Athens, Ga. - The Gardner-Webb men set 9 new school records and
had 11 swimmers earn All-CCSA honors over the weekend, earning a
third place finish at 2012 CCSA Championships.
College of Charleston (890.5) finished atop the men's team
standings. Davidson (884) was 2nd, and Gardner-Webb (717.5)
finished in 3rd place. VMI (338.5) followed in 4th, and Howard
(235) finished in 5th place.
GWU once again turned in a solid effort during Saturday
morning's prelims session, collecting 20 total finals swims and 12
in the Top 8.
In the 1650 Free, sophomore Sam Wilson earned All-CCSA honors with a 3rdd place
finish, achieving a personal best and new school record time of
16:00.95 in the event. The time marked the second school
record-breaking performance of the meet for the sophomore.
Senior Derek Gore added a 6th place finish for Gardner-Webb,
swimming a season best time of 16:26.39. Sophomore Tyler Nuss was 11th in a season best time of 16:51.09
for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Six Gardner-Webb swimmers made it back for the finals of the 200
Back. All-CCSA Sophomore Jordan Denmark led the way, recording a personal best
and school record time of 1:47.16 to finish 2nd in the event.
Sophomore Taft Kallam continued his strong meet with a 6th
place finish in a personal best time of 1:52.23 for Coach Simpson's
team.
Senior Samuel Woods finished 7th for the Runnin' Bulldogs,
touching the wall at 1:54.17. Woods timed in at a season best
1:53.01 during prelims of the event. Colin James won the consolation heat to finish 9th in
the event with a personal best time of 1:53.03.
Senior Chris Musco added a 10th place finish for the Runnin'
Bulldogs, racing to a season best time of 1:55.95 in the event.
Gore added a 14th place finish in 1:59.38 for GWU. The senior swam
a season best 1:57.90 during the event's prelims session.
In the 100 Free, Gardner-Webb got a 7th place finish from
sophomore Cole Hickey, who finished with a time of 47.09. The
five-time All-CCSA performer for 2012 recorded a personal best time
of 46.91 during prelims of the event.
Junior Mitchell Turner grabbed 11th place for GWU, finishing
in a season best 47.68 Freshman Zack Edgar followed in 12th, swimming a time of
47.76. Edgar recorded a personal best time of 47.73 in prelims of
the event.
In the 200 Breast, Senior Collin Burchins grabbed All-CCSA honors as well as a
new school record, finishing 2nd in a personal best time of
2:03.22. Junior Drew Ellwanger raced to his fourth All-CCSA
performance of the meet, placing 3rd in a personal best 2:04.13.
Burchins and Ellwanger turned in All-Conference times in both the
100 and 200 Breast over the weekend.
Sophomore Phil Leonard finished his breakout meet with a 5th
place showing in the event, turning in a personal best time of
2:08.08 to record his second Top 8 finish of the meet.
In the 200 Fly, Gardner-Webb sophomore Cody Meyers raced to a 5th place finish, recording a
personal best time of 1:53.90 to lead the Runnin' Bulldogs in the
event. Junior DJ Hughes finished 6th for GWU, touching in at
1:54.11. Hughes finished in a season best 1:53.57 in prelims.
Gardner-Webb closed the meet with a 3rd place showing in the 400
Free relay, finishing in a GWU season best time of 3:06.07. Hickey,
Leonard, Hughes, and Woods teamed up to record a top three time in
the GWU record books for the event.
Eleven different Runnin' Bulldogs earned All-Conference honors
at the 2012 CCSA Championships: Collin Burchins (100 and 200 BR), Jordan Denmark (100 and 200 BK, 200 IM, 400 Med.
Relay), Drew Ellwanger (100 and 200 BR, 200 Med. Relay, 400
Med. Relay), Cole Hickey (50 Free, 200 and 400 Med. Relay, 200 and
400 Free Relay), DJ Hughes (200 and 400 Med. Relay, 400 and 800 Free
Relay), Colin James (200 Free Relay, 200 Med. Relay), Taft Kallam (800 Free Relay), Phil Leonard (200 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay), Tyler Nuss (400 IM), Sam Wilson (500 and 1650 Free, 800 Free Relay), and
Samuel Woods (200, 400, and 800 Free Relay).
