THE WEEK AHEAD
The SMU men’s swimming and diving team travels to College Station, Texas, Thursday–Saturday for the highly competitive Art Adamson Invitational on the campus of Texas A&M. The three-day event features top competition from around the country, with evening finals being broadcast on the SEC Network + as part of WatchESPN.
CONFERENCE FAVORITES
For back-to-back weeks, Bryce Klein was named the top diver by the American Athletic Conference, while newcomer Lucas Schenke earned the first swimming honors of his career. The Mustangs have now earned six of eight weekly nods this season.
Schenke won a pair of events in the Mustangs’ dual at LSU, posting career-best times in both the 500- and 1,000-yard freestyles. In the 1,000 (9:33.56), Schenke holds the third fastest time in The American, while his 500 time (4:38.27) is fifth.
Klein earned himself back-to-back honors with his 1-meter victory against the Tigers. He also continued to post NCAA Zone qualifying scores, with a 363.60 in the 1-meter and a 341.70 in the 3-meter.
LAST TIME OUT
Lucas Schenke posted a pair of event wins to lead the Mustangs in a dual loss at LSU. He impressed in the 1,000-yard freestyle, as he posted a career-best 9:33.56 to win the event and score top points for the Mustangs. Schenke also took the top spot in the 500 free. Scherubl also paced the competition in the 200-yard freestyle scoring maximum points with a 1:40.51 time.
In diving action, Bryce Klein won his second-straight 1-meter event posting a total score of 363.60, and was the runner-up in 3-meter at 341.70. Both scores meet NCAA Zone qualification standards.
ART ADAMSON – THE 2014 EDITION
The Mustangs finished seventh at last season’s Art Adamson Invitational, posting a team score of 279. In relay action, SMU posted top-10 finishes in all five of the events, with its highest finish coming in the 200 free relay at sixth. The Mustangs also had 12 consolation final appearances, and three representatives in each diving final.
SUMMER ’STANGS
– Bryce Klein and Christian Scherubl represented their respective countries at the 2015 World University Games. Klein represented team USA on the diving side, while Scherubl swam for Austria. Klein competed in both three meter and synchronized three meter events. In the synchro event, Klein and partner placed sixth. On the swimming side, Scherubl placed fourth in his heat of the 50 free, and went on to finish tied for fifth in his heat of the 100 and sixth in the 200.
– Alum Julian Fletcher represented Bermuda at the Pan Am Games finishing fifth in the Consolation Final of the 100 breast.
– Julian Fletcher and Christian Scherubl also competed at the FINA World Championship, with Fletcher placing 49th in the 200 and 52nd in the 100 breast and Scherubl finishing 57th in the 100 free and 17th as part of Austria’s 4×200 meter free relay.
– Recently graduated Tyler Rauth had a standout performance in the 100 fly at USA Nationals, posting a U.S. Olympic Trial qualifying time of 54.28. Sam Straughan competed in the 100 back and 100 fly, placing 66th in the 100 back.
– At USA Diving Nationals, Bryce Klein competed in both the one- and three-meter dives. In one meter prelims, Klein posted a 277.10 for 19th, while he was 23rd in three meter at 294.50. Both Klein and Devin Burnett have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials.
2015 AAC CHAMPIONSHIP
SMU finished a close second at the 2015 American Athletic Conference Championship winning 11 of the 21 events. The Mustangs finished 34.5 points behind first-place East Carolina. Christian Scherubl was named The American’s Most Outstanding Swimmer, winning the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events. Devin Burnett earned Most Outstanding Diver honors for the second consecutive year after winning all three diving events (1m, 3m, platform) and diving coach Jim Stillson was named The American’s Men’s Diving Coach of the Year.
A11-CONFERENCE
11 Mustangs landed on the 2015 All-AAC team. Three divers, David Bunn, Devin Burnett and Hayden Hodges, and eight swimmers, Ziga Cerkovnik, Matthew Colket, Eastman Holloway, Bartosz Krzyzaniak, Tyler Rauth, Christian Scherubl, Sam Straughan, and Tucker Wells, received the honor.
2015 NCAA Championship
The Mustangs closed the 2014-15 season with a 39th-place finish at the NCAA Championship in Iowa City, Iowa. Devin Burnett, who qualified in all three diving events, earned Honorable Mention All-American honors in the three-meter dive after finishing 15th and earning the lone points for the Mustangs at the national championship.
ALL-AMERICAN
Devin Burnett qualified for the NCAA Championship in all three diving events (1-meter, 3-meter, platform) and earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 3-meter with a 15th-place finish. Burnett is SMU’s first diving All-American since Matthew Culbertson in 2009.
SMU, RAUTH HONORED BY CSCAA
Tyler Rauth earned Academic All-America honors from the CSCAA for his work in the pool and in the classroom, while the Mustangs completed the season earning the team honor in both the fall and spring. The men ranked behind only 6 other Division I teams with a 3.42 grade-point-average.
THREE DIVERS QUALIFY FOR NCAA ZONE DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP
Devin Burnett, Hayden Hodges and David Bunn all qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championship. Burnett and Hodges qualified in the all three diving events. With three top-10 finishes Burnett, qualified for the national championship in all three dives. Hodges and Bunn both earned their highest finish in the platform, with Hodges placing 12th and Bunn finishing 14th.
SCHERUBL SETS TWO SCHOOL RECORDS
Christian Scherubl set SMU records in the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle during his first collegiate season. Scherubl swam a 1:34.89 in the 200-yard free, breaking Lars Frolander’s record of 1:34.96 set in 1997. In the 500-yard free, Scherubl swam a 4:18.23, topping Chad Hundeby’s record of 4:18.60 set in 1991. Scherubl’s 500-yard free was also an American Athletic Conference Championship meet record.
Swimming news courtesy of SMU Swimming & Diving.