UC Irvine swimmers stand out

IRVINE — The UC Irvine men’s swim team won the distance meet and the sprint meet Saturday to highlight competition at the UC Irvine/Ayres Hotel & Suites Invitational completed Sunday at Anteater Aquatics Complex.

The UCI women’s team finished second in the distance meet and third in the sprint meet Saturday.

Junior Randall Tom led the Anteaters’ men’s squad, winning four events. He topped the field in the 200-yard butterfly (one minute, 50.37 seconds), 100 fly (48.94), 400 individual medley (4:03.04) and 50 fly (22.24). He was second in the 100 freestyle (46.81).

UCI junior Chelsea Nagata won the 100 backstroke (56.93), 100 free (52.65), 100 fly (55.35) and the 50 fly (24.96) and was second in the 400 IM (4:33.80).

Nagata broke her own meet records in the 50 and 100 fly.

UCI junior Eddie Erazo won the men’s 200 IM (1:56.62), the 200 back (1:54.69) and the 100 back (53.16). He was second in the 200 fly (1:53.39) and the 400 IM (4:07.22).

Lyndsay DePaul, a UCI freshman, won the 400 IM (4:26.88), the 1,650 free (17:17.48) and the 200 IM (2:09.54). She was second in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.80) and third in the 200 breaststroke (2:24.53).

UCI senior Eric Reilly won the men’s 100 free (46.19), the 200 free (1:44.00) and the 50 free (20.99), while capturing second in the 500 free (4:44.77) and the 50 fly (23.06).

UCI senior Dan Simonsen won the 50 and 100 breaststroke (56.66 and 26.57, respectively), and was fourth in the 200 breaststroke (2:12.05).

UCI junior Tanya Nielsen won the women’s 50 free (24.43). She was also third in the 100 free (53.70) and the 200 free (1:54.67) and sixth in the 500 free (5:14.40).

The UCI men scored 212 points in the distance meet, 76 more than runner-up Wyoming, and 688 points in the sprint meet, 229 better than second-place Wyoming.

UCI swept all four diving titles with freshman Eric Nugent doing the honors in the men’s competition and junior Jackie Jones dominating the women’s field.

Nugent won the one-meter event Saturday and the three-meter competition Sunday.

Jones was victorious on the three-meter board on Saturday and the one-meter board on Sunday.

Additional UCI men’s swim standouts included senior Mike Cohee, freshmen Chris Rosales, Matt Paige and Ryan Moore, and sophomore Will Wollam.

Rosales was third in the 200 breaststroke (2:10.12), fourth in the 200 IM (1:59.66) and fifth in the 50 breaststroke (27.52), 400 IM (4:12.01) and 100 breaststroke (59.25).

Cohee was fourth in the 1,000 free (10:03.57), 500 free (4:47.84) and 200 free (1:44.83), and was fifth in the 100 backstroke (54.17).

Wollam was second in the 50 free (21.19) and fifth in the 100 fly (52.75).

Paige was third in the 100 free (47.37) and 200 free (1:44.48) while placing sixth in the 1,000 free (10:08.74) and the 500 free (4:48.11).

Moore was third in the 1,000 free (10:01.62).

In the nine-team distance meet, the UCI women’s 104 points were bested only by Washington (141).

The women had 377 points in the 12-team sprint meet, trailing only Washington (475) and Wyoming (397).

Additional standouts for the women included freshman Sarah DeYoreo and senior Kim Miller.

DeYoreo was third in the 200 back (2:13.13), fourth in the 100 back (1:01.76), seventh in the 1,000 free (11:03.09) and ninth in the 50 back (29.53).

Miller was fourth in the 100 and 200 breaststroke (1:07.21 and 2:24.56, respectively), as well as sixth in the 50 breaststroke (31.76).

UCI freshman Charles Yan was second in one-meter diving and third on the three-meter board.

UCI freshman Patrick Nugent was third in one-meter diving.

UCI sophomore Rachel Pearson was third in the women’s three-meter diving event.

In the relay meet Sunday, UCI men’s and women’s teams each won five of 10 events. The men set meet records in their winning swims and finished third in the four-school team standings.

UCI men’s relays topped the field in the 200 medley (1:30.70), three X 100 breaststroke (2:50.57), three X 100 butterfly (2:29.24), four X 50 free (1:22.18) and the three X 100 medley (2:35.50).

The UCI women, who were sixth in the 10-team relay meet, won relay events in the 200 medley (1:47.61), three X 100 back (2:58.29), three X 100 fly (2:53.23), three X 100 medley (2:56.49) and the four X 100 free (3:34.45).

The Anteaters return to competition Jan. 28 when they will play host to UC San Diego in a dual meet at noon.