Feb. 16, 2012

Live Stats: Swimming | Diving

STANFORD, Calif.-- No. 3-ranked Stanford men's swimming (6-1) will close out the regular season with a dual finale with No. 6-ranked California (4-1) on Saturday at the Avery Aquatic Center at 1 p.m.

Stanford lost to No. 1 Arizona by eight points, Cal lost to the Wildcats by 84 points for each team's only loss of the season.

This weekend's dual match will be the final event for nine Stanford seniors, including flyer Bobby Bollier, breast stroker Curtis Lovelace, David Mosko and distance specialist Chad La Tourette.

Boller is an 11-time All-American, who ranks second in the 200 fly (1:43.47). He is also a three-time Pac-10 champion and ranked in the Stanford record books in the national top-five in five events including a school-record 200 fly, three seconds faster than in 2011 time.

America's top distance swimmer, La Tourette has finished first (2010) or second in the 1650 free at the NCAA Championships in each of his three seasons and ranks first in the 1000 free this year (8:51.21). He has not lost a dual 500 or 1000 free since his freshman year—the only dual loss.

Mosko is a 10-time All-American and former Pac-10 champion in the 500 free, ranking second all-time in the 500 free and 200 fly in the career record books.

Curtis Lovelace has finished in the top-16 nine times in his career including all three seasons in the 100 and 200 breast. In the 200 breast, where he will have competition from Cal's Trevor Hoyt, Lovelace (No. 7) and Hoyt (No. 4) both rank in the national top-10.

Among other seniors, Morgan Priestly is a three-time All-American and part of the defending Pac-10 champion 800 free relay team; Michael Zoldos, who ranks No. 16 nationally in the 1650 free this year; and two international sensations in Hong Kong's sprinter Geoff Cheah and Eirik Ravnan, who competes for his home country Norway.

The lone senior diver is Taylor Sishc, one of three Zone qualifiers on the club, joining sophomores Dhruv Tyagi and Noah Garcia, who both competed there as freshmen. Current freshman Kristian Ipsen, who is competing for the U.S. at the World Cup in London starting on February 20, has won all 12 collegiate meets. Another freshman, Connor Kuremsky, should also make Zones and be a strong competitor at Pac-12's next week.

Of the 12 dual events  on Saturday, the Cardinal have the top individual swimmer in nine of them. Junior Aaron Wayne (50 and 100 free) and freshman David Nolan (100 free) lead between the two Bay Area schools in the sprints, and La Tourette in the 500 and 100 free. In the 200 back, Nolan, Matthew Swanston and Matt Thompson all in the national top-eight, while Bollier's No. 2 time in the 200 fly is also tops.  Nolan also has the meet's fastest in the 200 IM time. Stanford also has the better time in the 400 free and 400 medley relays.

Following Saturday, Stanford enters the conference championship season having won the last 30-straight titles.

The Pac-12 Diving Championships begin the championship season, corresponding with the women's championships in Federal Way, Wash., with competition from February 22-25. The Pac-12 men's Championships have moved from its long-time home in Long Beach to East Los Angeles and run from February 29 to March 3. The diving zone regional championships run from March 8-10 and qualify divers for the NCAA Championships, which runs from March 22-24 in Federal Way, Wash.

Saturday's Order of events
400 Medley Relay
1000 Free
200 Free
50 Free
200 IM
1-meter diving
200 Butterfly
100 Free
200 Backstroke
500 Free
3-meter diving
200 Breaststroke
400 Free Relay