Pirates Get Two National Champs

Fri., March 8, 1996

Associated Press

Swimming

Twin brothers Jeff and Jerry Rice finished 1-2 in the 200-meter individual medley and Dorian Reese won the women’s 200 IM in Thursday’s opening day of the NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships in San Antonio.

It was easily the best day in Whitworth swimming history and put the Pirates in second place in the men’s team race and third in the women’s.

Whitworth had just one national champion (Nani Blake in the 1,650 free in 1993) before Thursday. The Whitworth men have 143 points, more than 60 behind first-place Puget Sound (204.5). The Whitworth women scored 125 points, behind Simon Fraser and Puget Sound, tied with 191 points apiece.

The Rice brothers switched spots on the victory stand for the nationals after Jerry won the 200 IM in the conference meet.

“Other guys were out ahead of me, but I reeled them in at the end,” said Jeff Rice, who finished with a time of 1:54.54. Jerry touched at 1:55.25. “Jerry was really pushing me,” added Jeff Rice. “I thought Jerry would have it for sure because he’s a better IMer and I’ve never beat him before in the 200.”

Reese’s win in the 200 IM was unexpected, said Reese, who said she just wanted to improve her time. She came in at 2:10.83.

Whitworth coach Tom Dodd was pleased with his teams’ first-day showings and said he would be happy to hold the positions through the next two days.

Dodd said Jerry Rice has a shot at winning the 400 IM and the men have outside shots at the 400- and 800-meter free relays.

U.S. nationals

At Indianapolis, Tom Dolan earned a trip to the Olympics after he narrowly missed breaking his world record in the 400-meter individual medley Thursday night. Jessica Foschi got a victory, but not in the race she wanted.

He finished in 4 minutes, 12.72 seconds - just 42-hundredths of a second off his world mark set on Sept. 6, 1994.

Foschi put her troubles on hold to win the consolation final of the 200 freestyle, but the 15-year-old has yet to qualify for the Atlanta Games after fighting for two months to participate in the trials.

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Pirates Get Two National Champs

Jesse Tinsley

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Rob Curley

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