Men's swim takes fourth place at Pac-10 Championships


By Allison Hamila
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, March 7, 2005

The No. 8 Arizona men's swimming and diving teams took fourth place in the three-day Pacific 10 Conference Championships this weekend in Long Beach, Calif. with a score of 450 points

The men finished behind No. 9 Southern California (579 points), No. 4 California (882) and No. 2 Stanford, who took first place with 932.5 points.

The Wildcats took second place Saturday in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team of juniors Lyndon Ferns, Simon Burnett, freshman Gerhard Zandberg and sophomore Adam Ritter finished in 2:52.85, a qualifying time for the NCAA Championships on March 24-26.

Junior Tyler DeBerry finished fourth in the 1650y freestyle competition in 15:15.39.

Freshman Nick Thoman took seventh in the 200y backstroke, and sophomore Nate Rothman finished ninth.

Ferns finished fourth in the 100y freestyle in 43.06, and freshman Gerhard Zandberg took 10th.

Junior Dave Rollins finished ninth in the 200y breaststroke.

Many Wildcats also ended with NCAA qualifying times.

Burnett finished the 200y freestyle event with a time of 1:34.70, and Ferns ended the 100y butterfly in 46.30.

Some NCAA consideration times were posted as well.

Freshman Ivan Barnes posted a time of 55.45 in the 100y breaststroke

Freshman Matt Biel finished the 500y freestyle in 4:25.84.

Burnett posted two consideration times in the 50y freestyle (19.84) and in the 100y freestyle (44.44).

DeBerry posted two consideration times in the 500y freestyle (4:23.80) and in the 200y freestyle (1:37.37).

Ferns also had consideration times in the 100y freestyle (43.93) and the 50y freestyle (20.04).