Gardner-Webb Men's Swimming Sets School 400 Medley Relay Record on Day One of CCSA Championships
February 22, 2013 | Swimming
Athens, Ga. - A school record from the GWU quartet of Jordan Denmark, Drew Ellwanger, Matt Anderson, and Nathan Lile highlighted a day one that ended with the Runnin' Bulldogs in third place in the men's team standings with two days of competition remaining at the 2013 CCSA Championship meet.
Gardner-Webb tallied 217 points on day one, currently standing in third place behind Davidson (265.5) and College of Charleston (227.5).
The Gardner-Webb men opened the night with a third place finish in the 200 free relay. Anderson (21.11), Lile (20.49), Brandon Searle (20.77), and Cole Hickey (20.34) earned All-Conference honors, teaming up for a time of 1:22.71.
In the 500 free, freshman Luke Denman (Greenville, S.C.) led the Runnin' Bulldogs with a fourth place finish, racing to a time of 4:34.07 during finals of the event. Denman achieved a personal best time of 4:33.55 during prelims of the event.
GWU's Andy Watts (Sarasota, Fla.) moved up in finals to take fifth place in the event. The freshman closed fast to record a time of 4:36.18, just off his season best time of 4:34.81 achieved in prelims of the event.
Junior Sam Wilson also moved up in finals to take seventh with a time of 4:37.93. The New Bern, N.C. native swam a season best 4:36.99 during event prelims.
The Runnin' Bulldogs' strong event continued into the consolation heat, where freshmen Tate Warden (Charleston, W.Va.) and Nathan LIle (Waynesville, N.C.) moved up to take the top two spots, ninth and tenth, in season best times of 4:35.16 and 4:35.35 respectively. Junior Taft Kallam (Randleman, N.C.) added a 13th place showing (4:39.03) in the event after recording a time of personal best 4:38.37 in prelims.
In the 200 I.M., Jordan Denmark (Raleigh, N.C.) earned All-Conference honors with a second place finish, racing to a season best time of 1:49.81. Denmark's performance marks the sixth individual All-CCSA performance of his collegiate career.
Senior D.J. Hughes (Snellville, Ga.) also recorded a Top 8 finish for Gardner-Webb, taking seventh place with a time of 1:54.31. Hughes achieved a season best time of 1:53.58 during prelims.
GWU collected the top three spots in consolation finals of the event, led by junior Phil Leonard's personal best time of 1:53.60. Sophomore Brandon Searle (Melbourne, Fla.) followed in tenth place after finishing in a personal best 1:54.18, and junior Cody Meyers (Mobile, Ala.) closed fast for a personal best time of 1:54.55 and an eleventh place finish
Senior Tyler Nuss (Hamilton, Ohio) added a 14th place finish in the event with a finals time of 1:56.74. Nuss achieved a personal best time of 1:55.55 during prelims of the event to qualify for finals.
Gardner-Webb occupied the sixth and seventh spots in the 50 free, thanks to personal bests from Cole Hickey (Charlotte, N.C.) and junior Matt Anderson (Fortaleza, Brazil). Hickey raced to a time of 21.14 during finals, a season best for the junior, and Anderson swam 21.23 in finals of the event.
Anderson achieved a personal best time of 20.97 prelims.
In the Consolation heat, sophomores Colin James (Greensboro, N.C.) and Joe MacGregor (Brooksville, Fla.) took 12th (21.52) and 13th (21.56) in the 50 free. The pair achieved season bests of 21.47 and 21.30, respectively, during prelims.
Senior Drew Ellwanger (Newborn, Ga.) finished 15th (22.14) in the 50 free, tacking on points for GWU. Ellwanger swam to a season best time of 22.02 in prelims of the event.
In the night's final event, Gardner-Webb set a new school record in the men's 400 medley relay. Denmark (50.29), Ellwanger (55.37), Anderson (49.12), and Lile (45.19) teamed up to finish in 3:19.97, second best in the event and tops in GWU history.
The Runnin' Bulldog men resume competition tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.
| Day One Results |
