Tennessee Wins Princeton Invitational; Chereches Wins Platform at Bama Diving Invitational

12/3/2000

Swimmers at the Princeton Invitational

The seventh-ranked Tennessee swimming and diving squad wrapped up an impressive victory at the Princeton Invitational with another impressive performance on Sunday night. In a repeat of Saturday's action, the Volunteers finished first in each of the swimming events to total 16 wins in 17 events for the weekend. The Vols also set six DeNunzio Pool records on the weekend as they scored 1035 team points to finish ahead of host Princeton with 928 points.

For the meet, seniors Michael Gilliam and Chris Hussey headlined a long list of impressive performances as both set pool records with their wins in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle, respectively. The pair was also a part of all four relay wins that also set pool records. Multiple event winners for UT included Greg Simpson (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 00 backstroke), Gilliam (100 backstroke and 100 freestyle), Joel Shapiro (100 and 200 butterfly) and Jeremy McDonnell (100 and 200 breaststroke).

On Sunday, Brett Tannhauser opened the session with a victory in the 1650 freestyle by finishing the race in a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 15:25.34. Senior teammate Steve Cromer finished third with a time of 15:34.43, just missing the qualifying mark. Simpson finished ninth while freshman Evan Nylander was 13th in the event.

Simpson, no doubt tired from a ninth-place finish in the 1650 free minutes earlier, managed to win the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:47.92. UT junior Matt Parrish finished seventh in the event and sophmore Michael Gross was tenth.

Tennessee swept the top two spots in the 100 freestyle as Gilliam finished first with a season-best time of 44.01, just .04 off the pool record, and Hussey reached the wall in a time of 44.82. Both times provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships. Vol seniors Brent Owen and Lance Asti finished 5th and 6th, respectively, while mile-winner Tannhauser came in 15th.

Another one-two finish followed in the 100 breaststroke as McDonnell reached the wall in a season-best time of 2:03.79. Sophomore Ben Brink finished second with a time of 2:04.11, also a season-best.

Shapiro kept the momentum in UT's favor with a win in the 200 butterfly. The senior reached the wall in a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:47.51. Senior Zane DeWitz finished fourth in the event and was followed by freshman Jamie Graves in fifth, sophomore Jason Baxter in seventh and Parrish in 14th.

The Volunteers ended the meet in exemplary fashion by claiming the top two spots in the 400 freestyle relay. The quartet of Gilliam, Hussey, Owen and Asti took first place with a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:57.16. The second Vol foursome to touch the wall included McDonnell, Tannhauser, Simpson and Parrish.

Divers at the Bama Invitational

At the Bama Diving Invitational, Gabi Chereches won the platform diving event with a score of 536.55 to wrap up a clean sweep for the Vols at the meet. Sophomore Jake Dorsey finished third in the event. Chereches won the three-meter event on Friday while teammate Shannon Roy won the one-meter event on Saturday. Sunday, Dec. 3

1650 Freestyle
1. Brett Tannhauser	UT	15:25.34
2. Kevin Volz	PU	15:25.48
3. Steve Cromer	UT	15:34.43
9. Greg Simpson	UT	16:04.00
13. Evan Nylander	UT	16:15.23
200 Backstroke
1. Greg Simpson	UT	1:47.92
2. Jefferson Moors	BU	1:49.36
3. Mark Liscinsky	AU	1:49.44
7. Matt Parrish	UT	1:51.13
10. Michael Gross	UT	1:52.20
100 Freestyle
1. Michael Gilliam	UT	44.01
2. Chris Hussey	UT	44.82
3. Eugene Botes	PSU	44.99
5. Brent Owen	UT	45.75
6. Lance Asti	UT	45.78
15. Brett Tannhauser	UT	46.78
200 Breaststroke
1. J. McDonnell	UT	2:03.79
2. Ben Brink	UT	2:04.11
3. Dominick Szabo	AU	2:05.40
200 Butterfly
1. Joel Shapiro	UT	1:47.51
2. Juan Valdivieso	PU	1:48.20
3. Craig Wales	PU	1:50.01
4. Zane DeWitz	UT	1:51.10
5. Jamie Graves	UT	1:51.80
7. Jason Baxter	UT	1:52.91
14. Matt Parrish	UT	1:54.11
400 Freestyle Relay
1. Tennessee	**2:57.16	?
(Gilliam, Hussey, Owen, Asti)
2. Tennessee	3:00.86	?
(McDonnell, Tannhauser, Simpson, Parrish)
3. Brown	3:02.56	?
Final Team Scores
1. Tennessee	1035	?
2. Princeton	928	?
3. Brown	649	?
4. Penn State	402	?
5. American	398	?
6. Villanova	170	?
Bama Diving Invitational
Platform Diving
1. Gabi Chereches	UT	536.55
2. Caesar Garcia	AU	520.00
3. Jake Dorsey	UT	338.50

University of Tennessee Athletics