The men’s swim and dive team came into the FAU dual meet at the O’Connell Center Natatorium today missing eight of its best swimmers and its best diver.
It didn’t need them.
Even without two-time NCAA champion Shaune Fraser, All-American diver Omar Pinzon, and seven of their most versatile swimmers competing in the SMU Classic in Dallas, the Gators were able to topple FAU, winning 159-118. The Gators women victory came just as easy with a score of 163-122.
There were only exhibition entries after 24 of the 32 scheduled events. In fact, the men’s 200-yard breaststroke was the only event that the Owls placed first in.
“It was a relaxed atmosphere this weekend,” associate head coach Anthony Nesty said. “The meets coming up are not as such.”
The lopsided score allowed the Gators used the meet to see who might swim in the postseason.
“We’re still trying to pick the last couple to plug into the team,” Nesty said.
One of those may be Sebastien Rousseau. Rousseau, a 2008 Olympian for South Africa, swam in his first race as a Gator today in the men’s 200-yard butterfly. He walked out of the pool with an NCAA provisional-qualifying time of 1:47.97.
“It’s very different from what I’m used to. I’m used to a 25-meter pool which is a little bit longer,” Rousseau said. “I’ve got to be able to swim through the walls and not slow down.”
Because the rest of the Gators have been here since August and Rousseau has just recently joined the team, Nesty made it clear that he doesn’t want to overwork the swimmer.
“He’s an exceptional athlete and has a great work ethic. We don’t want to bury him though,” Nesty said.
Also swimming a provisional-qualifying time was senior Roland Rudolf. Swimming against his brother, David, an FAU swimmer, Rudolf clocked a season-best time of 1:45.32 in the men’s 200-yard back.
On the women’s side, freshman Jamie Bohunicky gave Florida its first provisional-qualifying time for the women, as she took the 100-yard freestyle in 50.20.
The second would come as the Florida women’s 200-yard free relay team of Shara Stafford, Gemma Spofforth, Stephanie Napier and Sarah Bateman established its first NCAA provisional mark of the season in the race with a time of 1:31.74.
Other Gators who swam well today were Manuel Rabelo (men’s 100-yard breast), Maida Turnadzic (women’s 200-yard butterfly), Stephanie Napier (women’s 50-yard freestyle), Matt Norton (men’s 50-yard freestyle), Logan Storie (men’s 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle) and Mike Yuan (100-yard butterfly), winning their respected events. Turnadzic, Norton and Yuan swam season-best times.
“I told them to focus on the little things such as being around the walls and turns,” Nesty said. With SEC-rival Auburn coming to Gainesville on Friday, the Gators wanted to make sure that they swam fundamentally-sound races today.
“With a full lineup next week, we want to continue to do the little things correct,” he said.
