Men's S&D Capture Dual Over Wisconsin, 169-116

BERKELEY – In an impressive overall team performance, Cal men’s swimming and diving won 12 events, including both diving competitions, in a 169-116 victory over Wisconsin Friday at Spieker Aquatics Complex. Nine different Golden Bears were event winners, with senior breaststroker Chuck Katis and sophomore backstroker Ryan Murphy capturing two events apiece. Murphy, the 2014 NCAA champion in the 100 and 200 back, also helped Cal win the 200 medley relay (1:27.28, Murphy, freshman Connor Hoppe, freshman Justin Lynch, senior Henry Chung).

David Durden’s squad (3-0), the 2014 NCAA team champions, have now won 18 consecutive dual meets carrying over from the 2011-12 season. The Bears swam the final four swim events as exhibitions.

Katis placed first in both the 100 (54.37) and 200 breast (2:01.42), while Murphy was the winner in the 100 back (47.20) and 100 free (43.78).

Another highlight for Cal were freshman Lynch and senior Will Hamilton tying for first in the 200 fly with a time of 1:46.45. Other individual winners for the Bears were junior Josh Prenot in the 1000 free (9:16.51), sophomore Long Gutierrez in the 200 free (1:36.56), junior Tyler Messerschmidt in the 50 free (20.03) and junior Jacob Pebley in the 200 back (1:44.90). Pebley outswam Wisconsin’s Drew teDuits (1:45.23), who was the 2013 NCAA champion in the 200 back.

In diving, Cal had champions in both the one and three-meter boards. Freshman Finn Scribbick was the one-meter winner with a score of 313.58, and junior Peter Cyr placed first on the three-meter with a mark of 310.88.

Additionally, the Bears had the fastest swims in the 500 free with freshman Ryan Kao’s time of 4:28.05, fastest mark in the 100 fly with freshman Kyle Gornay’s time of 48.91 and Prenot clocked in the fastest time in the 400 IM (3:52.50). Cal also had the fastest mark in the 400 free relay (2:56.55, Messerschmidt, Murphy, junior Trent Williams, senior Seth Stubblefield).

“We respond really well swimming at home,” said Durden. “With our alumni being here does draw out some good swims for our guys. I think that was the biggest factor for our success (today) was having a nice, electric environment for our athletes.”

The Wisconsin meet concluded the Bears’ fall season. The Cal divers will next compete at the Texas Diving Invitational Nov. 20-22 in Austin, while the Bear swimmers will travel to the Georgia Invitational Dec. 4-6, in Athens, Ga.