The fifth-ranked Men’s Swimming & Diving Team opened the 2005-06 home schedule with a 180-109 win over Florida Atlantic on Friday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Natatorium.

Freshman diver Jonathan Wilcox (Yarrow Point, Wash.) set a school record in the three-meter diving event with a six-dive score of 408.92. Wilcox, surpassed the previous record set by his older brother, Zach, who recorded a 379.50 in 2004.

“We were really impressed with the performance today,” Florida coach Gregg Troy said. “His performance this year has been outstanding.”

Wilcox led a Gator sweep of both diving events, including a score of 337.58 in the one-meter dive. Junior Justin Schmidt (Falcon, Colo.) and freshman Aaron Leech (Newark, Del.) rounded-out the top three in both events.

In the swimming competition, the Gators won nine of the first 10 events before swimming exhibition in the final four. Senior Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) claimed victory in the 200 fly with a time of 1:47.84, which was under the NCAA B provisional time of 1:48.07. He also won the 200 breast with a time of 2:03.52.

Sophomore Chris Bernard (Weston, Fla.), redshirt freshman Russell Wilder (Gainesville, Fla.) and freshman Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.) won their first events of the season on Friday. Bernard won the 200 free by edging teammate Kevin Nead (Ithaca, N.Y.) in a time of 1:41.48. Wilder took the 100 free with a time of 47.10 and Tullius earned a victory in the 200 back by recording a time of 1:51.48  

“We tried to give some of the less experienced people a chance to be competitive,” Troy said. “This was an opportunity for them to step-up in a comfortable environment.”

Florida began the season with meets on the road in Virginia, South Carolina, Texas and Georgia. The Gators are a perfect 7-0 in home-openers under Troy. 

“Those three weeks of traveling were a lot harder than we anticipated,” Troy said. “We were feeling dead, so it helped to be home for two weeks and have some solid training time.”

The Gators return to action on Nov. 18-20 at the Purdue Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.

Men’s Results

Florida 180, Florida Atlantic 109

-UF-