Swimming, diving beat Pirates, Commodores over weekend
The Gamecocks defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores and East Carolina Pirates in Friday and Saturday’s home meet at the Blatt P.E. Center/Carolina Natatorium.
The women’s squad beat Vanderbilt, 187-122, and East Carolina, 180.5-140.5. The team finished the year with a 7-3 record, 2-2 in the SEC. The South Carolina women’s team had back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1994-95. Senior diver Courtney Forcucci placed first in the 3-meter springboard with a score of 351.38, while freshman Brooke Obeck had a personal best of 17:13.90 to win the 1,650-yard freestyle. Freshman Sara Columbus placed second in the same event with a career-best of 17:35.95.
The men’s team defeated East Carolina, 186-152. Vanderbilt does not have a men’s team. Continuing the success in distance events, junior Brooks Ross won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:29.78, while junior Matt Columbus came in second with a 9:33.24 and senior Dan Jackson in third with a 9:47.99. Junior Andrew Seiler won the 50-yard freestyle competition with a 20.94, his first victory in the 50-yard this season.
USC head coach McGee Moody was proud of his teams’ accomplishments over the weekend.
“We swam pretty well this weekend,” Moody said. “We were better on Friday night, but it’s hard to wake up early and swim your best.”
Junior diver Rylan Ridenour set the school record on the men’s 3-meter springboard with a score of 427.43 on Friday night, shattering the old record by 20 points held by Andy Bradley.
“I’ve come close to the record a few times before, but have always been off by a point or two,” Ridenour said. “It feels good to finally get that record, and not by just a point but by 20. I didn’t even know I broke the record until the end of the meet on Friday when they were calling the scores.”
Moody said Ridenour saved his best performance for the last regular season meet.
“That’s about as sharp as I’ve seen Rylan,” Moody said. “Todd Sherritt has had the divers working hard and doing well all season.”
Ridenour has qualified for NCAAs in the 1-meter and 3-meter events. Ridenour’s focus is on the SEC Championship for now, where he looks for revenge from last season’s meet at Tennessee.
“I would really like to do well at SECs,” Ridenour said. “There is a lot of pressure at the SEC Championship, but I ... thrive under the pressure. If there is any time to do well, it’s at SEC.”
The Gamecocks will rest for two and a half weeks and begin preparing for the SEC Championship in Knoxville, Tenn. Feb. 15-18.