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Wednesday March 7, 2001

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Arizona swimmers stripped of Pac-10 title

By Lindsey Manroel

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Wildcats lose conference trophy to Bruins

Two weeks after celebrating a second consecutive Pacific 10 Championship, Arizona's title reign has come to an abrupt end.

On Feb. 24, the UA women's swim team thought it had taken home another Pac-10 trophy. Yesterday, conference officials said otherwise.

The Pac-10 announced that UCLA had won the title outright due to a mathematical error.

"For official records, the 2001 Pac-10 Championship title will go to UCLA," said Dave Hirsch, the Pac-10's assistant public relations director. "It was an oversighted error in calculating the (dive) point total."

According to Hirsch, only the top eight diving scores were added in the meet's final tally, and though only the top eight divers advance to the meet's final round, points are awarded to the top 24 finishers - a calculation that was omitted from the meet's first tally.

After officials added the remaining ninth through 24th-place dive scores, the Bruins outscored the Wildcats, 1,338-1,289.5.

"I'm disappointed and not really sure how to react," UA head coach Frank Busch said. "(The swimmers) are awestruck and frustrated and would like another shot if its going to be taken away. It's a little bit embarrassing for the Pac-10."

Busch's swimmers agreed.

"UCLA gets the trophy, but they have to celebrate in silence," junior Jessamyn Miller said. "I just hope there's not weird tension or bad feelings between the two teams. It just doesn't seem fair for either team."

The Bruins now join the Wildcats as only the second team to defeat Stanford in the conference-deciding meet.

Prior to the Wildcats' win last season, the Cardinal had won every Pac-10 title since the meet's inception in 1987.