University Southern California Trojans
No. 4 Men's Swimming Travels to Indianapolis
June 21, 1999 | Men's Swimming & Diving
March 23, 1999
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's swimming and diving team (6-1 overall, 3-1 in the Pacific-10 Conference), the fifth-place finisher at the NCAA Championships a year ago and currently ranked No. 4 in the College Swimming Coaches Poll, travels to Indianapolis this week to compete at the 1999 NCAAs on Thursday through Saturday (March 25-27). Preliminary events begin each day at noon and finals begin at 7 p.m. each evening (times are CST).
LAST YEAR AT NCAAs - USC finished fifth at the 1998 NCAA Championships at Auburn with 220 points, its highest result since taking fourth in 1991. Stanford finished first with 599 points. Lenny Krayzelburg finished second in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes and Bela Szabados took second in the 200 free, his time of 1:34.36 good for a school record. Justin Dumais finalled in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard, taking sixth in both events. USC also finished fourth in the 800 free and 400 medley relays and was fifth in the 200 medley relay.
USC SUPERLATIVES - USC Coach Mark Schubert has built a talented men's squad that is teeming with national and international-caliber swimmers, many of whom will be competing for either the U.S. or their respective countries following the conclusion of the collegiate season. Senior All-American Mike Williams and sophomore All- American Philippe Demers will swim for the U.S. at the World Short Course Championships in April, as will seniors Bela Szabados (Hungary) and Mark Kwok (Hong Kong). Sophomore Gabe Woodward and freshman Mark Warkentin will both compete for the U.S. at the World University Games and sophomore All-American diver Justin Dumais will compete at the World Cup Championships.
OLYMPIC ACHIEVEMENT - USC Coach Mark Schubert, in his seventh year at Troy, will serve as the head coach for the U.S. men's team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. It is his sixth consecutive USA Olympic coaching position. (Schubert's wife, Joke, will be the head manager for the U.S. contingent in Australia, as well.) Mark Schubert was an assistant coach at the 1996 Atlanta Games. He served as the 1992 USA women's Olympic head coach, guiding the American women to two gold medal relay world records, four additional American records and an impressive world-leading 14 medals, including five gold. In January of 1998, he served as assistant coach for the U.S. women's team at the World Championships in Perth, Australia.
BRET AWBREY - Coming off of two consecutive All-American seasons, 1998-99 junior Bret Awbrey is one of the Pac-10's top butterflyers and distance freestylers and has finalist potential in all three events that he'll be competing in at the 1999 NCAAs (500 free, 200 free, 200 fly). At the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, Awbrey took fourth in the 200 fly (1:47.04), fifth in the 200 free (1:37.55) and just missed the finals of the 500 free, finishing ninth (4:25.10). The latter two times were both personal bests. He was also part of USC's championship-winning 800 free relay (he swam second). Awbrey finished seventh in the 200m fly (2:02.27) at the 1998 Fina World Cup meet at Texas A&M and took eighth in the same event at the 1998 U.S. Open in 2:01.36. He also took 10th in the 400m IM (4:22.86) at the U.S. Open.
LEONARDO COSTA - A first-year Trojan, sophomore Leonardo Costa is Troy's top backstroker and a contender to score points in both the 100 and 200 back at the 1999 NCAA Championships. Costa, who transferred to USC this season and began competing in the spring semester, reached the finals in both the 100 and 200 back at the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, taking sixth (49.07) and fifth (1:44.78), respectively. Both times are season bests and USC bests.
PHILIPPE DEMERS - One of the most improved swimmers in the Pac-10, Philippe Demers is blossoming as a 1998-99 sophomore. A versatile swimmer who is dangerous in any stroke, he is capable of scoring in all three of the events he will compete in at the NCAAs (200 IM, 200 free, 200 fly). He won his first career conference title at the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, winning the 200 fly in 1:45.62. Almost as impressive was Demers' third-place showing in the 200 free (1:36.21), less than a second off of teammate Bela Szabados' winning time. Demers, who also competed in the 200 IM, swam the third leg of USC's Pac-10-winning 800 free relay team. Demers will compete at the World Short Course Championships in April of 1999.
JUSTIN DUMAIS - An All-American caliber performer, 1998-99 sophomore Justin Dumais is one of the top college divers in the nation and will challenge for NCAA titles in both springboard events. For the second consecutive year, Dumais swept all three specialties at both the 1999 Pac-10 and Zone E Championships. At the Pac-10s, Dumais, who fought through an injury-plagued season, posted conference records in each event. He finished with 597 points in the 1-meter, 658.05 in the 3-meter and 823.95 in the platform. At the Zone E meet, Dumais had 523.80 in the 1-meter, 557.50 in the 3-meter and 607.95 in the platform. He will compete at the World Cup Championships in 1999.
