USC Swimmers Thriving at Nationals
June 21, 1999 | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 31, 1999
LOS ANGELES - USC All-Americans and senior co-captains Lindsay Benko and Karen Campbell both posted second-place finishes and USC records on the fourth day of the 1999 U.S. Spring Nationals at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in Long Island, N.Y., on Wednesday (March 31).
Joining Benko and Campbell in championship finals were senior Bela Szabados and freshmen Kristin MacGregor and Mark Warkentin. In addition former Trojan Lenny Krayzelburg, who completed his NCAA eligibility last year but still trains under USC Coach Mark Schubert with the Trojan Swim Club, won the 100m backstroke in 54.77, his second win of the meet.
Benko, who won the 200m freestyle and finished second in the 100m free, finished second in the 400m on Wednesday in 4:11.05, breaking her own USC record. The old mark was 4:14.71, set at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials. Benko finished second to Diana Munz (4:10.67).
Campbell also broke her own USC record with her 1:00.24 in the 100m butterfly. Campbell, whose old mark was 1:02.91, finished second to Misty Hyman (59.63).
Warkentin and Szabados, both of whom earned All-American honors at the recently completed NCAAs, each finalled on the men's side of the 400m free. Warkentin finished fourth in 3:55.51 and Szabados was eighth in 3:59.21.
MacGregor finished fourth in the 100m breaststroke, swimming a 1:11.37. Junior Hillary Biscay was 77th in the event in 1:17.63.
Sophomore Slawek Richter reached the consolation finals of the men's 100m breaststroke and won the race in 1:04.62 (ninth overall). He swam a 1:05.09 in prelims.
Junior Bret Awbrey reached the bonus consolation finals of the 100m fly and took 21st in 56.54. He swam a 56.03 in prelims. Awbrey also swam a 4:04.03 in prelims of the 400m free (24th).
Other USC finishers included Melissa Pavlik (4:29.33, 56th) and Liah Kim (4:31.69, 68th) in the women's 400m free; Bret Awbrey (4:04.03, 24th), Joel Everman (4:07.02, 29th) and Joe Curreri (4:10.33, 44th) in the men's 400m free; senior David Taylor (1:06.02, 30th) and junior Harvey Beckwith (1:06.49, 34th) in the 100m breast; and junior Emily Ayers (1:04.50, 41st) in the 100m fly.
