March 2, 2009

ANTEATERS CONCLUDE TEAM SEASON: The UC Irvine men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams concluded the team season Saturday night at the Big West Championships. UCI will next send five divers to the NCAA Zone ‘E’ Diving Regionals in Oklahoma City March 12-14.

Junior Eric Nugent (Whittier/La Serna HS), sophomore Miles Smith (Carmichael/Capital Christian HS), junior Melanie Grosvenor (Mission Viejo HS), freshman Carissa Lewis (San Clemente HS) and senior Rachel Pearson (Van Nuys/Taft HS) will represent UC Irvine at the Regionals.

BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS REVIEW: The Anteaters won a total of eight Big West titles and had a total of 10 athletes earn All-Big West honors at the Big West Championships. The men finished 3rd and the women too fifth at the meet. Senior Randall Tom (Wailuku, Hawaii/Seabury Hall) had the top performance at the Big West Championships as he automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with a record-breaking time of 45.73 in the 100 fly. Tom also won the 200 fly title with a record-breaking ‘B’ cut time of 1:53.63.

On the women’s side, junior diver Melanie Grosvenor (Mission Viejo HS) won both the one-meter (267.85) and the three-meter (277.60).

TOM LEADING THE WAY:  Randall Tom qualified for the NCAA Championships and has qualifiying times in the 100 fly (45.73), the 200 fly (1:43.63), the 100 breast (54.50) and the 200 IM (1:46.52). This will be the second time Tom has represented UCI at the NCAA Championships and the third year in a row that UCI will be represented.

Tom has been named Big West Swimmer of the Week twice this season. He has now won the award seven times in his career.