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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, March 26, 2010

Swimming and diving: Surhoff, Texas take lead at NCAA Championships


Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Austin Surhoff and the Texas Longhorns used their depth to take the lead after the first day of the NCAA men's swimming and diving championships today.

Surhoff was Texas' only winner — he took the 200 medley relay — but the Longhorns had four other top five finishes for 145 points to 139 for California.

Florida (118) is third and defending champion Auburn fourth (114½). Texas, runner-up the past two seasons, won the last of its nine team titles in 2002.

Surhoff pulled away from midpoint leader Tyler Clary of Michigan to win in 1 minute, 42.95 seconds. Shaune Fraser of Florida was second (1:42.99).

"It's just crazy; I can't process winning, especially in the heat I was in," Surhoff said.

Conor Dwyer of Florida edged Arizona's Jean Basson by 0.01 to win the 500 freestyle in 4:13.64.

"It's a true honor to win a race with such great competition," Dwyer said. "My aim was just to go out and try to help us win some races."

Top-seed Josh Schneider of Cincinnati beat defending champion Nathan Adrian of California (18.93-19.02) in the 50 free.

"I'm overwhelmed with emotion," Schneider said. "I came here and did what I wanted to. I came in with the mindset."

Schneider is Cincinnati's first individual swimming champion since 1946.

"I told my teammates before that if I go out and race my best race the only person that can beat me is me," he said.

Adrian earlier swam leadoff for California's winning 200 freestyle relay (1:15:71) to edge Auburn and completed the night by anchoring the winning 400 medley relay (3:02.83) over Auburn again.

"It really feels good," Adrian said. "We came here to do our best, even if we came in somewhat as underdogs. Our team is really together. It feels great to accomplish what we did today."

Purdue's David Boudia, the 3-meter and platform champion last year, won the 1-meter title. He was second in the event in 2009.

"It feels awesome. It's not my strongest event, so I'm really pleased with how it went," he said.

The start of the meet was delayed 24 hours because of a gastrointestinal outbreak that affected 18 athletes and a coach from the University of Arizona, Stanford University and Texas.

Health officials examined the pool and surrounding facilities and determined they were not the cause. The three schools traveled to Columbus on the same plane and officials believe one or several travelers may have spread the illness.