Stanford Men Top UNO in Facility Re-Opening

Stanford University with help from their hosts, the University of New Orleans, reopened the Lakefront Aquatic Center for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, beginning the collegiate season with a 103.5-to-58.5 win.

Having not competed in the pool for over four years, it took UNO some time to get acquainted with the recently re-opened facility and when they did, the Privateer men made a lasting impression in front of over 300 fans.

In the meet's first event, Stanford broke LSU's pool record in the 400 medley relay with a finish of 3:24. The Tigers' mark of 3:27.37 had stood as the pool's top 400 medley relay time since Nov. 1986.

The Privateers will stay at home for their next meet, competing in an Alumni/Intrasquad competition at Lakefront Aquatic Center on Sept. 19 at 2 p.m.

Rob Andrews took home first place finishes in the 200 freestyle (1:41.59) and the 50 butterfly (23.12), while Curtis Lovelace was a first place winner in the 100 individual medley (53.39) and in the 400 medley relay. The relay team, which featured Lovelace, Matt Thompson, Bobby Bollier and Jakob Allen, set the course record with a time of 3:24.00.

Andrews edged 2009 NCAA 100 butterfly champion and teammate Austin Staab in the 50-yard event, 23.12 to 23.15.

Also taking home gold medals was Aaron Wayne in the 50 free (20.99), Chad La Tourette in the 1000 freestyle (9:24.94) and Eugene Godsoe in the 50 backstroke (23.43)

Home to the Privateer swimming and diving program from 1984 through 1992 and again from 2004 to 2005, the Lakefront Aquatic Center is the final athletic facility on the UNO campus to re-open its doors following the impact of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.  The men's team was reinstated last year.

The Stanford men's swim team continues its season season on October 10 when it hosts Hawai'i. The men's and women's diving teams begin their season on October 2, by hosting San Jose State.

UNO would not get a win on the board until the eighth of nine events scheduled. Mark Schindler, who has competed at the Lakefront Aquatic Center since he was eight years old, finished the 50 breast in a time of 26.30, edging Stanford’s Curtis Lovelace (26.68).

The win was one of two on the day for the Privateers as the Privateer 400 free relay of Ash Dougan, Jarryd Gregoire, Bo Wullings and Birkir Mar Jonsson followed Schindler’s lead in the next event, by closing out the dual with a victory of their own.

Down 16 hundredths of a second as he made the final turn of the anchor leg, Jonsson chased down Cardinal swimmer Burke Sims to take the win, touching the wall in a time of 3:10.15, just two hundredths of a second faster than his Stanford foe.

Gregoire added a pair of strong showings in individual events to his 400 free relay result, finishing second in the 50 free (21.53) and third in the 200 free (1:44.34). Jonsson also had individual success, taking third in the 50 fly in 23.26.

Schindler rounded out the podium placements for the Privateers, leading Ben Solari and Phillip Graeter in a 3-4-5 finish in the 100 IM. Schindler touched the wall in 54.16, closely followed by Solari (54.28) and Graeter (52.55)

While no school records fell for the Privateers, Jonas Grundstrom showed that he could contend for the 1000 free mark as the season progresses, finishing just three seconds off the school mark of Wullings, with his fifth-place time of 9:43.84.