Nov. 19, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Arni Arnason won his second title and Yesim Giresunlu obliterated the ODU 1650 freestyle record on the final day of competition at the 2011 Nike Cup held at the Maurice J. Koury Natatorium on the campus of North Carolina.
The ODU men's swimming team finished sixth overall having accumulated 217 points in the 42 events. Host UNC won the Nike Cup with 1334 with the Naval Academy in second place with 752 points and Duke in third with 572.5 points.
On the women's side, the ODU women's swimming team also finished in sixth place collecting 315.5 points. The host Tar Heels claimed the Nike Cup title for the women with 1494 followed by Duke in second place with 628 points and South Carolina in third with 619 points.
Arnason, who yesterday won the 100 breaststroke title, also picked up the 200 breaststroke title with a NCAA "B" performance of 1:57.86.
Arnason was not the only ODU swimmer to earn a NCAA "B" cut time on day three action. Erla Haraldsdottier, who yesterday claimed the 100 breaststroke title, took sixth in the 200 breaststroke clocking with a "B" cut time of 2:15.98.
Joining Haraldsdottir in finals competition for the women was Kimberley Rashleigh in the 200 backstroke. Rashleigh, making her third finals appearance of the Nike Cup, posted a time of 1:59.54 to take sixth.
In the 1650 freestyle, the Lady Monarchs had three swimmers finish in the Top 16. Giresunlu smashed the previous ODU record in the event as she took third overall with a time of 16:45.98 resetting the previous Lady Monarch record of 16:49.12 set by Jamie D'Agostino in 1999.
Also featured in the 1650 freestyle for the Lady Monarchs was a 5th place finish by Danielle Naylor with a time of 16:51.71 and an 11th place showing by Laura Cemple with her time of 17:17.62.
On the men's side of the 1650 freestyle, the Monarchs had a duo place in the Top 16. Bernardo Figuredo placed eighth by hitting the wall with a time of 15:41.22 and Jason Brame took 14th with a time of 16:03.13.
Also swimming in finals action for the ODU men was Sidni Hoxha in the 100 free. Hoxha, making his second Nike Cup final, claimed seventh in the 100 free registering a time of 45.38.
As for the relays, the ODU men's 400 freestyle team of Arni Arnason, Andrew Crockett, Daniel Camozzo, and Sidni Hoxha swam their way to a seventh place finish clocking in at 3:04.02.
In the consolation finals, the Lady Monarchs had a pair swimming in both the 100 freestyle and 200 butterfly.
Emma Forbes placed ninth with her time of 51.96, giving her the sixth fastest time in ODU history in the 100 free, while Savannah Bowers came in 15th with her time of 53.19, the 10th fastest time in the Lady Monarchs logs.
In the 200 butterfly, Jessica Hubert recorded a time of 2:02.39 to take 10th and Ashley Luchsinger placed 14th with a time of 2:04.05 her personal-best and third fastest Lady Monarch time in the record books.
For the men, Jason Haigh swam in the consolation finals of the 200 breaststroke. Haigh placed ninth swimming to a time of 2:03.92.
The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to the pool at the US National Championships in Atlanta, December 2nd - 4th and will be at George Washington on December 3rd.
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 42
1. University of North Carolina - 1494
2. Duke - 628
3. South Carolina - 619
4. East Carolina - 388.5
5. Naval Academy - 365
6. Old Dominion - 315.5
7. North Carolina State - 61
8. James Madison - 27
Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 42
1. University of North Carolina - 1334
2. Naval Academy - 752
3. Duke - 572.5
4. South Carolina - 508.5
5. Harvard - 280
6. Old Dominion - 217
7. East Carolina - 214
8. North Carolina State - 40