Swimming and Diving in Third Place At Pittsburgh Invitational

Nov. 22, 2002

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Michigan State men's and women's swimming and diving teams are both in third place at the conclusion of the opening day of competition at the Pittsburgh Invitational on Friday, Nov. 22, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

On the men's side, the Spartans hold 182 points after the opening day of competition. They trail host Pittsburgh (482) and Teaxas A&M (312) and lead Connecticut (168) and Buffalo (54).

The women's team gathered 267 points and one first-place finish to also sit in the third place. Texas A&M leads the way with 367.50 points and Pittsburgh is second with 329.50. Behind MSU is Connecticut with 168 points and Buffalo with 54.

Freshman Rachael Hagerman (Goodland, Kan.) was the lone event winner for the Spartans during the first day. Hagerman concluded the preliminary round of the 50 freestyle in first-place and refused to relinquish her hold on the title in the finals, completing the race in 23.69.

Michigan State received second-place finishes from diver Stephanie Anisko (Mississauga, Ont.), who finished the one-meter diving event with a score of 244.75. Moving up one spot from the preliminary, Anisko was joined in the finals by teammate Dianna Anderson (Grosse Pointe, Mich.), who finished in sixth place with a 222.15.

Kate Duncombe (Erie, Pa.) and Tesla Hughes (Taft, Tenn.) each claimed a fifth-place finish, as Duncombe finished the 200 Individual Medley in 2:05.71 and Hughes ended the 500 freestyle in 4:59.95. Tammy Jones (Conyers, Ga.) finished the 200 IM right behind Duncombe, with a sixth-place time of 2:08.09.

On the men's side, Joe Brennan (Poway, Calif.) earned a second-place finish for MSU with a time of 4:32.57 in the 500 freestyle, vaulting up two places in the finals. Senior Nick DeFauw (West Bloomfield, Mich.) earned a sixth-place finish in the 50 freestyle with a 21.39. Patrick Sheahan-Stahl (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) earned points for the Spartans with a sixth place finish on the three-meter board, earning 395.60 points, while freshman Ian Clutten (Capetown, South Africa) finished 10th in the 200 IM (1:53.81).

Michigan State earned a pair of third-place times from both 200 freestyle relay squads. Hagerman, Alicia Copestick (East Liverpool, Ohio), Jones and Marsena Vranesic (Lebanon, Pa.) were the third fastest team on the women's side, finishing in 1:35.39. DeFauw, Patrick Saucedo (Jackson, Mich.), Nick Harley (Rockford, Mich.) and Mike Rigali (Naperville, Ill.) claimed third on the men's event with a time of 1:23.75.

Duncombe, Crissy Spaulding (Grand Blanc, Mich.), Jones and Copestick teamed up for a third-place finish in the 400 medley relay (3:50.79), while the men's quintet of Karl Sunryd (Molndal, Sweden), Clutten, David Sloan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Brennan earned a fourth-place time of 3:23.75 on the event.

The Spartans return to action tomorrow (Nov. 23) for the second day of competition at the Pittsburgh Invitational in Pittsburgh, Pa.