The University of Florida men’s swimming and diving team defeated LSU, 160-136, Thursday afternoon at the LSU Natatorium. The Gator men improved to 21-0 all-time against the Tigers and have now won seven consecutive Southeastern Conference dual meets dating back to 2008-09.
“It’s always good to win a conference meet on the road,” head coach Gregg Troy said. “Brett (Fraser) and Sebastien (Rousseau) really competed well for us, while Cameron (Martin) and Jason (Taylor) continue to progress.”
A compilation of Gators led the Orange and Blue to victory, highlighted by performances from senior Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands) and sophomore Sebastien Rousseau (Cape Town, South Africa). Fraser swept the 100 and 200-yard backstroke (1:49.63), with his time of 48.92 in the 100 back being the sixth-fastest time in the country this season. Rousseau finished first in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle (4:31.81), with his 1:38.94 finish in the 200 free being the seventh-quickest mark in the country in 2010-11.
The two Olympians combined with junior Jeffrey Raymond (Davie, Fla.) and senior captain Conor Dwyer (Winnetka, Ill.) to win the 400-yard medley relay competition. The Gators clocked the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA this season with a first-place time of 3:19.52. Dwyer, who on Wednesday was named the Counsilman-Hunsaker National Collegiate Male Swimmer of the Week for the week of Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2010, swept the 100 (56.70) and 200-yard breaststroke, while finishing second in the 50 free (20.77). The defending SEC Male Swimmer of the Week’s time in the 200 breast (2:00.94) was the second-fastest time in the nation this year and fastest mark in the SEC. Raymond also contributed to the Gators’ scoring efforts in the 500 free (4:34.78) and 200-yard butterfly (1:53.71), finishing second and third, respectively.
Other Gators picking up individual wins included sophomores Cameron Martin (Clearwater, Fla.) and Jason Taylor (Plant City, Fla.), along with junior diver Anthony Lewark (Davie, Fla.) and senior swimmer Mike Joyce (Voorhees, N.J.). Martin finished first in the 200 fly with a time of 1:51.67, while finishing second in the 100 fly in 50.20. Taylor, who last week recorded his first NCAA provisional mark of the season in the 500 free, clocked 15:47.14 in the 1650 free. Lewark, who swept both diving events last week at conference rival Georgia, recorded his second victory on the one-meter boards this season with a 339.75 effort. Joyce, a senior captain, captured his first event victory of the 2010-11 campaign with a 3:59.54 finish in the 400-yard individual.
