The Florida swimming and diving team took care of business this weekend as both the men’s and women’s team captured their fifth consecutive title at the All Florida Invitational. The men’s squad won pretty handedly with a final score of 1,395 with Florida State coming in second with 923. While the women held a strong lead throughout the weekend, they had to stand off a tough California squad, led by four-time Olympic gold medalist winner Missy Franklin. UF finished with a score of 956 with Cal finishing behind them at 861.
“It’s just the beginning of the season,” coach Gregg Troy said. “It’s nice to know where you’re at, it’s always good when you win. A lot of good races this weekend.”
Some of the standout swimmers from the weekend from the men’s side were junior Corey Main and senior Matt Elliot. Elliot won the 200 yard individual medley while also claiming the 100 yard and 200 yard breaststroke. He also was part of two relay first place finishes for the Gators. Main captured both the 100 and 200 yard backstroke along with the 50 yard freestyle. He also contributed to four of the five total relays won by the men’s team.
“I’m just focusing on taking each session and each day as it comes,” said Main. “My teammates helped me along the way and I am happy with the results.”
After winning five straight invitationals, Main touched on why his team has been so successful at this event.
“It’s just our depth...ya know just having a lot of teammates to back you and it comes out in training and in races and just having those teammates makes you better.”
Junior Natalie Hinds led the women’s group with three individual titles (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly) and contributing to two relay victories. Part of her competition was going up against former Olympian Missy Franklin and Hinds spoke on what it was like having Franklin a part of this event:
“Obviously going up against Missy Franklin is an honor..she’s so good,” said Hinds. “For myself, I just have to block all that out. We all just do the same thing... I just gotta stay in my own lane and that’s what I told my teammates. We’re all going against the whole team and I just wanted to make sure we all kept our heads on straight, staying in our lanes and staying focused.”
For coach Dale Schultz and the diving team, it was an emotional event to say the least after the tragic passing of coach Donnie Craine last spring. But as for the competition this weekend. Schultz was pleased at we he saw from his bunch.
“I was happy with the divers overall...the whole group of them,” said Schultz. I was really happy with Delaney Dye and Emily Mosher. Overall I was happy with the freshman...and the boys today, we’re doing a lot of different things we haven’t done before in our training and it’s been an adjustment period for them and it’s paying off.”
Both the Gators men’s and women’s team will look to build on the success they had this weekend in their next meet against LSU Friday, Oct. 10 at the O’Connell Center.
Follow Aaron Friedland on Twitter @aafriedland
