For the North Carolina swimming and diving teams, this fall season has been unlike any other in Coach Rich DeSelm’s tenure.
“Probably the most difficult dual meet lineup … I’ve ever put together,” he said, referring to UNC's matchups with perennial powers Georgia, Texas and Indiana thus far.
But at Koury Natatorium, the Tar Heels continued their early season success in the Janis Hape Dowd Nike Cup Invitation over the weekend — with the No. 2 women’s team earning first-place honors and the No. 9 men’s team taking third.
In UNC's fourth meet in as many weekends, DeSelm said the team was tired and therefore didn’t treat the event as the “end-all-be-all.” Junior Hellen Moffitt, who finished second in the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday, noted the teams did not use their tech suits the entire weekend.
Despite the challenges, both teams swam well in the meet. After entering the final day with an 108-point deficit, the women’s team rallied on Saturday to mount a 46-point lead over Duke and earn the win on Saturday.
For the men’s team, senior Nic Graesser won the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday, while junior Jack Nyquist claimed first in the 3-meter dive on Friday and the 1-meter dive on Thursday.
Quotable
“I didn’t know what our record would be at the end of the fall, but I didn’t think it would be this.” — DeSelm on the team’s early success.