RYOSUKE IMAI - A skilled breaststroker and a native of Japan, 1998-99 sophomore Ryosuke Imai is one of USC's top performers in this stroke in recent years. He has USC's top time in the 200 breast (1:57.81) and only one person (Ray Looze, 1990) in USC history has swum faster in the event. Imai's time of 55.08 in the 100 breast is the second best for USC this year and puts him fourth on the all-time list in the event. At the Pac-10s, Imai reached the finals of the 200 breast, taking seventh (2:00.19), and took 11th in the 100 breast (56.25). He also finished 12th in the 200 IM (1:50.05). At the 1998 U.S. Open, Imai finished second in the 100m breast (1:00.89) and fifth in the 200m breast (2:14.27). At the 1998 Fina World Cup at Texas A&M, he finished third in the 200m breast (2:13.13) and sixth in the 50m breast (28.69).
NICK KASCHIK - A 1998-99 freshman, Nick Kaschik is a versatile swimmer who has excellent scoring potential in all three events in which he will compete at the 1999 NCAA Championships (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 back). At the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, Kaschik posted a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 200 IM (1:48.06) and the 400 IM (3:52.26) and also took 10th in the 200 breast (2:01.75). Kaschik enters the NCAAs with USC's top time in the 200 IM (1:47.96) and its second fastest time in the 400 IM (3:51.01). At the 1998 U.S. Open in December, Kaschik finalled in the 200m IM, taking eighth in 2:04.75. He also finished 12th in the 400m IM (4:24.13) and 20th in the 100m breast (1:04.53).
MARK KWOK - Mark Kwok, who holds numerous records in Hong Kong, is a national-level swimmer in the middle- distance free, IM and 200 fly events. The 1998-99 co-captain, coming off a superb junior campaign, looks to continue his point-scoring efforts at the NCAA level as a senior. At the 1999 Pac-10s, Kwok posted a pair of sixth-place finishes in the 500 free (4:24.46) and the 200 fly (1:47.95) and finished 10th in the 400 IM (3:55.17). He also led off USC's winning 800 free relay team. He will compete for Hong Kong at the World Short Course Championships in April of 1999.
SLAWEK RICHTER - A talented breaststroker with loads of potential, 1998-99 sophomore Slawek Richter will look to be a point scorer at his first-ever NCAA Championships. Richter has already had an impressive sophomore year, posting a school record in the 100 breast in 54.56 at the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, which was good for second place. Richter also took fourth in the 200 breast (1:59.32, USC's second fastest time this year) and 18th in the 200 IM (1:49.52, USC's third fastest time this year). All of his Pac-10 performances were personal bests. At the 1998 U.S. Open, Richter took 23rd in the 100m breast (1:05.94) and 24th in the 200m IM (2:09.67).
BELA SZABADOS - A former NCAA title holder in the 200 free and a two-time Olympian, 1998-99 senior Bela Szabados is one of the top freestylers in the nation and has the potential to final in the 100, 200 and 500 free at the NCAAs. He will also continue to be an integral part of the Trojan relay teams. He posted his third consecutive conference title in the 200 free at the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, swimming a 1:35.36. He finished second in the 500 free (4:19.37) and sixth in the 100 free (44.19) and also anchored USC's winning 800 free relay team. Szabados had a fantastic showing at the 1998 U.S. Open, winning the 400m free (3:46.33) and taking second in the 200m free (1:47.43). He also finished ninth in the 100m free (49.57). Szabados will compete for Hungary at the World Short Course Championships in April of 1999.
MARK WARKENTIN - One of the top prep mid-to-distance freestylers in the country last year and a talented sprinter as well, 1998-99 freshman Mark Warkentin gives USC scoring potential in the freestyle and other events as he looks to make his mark at the NCAA level. Warkentin made his presence felt at the 1999 Pac-10s, taking second in the 400 IM (3:50.30), fourth in the 500 free (4:23.16) and ninth in the 1650 free (15:29.97). His times in the 1650 free and 400 IM are USC's top times in those events. Warkentin made two finals appearances at the 1998 U.S. Open, taking sixth in both the 400m free (3:55.50) and the 1500m free (15:29.96). He also placed 14th in the 400m IM (4:26.47) and 21st in the 200m free (1:52.76). He will compete for the U.S. at the 1999 World University Games.
MIKE WILLIAMS - Mike Williams, a 1998-99 senior co-captain, is a major contributor for Troy in both the free and fly sprint corps. At the 1999 Pac-10 Championships, Williams posted a fourth place in the 100 fly (47.73). He also finished ninth in the 50 free (20.37) and 16th in the 100 free (45.49). Williams owns USC's top times in the 100 fly (47.47) and the 50 free (20.34). Williams will compete at the World Short Course Championships in April of 1999.
GABE WOODWARD - A talented freestyler, 1998-99 sophomore Gabe Woodward will look to post scoring contributions at his first NCAA Championships. Woodward, an up-and-coming sprinter, finished fourth at the 1999 Pac- 10s in the 100 free (43.60), ninth in the 200 free (1:38.51) and 18th in the 50 free (20.53). Woodward's 100 time is USC's fastest this season and his 20.45 is USC's second fastest in the 50 free. His times in the 50, 100 and 200 (above) are all personal bests. At the 1998 U.S. Open, Woodward had a pair of 11th-place finishes in the 50m free (23.03) and the 100m free (50.58). He will compete for the U.S. at the 1999 World University Games.
