Hokie ClubINDIANAPOLIS, Ind. –The Virginia Tech swimming and diving program tallied 11 points with three Honorable Mention All-America honors on the first day of the 2013 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships Thursday at the IU Natatorium. Diver Ryan Hawkins, the 200 freestyle and the 400 medley relay teams all scored and earned the honors. This marks the first time since 2006 that a male H2Okie relay team scored at the NCAA Championships.
Hawkins was the first to score for Tech on the opening day. After advancing to the consolation final with a score of 334.90, the junior secured 14th place with a score of 312.20 to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors and grab three points for the H2Okies.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Joe Bonk, Zach McGinnis, Emmett Dignan and Gregory Mahon added two points to the Tech total as it placed 16th with a time of 1:18.82. The quartet advanced off a time of 1:18.42, good for a 15th place.
McGinnis, Dignan, Mahon and Bonk teamed up again to close the night with a 14th-place finish in the 400 medley relay. The team swam a time of 3:09.83 to grab six points.
Freshman Michal Szuba was the only H2Okie swimmer to compete individually today. In his first ever NCAA Championship event, he placed 31st in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:20.28.
In addition to Hawkins, Logan Shinholser and Kyle Butts also dove for Tech in the 1-meter event. Shinholser tallied a score of 318.25 to miss the finals by two spots and take 18th, while Butts scored a 280.30 to take 30th.
Competition will pick back up for the H2Okies tomorrow starting with the prelims at 11 a.m., followed by the finals that will be aired on ESPN3.com at 7 p.m. Tech will compete in five events, including the 200 medley relay, 100 butterfly (Mahon, Morgan Latimer), 200 freestyle (Latimer), 100 backstroke (McGinnis), 3-meter (Shinholser, Hawkins, Butts) and the 800 freestyle relay.
Team Score through the First Day:
1. Michigan 153
2. California 123.5
3. Auburn 112.5
4. Southern Cali 100
5. Texas 99
6. Florida 97
7. Arizona 81
7. Stanford 81
9. Indiana 68
10. Georgia 34
11. Minnesota 26
12. NC State 24
13. Arizona St 23
14. Penn St 22
14. Ohio St 22
16. Purdue 19
17. Wisconsin 18
17. Louisville 18
19. Duke 17
20. Florida State 16
20. Missouri 16
22. Kentucky 15
23. Tennessee 12
24. Virginia Tech 11
25. UNLV 10
26. Iowa 8
27. Texas A&M 6
27. Utah 6
29. LSU 2