The men’s swimming and diving team is placed ninth out of 10 teams with a total of 71 points at the ACC Championships with two days of competition remaining.
Over the course of the meet’s first two days, Duke scored in five of the seven events, but its three relay performances provided the bulk of the team’s points.
“Relays are double the points, so our finishes helped us score,” assistant coach Lauren Hancock said. “We’ll continue to score points in the relays, and we’re also looking to score more individually.”
Duke times in two relay events broke school records.
The squad of seniors David Peck and John Humphrey, sophomore Kevin Arthofer and junior Billy Pearce earned the team 24 points by placing seventh in the 200-yard medley relay with a 1:31.59 time and beat Duke’s previous record time of 1:32.75, set in 2004.
Peck, Arthofer and Pearce also combined with freshman Ryan Packer to produce an 18-point ninth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Their 1:23.30 time shaved .12 seconds off the Blue Devil record time. Packer led off the race, swimming 50 yards in 20.92 seconds, the team’s fastest time this season and his lifetime best.
Individually, senior Tim Hyer scored 7 points in the one-meter diving finals with a 10th-place 270.75 score. Humphrey added the team’s only other individual points with a 13th-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley.
The team hopes to be more competitive in upcoming individual events today and Saturday.
“The next two days are our stronger days,” Hancock said Thursday. “We’re only going to improve.”
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