University of Tennessee Athletics
Jane Woodard - SEC Champion
February 19, 2000 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Tennessee swimming & diving team into fourth place after day three at Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. - Lady Vol diver Jane Woodard continued the tradition of winning performances from Tennessee on the boards by claiming the three-meter springboard title at the 2000 Southeastern Conference Championships on Friday. Woodard jumped a career-best score of 525.30 for first place at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center at Auburn University to help the team move into fourth place with 278 points after the third day of competition.
"I tried to stay relaxed and come out and hit each dive," said Woodard. "I just focused on each dive and tried not to worry about the scoreboard."
Woodard became the third all-time Lady Vol to win the three-meter title, and she maintained a string of Tennessee diving victories that started in 1995 with Tracy Bonner's win on the same board. The list continued with Kathy Pesek on the three-meter in 1997, Bonner's win on the one-meter and Dawn Burton's victory on the platform in 1997, followed by Pesek's first-place nods on the tower in both 1998 and 1999. Woodard now ranks third all-time at UT on the three-meter.
As a team, the UT squad jumped up a spot in team scoring. Three Lady Vols advanced to the championship final of the 100-yard backstroke, junior Pam Hanson, sophomore Bianca Jones and freshman Bethany Hall, to help the scoring effort.
"Today was definitely the best day by far, and the highlight was Bianca, Pam and Bethany joining the finals in the backstroke," said head coach Dan Colella. "We moved up a place as a result of some fine swimming and great performances by our divers. It should be a close team race tomorrow and it should be a great day for our squad." Hanson became the first to advance to a championship final, finishing seventh in the 100-yard butterfly. She clocked a season-best and NCAA B Standard time of 55.68 in the finals. Hanson also joined the Lady Vol trio in the 100y back championship final, finishing sixth with a season-best and NCAA B Standard 56.27 seconds. Jones topped the 100y back for Tennessee, finishing fifth overall with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 56.13, the fastest time on the team this season. Hall made her first trip to a finals at SEC Championships, and she came away with an eighth-place finish, recording a time of 56.76 in the 100 back.
Three Lady Vols also made their way into the finals of the 200y freestyle. Senior Teresa Moodie, junior Tanya Felton and sophomore Elizabeth Philp all secured points in the event with performances in the consolation final. Felton topped the team with a 13th-place finish (1:50.42), followed by Philp in 14th (1:50.59) and Moodie in 16th (1:51.20). