University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Head to Minneapolis for NCAAs
March 22, 2011 | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 22, 2011
When the 2011 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships begin Thursday in Minneapolis, Minn., 11 Vols will represent the Big Orange.
Nine swimmers and two divers are set to compete for Tennessee in the championships as the Vols aim to improve on last year's 17th-place finish.
In the swimming pool, All-Americas Michael Christy, Brad Craig, Michael DeRocco, Ryan Harrison, Ricky Henahan, Anders Storvik and Ed Walsh all look to continue impressive NCAA performances. Jake Epperson and Samuel Rairden make their first appearance at the championships.
Craig (200 breast) and Harrison (200 free) enter the meet with the momentum of an SEC individual championship. DeRocco, with three years of NCAA meet competition under his belt, will look to add to his seven All-America honors.
Meanwhile, senior diver Michael Wright looks to punctuate a very successful Tennessee career with his first-ever trip to the NCAAs. The Forest Park, Ill., native didn't qualify in his first attempt and was not eligible in 2010 due to redshirt status, but like Craig and Harrison carries some momentum from an SEC 1-meter title.
Junior Ryan Helms makes his third consecutive NCAA championship appearance. The Moultrie, Ga., native boasts a career-best NCAA finish of 12th on the 3-meter during his freshman campaign.
Competition will begin Thursday at noon CST. Live results and live streaming video can be found at www.UTsports.com.
Players Mentioned
