Maryland's Campus Recreation Center Natatorium.

The Cavaliers, who have won the last seven ACC titles, accumulated 70 points to sit in first place after the first two events of the weekend. Florida State is second with 66 points, while NC State is a close third with 62. Clemson and North Carolina are tied for fourth with 58 points, and are followed by Virginia Tech (56 points), Georgia Tech (52), Maryland (50), Duke (36) and Boston College (28).

Virginia started the meet by winning the 800 free relay for the seventh consecutive year. The Cavaliers' Pat Mellors, John Millen, Stefan Hirniak and Fran Crippen teamed to touch in 6:27.16, good for an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. The time also broke Virginia's own ACC meet record, which it set at last year's championships.

Virginia Tech finished second in the 800 free relay, with Gus Calado, Zac Czaplicki, Scott Beard and Tom Alberi combining to turn in a time of 6:30.55, also an NCAA B standard. Florida State finished third in the event, also in B standard time, with Ed Denton, Stephan Connor , Steve Roof and Carl Marais touching in 6:30.95.

North Carolina (fourth, 6:32.55) and Georgia Tech (fifth, 6:37.09) also turned in NCAA provisional qualifying marks.

NC State won the 200 medley relay in a league- and meet-record time of 1:26.88, erasing its own records in both. Kevin Valleca, Dan Velez, Steve Cowling and Cullen Jones teamed to post the NCAA provisional time, taking more than half of a second off its previous conference mark of 1:27.46 and giving the Wolfpack a win in the event for the second straight year.

Florida State was second in the 200 medley relay, with Ian Powell, Billy Jamerson, Joel Roycik and Alex Kennon touching in an NCAA provisional time of 1:27.80. Clemson's Joel Johnson, Attila Ruszka, Mark Vahle and Brian Regone took third in 1:28.51, also an NCAA B time.

Virginia (fourth, 1:28.54) and North Carolina (fifth, 1:29.16) also posted NCAA B standards.

The ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships resume Thursday, Feb. 23, with preliminaries starting at 10 a.m. and finals beginning at 7 p.m.

Team Standings
Virginia (70 points)
Florida State (66)
NC State (62)
Clemson (58)
North Carolina (58)
Virginia Tech (56)
Georgia Tech (52)
Maryland (50)
Duke (36)
Boston College (28)

Event Winners
Wednesday, Feb. 22
800 Free Relay - Virginia (Pat Mellors, John Millen, Stefan Hirniak and Fran Crippen) (6:27.16^)
200 Medley Relay - NC State (Kevin Valleca, Dan Velez, Steve Cowling, Cullen Jones) (1:26.88^*)

^ Meet record
* Conference record

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