Key swimmers return, team continues success in pool

Victories have been abundant for the North Carolina men’s and women’s swim teams this season, but for the last six meets, something’s been missing.

On Sept. 20, swimmers Hank Browning, Alison Clemens and Rebecca Kane were cited for alcohol violations. As a result, they were suspended from competition until Nov. 1.

Tommy Wyher also received a suspension for similar reasons, but it was unrelated to the other three suspensions.

In Friday’s meet, Browning, Kane and Wyher were able to participate in their first NCAA meet of the season, scoring a combined 54 points to help carry the Tar Heels to victories against the Terrapins.

The men’s team won 171-98, and the women won 166-117.

“It gets us closer to being a whole, instead of a part,” head coach Rich DeSelm said about their return.

“Any team, any business that suffers hardship, if you can regroup and get all your team members back on the same page and all participating, it’s good for morale, it’s good for momentum. Clearly these people are talented.”

In her first meet of the season, Kane led the women’s team with wins in the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Kane has the second fastest women’s 50-yard freestyle time in school history with a 22.41-second time. Against Maryland, she clocked in just short of her personal best, nabbing an NCAA consideration cut with a time of 23.00 seconds.

“It was a long month of not being able to compete,” Kane said. “I was so excited to come back and show everyone what I’ve been waiting to break out with.”

Wyher made his season debut with a first-place finish in the men’s 100-yard backstroke. His time of 48.19 seconds was good for an NCAA consideration cut.

Wyher scored again when he took first place in the men’s 50-yard freestyle.

Senior and men’s team captain Browning finished third in the men’s 200-yard freestyle, followed by second in the men’s 100-yard freestyle.

“Hank Browning was very good today,” DeSelm said. “He hasn’t been tested in competition, and he swam some times that were as good as some of the best he did last year.”

Senior women’s team captain Alison Clemens did not swim in the meet, but her absence had nothing to do with her suspension, DeSelm said.

The return of the three valuable swimmers came just in time for the Gamecock Invitational, swum in two weeks in Columbia, S.C., as well as USA Swimming Short Course National Championships, which will take place during the first week of December.



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.