Syracuse University
at Nike Cup Challenge
Men's Swimming and Diving Finishes Sixth, Women Seventh at Nike Cup
11/22/2003 6:43:37 PM | Swimming / Diving
The Syracuse University swimming and diving team broke seven school records at the ninth annual Nike Cup Championship held at the University of North Carolina's Koury Natatorium Nov. 20-22.  On the final night of competition, senior Elyse McDonough broke her own school record in the 200 butterfly. Freshman Luk Boral shattered the school record in the men's 200 breaststroke with a time of 1:59.73 in the Super Finals.  He finished third overall on the last night of finals competition behind two swimmers from Tennessee. The  Volunteers won on the men's side with 971 points.  Syracuse was sixth with 287 points.  In second place was North Carolina (595 points), followed by Clemson (545 points), Virginia Tech (494 points) and Kentucky (414 points).  In seventh place after Syracuse was:  Kentucky (241 points), followed by Kenyon (135 points), North Carolina State (119 points) and East Carolina (69 points).
On the women's side, Syracuse was seventh with 239 points. Â The host Tar Heels were first with 884 points, followed by Michigan (748), Clemson (527), Virginia Tech (417), LSU (281) and Kentucky (280). Â After Syracuse, it was East Carolina (200 points) in eighth place, North Carolina State in ninth place (176 points) and Kenyon in 10th place with 124 Â points.
Senior standout Elyse McDonough set her eighth school record in the 200 butterfly on Saturday night. Â She placed second behind UNC's Kelly Weeks in the 200 fly with a school-record time of 2:00.15. Â It was also an NCAA "B" qualifying time.
All in all, Syracuse set seven new school records at this year's Nike Cup Championship.
McDonough set records not only in the women's 200 butterfly, but also in the 50 freestyle (23.70), the 200 IM (2:02.60) and the 800 freestyle relay (7:29.61).
Boral broke a 15-year-old school record in the 200 breastroke. Â He surpassed David Sargalski's time of 2:02.19 in the 200 breaststroke that was established in 1988. Â Boral earned a bronze medal at the Nike Cup in the 200 breaststroke.
Senior Spencer Raymond (Idstein, Germany/Singapore American School) also broke a Sargalski 15-year-old school record in the men's 100 breaststroke. Â Raymond was fifth in the men's 100 breaststroke with a time of 55.46.
Freshman Randi Beaulieu (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada/Cawthra Park H.S.) set a new school standard in the women's 100 backstroke. Â Her time of 56.63 in the finals was better than Branka Sustic's 1997 time of 57.24. Â
In addition to McDonough's lead-off in the 800 freestyle relay, freshman Vanessa Martinez (Maunabo, Puerto Rico/Notre Dame) and sophomores Kristi Westrich (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson H.S.) and Lisa Wittich (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph's) also helped set the new school record with a time of 7:29.61.
This is Syracuse's last competitive meet until January 17, when it  faces West Virginia at home.
Final 2003 Nike Cup Standings
Women
1. Â UNC 884
2. Â Michigan 748
3. Â Clemson 521
4. Â Virginia Tech 417
5. Â LSU 281
6. Â Kentucky 280
7. Â SYRACUSE 239
8. Â East Carolina 200
9. Â North Carolina State 176
10. Â Kenyon 129
Men's Final Team Standings
1. Â Tennessee 971
2. Â UNC 595
3. Â Clemson 545
4. Â Virginia Tech 494
5. Â Kentucky 414
6. Â SYRACUSE 287
7. Â LSU 241
8. Â Kenyon 135
9. Â North Carolina State 119
10. Â East Carolina 69
SU's Results from Saturday Night's Finals
Women's 1650 Freestyle: Â 5) Wittich 16:51.22 (NCAA B time), 20) Westrich 17:26.59. Â Women's 200 Backstroke: Â 21) Beaulieu 2:07.59. Â Women's 100 Freestyle: Â 19) Martinez 52.51. Â Women's 200 Breaststroke: Â 11) Mahi 2:21.79. Â Women's 200 Butterfly: Â 2) McDonough 2:00.15 (NCAA "B" time), 12) Wittich 2:06.86, 4th in consolation finals (Elisa James) 2:05.70. Â Women's 400 Freestyle Relay: Â 8th SU A (McDonough, Beaulieu, Wittich, Martinez) 3:30.83, 16) SU B (Clune, Wong, Westrich, Fong) 3:34.77.
