March 24, 2011
Results
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (UNLVRebels.com) -
For the second straight year UNLV saw a relay earn All-American Honors with a top-eight finish, and a second relay also earned honorable mention All-American status on the first day of action at the 2011 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. Thanks to scoring points from both relays, the Rebels stand in 15th place with 28 points, two points behind Georgia. Texas leads the overall standings with 139 points while Stanford is second with 136. This year's championship meet is being hosted at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center, and the three-day meet continues on Friday before concluding on Saturday.
The night's final event was the 400 medley relay, and the UNLV team of senior David Seiler, junior Andrew Morrell, sophomore Cody Roberts and senior Calan Eldridge tied for the best-ever finish by a Rebel relay at the NCAA championships by placing eighth in a swim of 3:10.94. Their time of 3:09.06 in the morning preliminaries set a new Mountain West Conference record, breaking their own mark set earlier this season, and the eighth-place finish is the best-ever by a UNLV 400 medley relay. All four swimmers would also earn Relay All-American honors thanks to the top-eight finish.
This year's championships started off with the 200 free relay, and UNLV would post a time of 1:18.75 in the event to finish in 14th place, the second straight year the Rebels have finished 14th in the event. Swimming on that relay was junior Steven Nelms, Roberts, junior Charlie Tapp and senior Kyle Virva, and they would receive relay All-American Honorable Mention status.
UNLV nearly missed having a third swim in the night finals, as senior Kier Maitland finished in 19th place in the 500 free in a career-best time of 4:20.03 in the morning preliminaries. That broke his own school mark and was just .03 off the MWC record.
Three more Rebels also swam in individual events on Thursday, as Nelms placed 37th in the 50 free (19.91), Tapp was 47th (20.13), and Virva 51st (20.29).
2011 Men's NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
University of Minnesota Aquatic Center
Minneapolis, Minn.
Thursday, March 24
First Day Results
Team Scoring
15th. UNLV-28 points
All-American status
400 Medley Relay - David Seiler, Andrew Morrell, Cody Roberts, Calan Eldridge - 8th (3:10.94) - All-AmericanHonorable Mention All-American status
200 Free Relay - Steven Nelms, Roberts, Charlie Tapp, Kyle Virva - 14th (1:19.50)Other UNLV swims
500 Free - Kier Maitland - 19th (4:20.03)
50 Free - Nelms - 37th (19.91), Tapp - 47th (20.13), Virva - 51st (20.29)New UNLV and Mountain West Conference Records Set
400 Medley Relay - 3:09.06New UNLV Record Set
500 Free - Kier Maitland - 4:20.03
