Dec. 9, 2003
Men's Swim Team Falls To USD Coyotes at Mutual of Omaha Invitational
The Truman men had an all out dog fight on their hands over the weekend at the Mutual of Omaha Invitational. The men were pitted against the University of South Dakota. It came down to the last few events on the second day but the South Dakota men came away with the win over the Bulldogs, 1,256 to 1,111.
The Bulldogs swam well, however, the Coyotes seemed to have a bit more depth to pull from. Relays went to the Coyotes giving the Bulldogs only second-place points. The 400-yard medley relay consisting of senior Brian Teson (Kansas City, Mo./St. Pius X) and Andy Harken (Liberty, Mo.) and sophomores Chris Brammer (Omaha, Neb./Burke) and Josh Otis (Johnston, Iowa/Dowling) was able to pull off a first-place finish recording a time of 3:31.11 and edging out the University of South Dakota.
The Bulldog men also had some stand-out performances over the weekend. Teson claimed individual victories in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:55.61 and 100 back with a time of 52.85. The 200 backstroke proved to be instrumental in scoring points for the Bulldogs who also claimed third and fourth in that event with senior Bryan Meyer (Tonganoxie, Kan./Tonganoxie) recording a time of 1:5.86 and freshman Robert Fletcher (Broken Arrow, Okla.) swimming a time of 1:57.71.
Harken also claimed two individual victories in the 100 (59.23) and 200 (2:12.22) breaststrokes. Junior Phil Brown (Estes Park, Colo.) added another victory in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:18.24.
Junior Eric Paden (Prairie Village, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) recorded wins in the 1,000 (10:12.58) and 1,650 (17:01.96) freestyles, while senior Ryan Jacobi (Florissant, Mo./DeSmet Jesuit) took second in the 1,650 (17:12.93).
Senior Robby Cooper (Holden, Mo.) won the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:48.34. Following his lead, the Truman men placed second, fourth and fifth in that race as well. Otis grabbed second (4:48.86), Brown placed fourth (4:56.39), and Jacobi snagged fifth (4:57.27).
Both the Bulldog men and women will be back in action Dec. 17-19 in Cleveland Miss., at the Delta State University Invitational where several more Bulldogs should make national cuts.