SU Men's Results from Final Night at Nike Cup
Men's 1650 Freestyle: Â 17) Mugavin 16:09.02, 21) Harrison 16:32.77. Â Men's 200 Backstroke: Â 8) Persico 1:50.42, 4th in consolation finals: Â Schelling 1:52.68, 6th in consolation finals: Â Kertzscher 1:53.69. Â Men's 100 Freestyle: Â 11) Raymond 46.16, 12) Anstrom 47.16. Â Men's 200 Breaststroke: Â 3) Boral 1:59.73 (NCAA "B" time). Â 6th in consolation finals: Â Ackroyd 2:08.32. Â Men's 200 Butterfly: Â 7th in consolation finals: Â Clay Rehrig 1:53.80. Â Men's 3M Diving: Â 7) Schultz 381.75, 8) Campagna 347.30, 14) Rodriguez. Â Men's 400 Freestyle Relay: Â 8) SU A (Anstrom, Raymond, Caponera, Scott) 3:04.01, 18) SU B (Schelling, Matson, Persico, Boral) 3:08.54.
Saturday's Preliminary Recap: Freshman Luk Boral achieved an NCAA "B" qualifying time in the men's 200 breaststroke during the final day of preliminary races at the Nike Cup. The rookie shattered David Sargalski's 15-year-old school record in the 200 breaststroke with his time of 2:00.85. The old mark was 2:02.19 set in 1988. Boral finished fourth behind three swimmers from Tennessee. He will compete on Saturday night against the three Volunteers in the Super Final.
Other noteworthy accomplishments by SU swimmers included 12th and 13th place finishes by sophomores Rob Persico and Bobby Schelling in the men's 200-yard backstroke. Persico finished with a time of 1:51.22, while Schelling was right behind him at 1:51.86.
Senior Spencer Raymond was seventh in the men's 100 freestyle with a time of 45.64. Mike Anstrom was 10th with a time of 45.71.
Senior Kalei Mahi was 12th in the women's 200 breaststroke (2:22.27).
Senior Elyse McDonough hit an NCAA "B" qualifying time in the women's 200 butterfly with her time of 2:00.97. She finished second and will face her top competitor, UNC's Kelly Weeks, in the evening. Weeks won the prelim with a time of 2:00.90.
Syracuse's Day Three Preliminary Results
Women's 200 Backstroke: 17) Beaulieu 2:07.55, 27) James 2:10.68. 100 Freestyle: T17) Vanessa Martinez 53.00, 29) Clune 53.45, 35) Fong 53.57, 41) Wong 54.03, 46) Jansen 54.25. 200 Breaststroke: 12) Mahi 2:22.27. 200 Butterfly: 2) McDonough 2:00.97, 10) Wittich 2:05.78, T12) James 2:06.22, 41) Wong 2:13.50, 44) Clune 2:15.46. 200 Butterfly Swim-off: 1) Shelly Klaus from Clemson 2:05.06, 2) Elisa James from Syracuse 2:05.75.
Men's 200 Backstroke: 12) Persico 1:51.22, 13) Schelling 1:51.86, 17) Kertzscher 1:53.08, 24) Scott 1:53.99, 35) Polucha 1:56.43, 39) Gavan 1:59.13. 100 Freestyle: 7) Raymond 45.64, 10) Anstrom 45.71, 27) Caponera 46.71, 58) Evans 48.04, 69) Harrison 49.74. 200 Breaststroke: 4) Boral 2:00.85, 20) Ackroyd 2:08.54. 200 Butterfly: 20) Rehrig 1:54.35, 27) Matson 1:55.48, 28) Gavan 1:55.62, 32) Mugavin 1:57.16, 39) Evans 2:02.94.
