Pirate Swimmers and Divers Open Up 2003-04 Season
October 12, 2003 | Men's Swimming and Diving
The Lady Pirates, Conference USA's defending champions, return 11 All-conference team members led by 2002-03 C-USA Swimmer of the Year Dianne Parker. She won 21 races last season and had four top-five finishes. Parker won two individual races at the C-USA Championships, helping the women's team to the C-USA Championship.
Parker set four varsity records last season and was part of the 800-meter free relay team that set a new record at the C-USA Championships. Individually, she broke her standing record in the 100 butterfly (2:01.69) at the Nike Cup last November and in the 200 individual medley (2:02.43) at the C-USA Championships last February. Parker broke the 200 butterfly record (2:01.69) at the Nike Cup and the 200 free record (1:51.16) at the C-USA Championships.She ranks second on the all-time top ten list in the 100 free and 200 breaststroke.
The gold women defeated the purple women, 108-76, in ECU's annual Purple and Golde meet back on Oct. 2. Freshman Kate Gordon started off her collegiate career with an impressive showing in ECU's Purple and Gold meet. Gordon won the 200 Free with a 1:56.31 as well as the 200 Fly with a 2:07.04. Sara Hunt won the 100 Free with :54.77 to pace the Purple team. Hunt finished second in the 200 Free with a 1:58.16. Parker won the 200 IM for the purple team with a 2:12.04.
ECU men's team returns eight All-conference team members. Sophomore diver Robbie Derr advanced to the NCAA Zone B Championships last season. Derr (Blomsburg, Pa.) is the freshman record holder in all six events. He holds the varsity record on the one-meter board (293.00), three-meter with 11 dives (526.40) and on the platform (300.65). Derr's best performance was at the Nike Cup Invitational where he earned a Bronze Medal on both the one-meter and three-meter events. He was a Conference USA silver medalist on three-meter board and was named the unofficial Conference USA freshman diver of the year last season.
Junior Gavin Stark paced the purple team in the annual Purple and Golden meet which Purple won 89-88. Stark placed second in the 200 Free with a 1:44.36 and won the 100 Free with a time of :47.64. Casey Cronin led the gold team after taking two events. Cronin put up a time of 1:43.93 to win the 200 Free and followed that up with a 2:09.31 to win the breaststroke.
Louisville's women's team finished fifth and last season's C-USA championships while the men's team placed fourth at the C-USA Invitational.
After Monday's meet, ECU hits the road for three meets. The Pirates travel to College of Charleston Saturday for a 1 p.m. meet.
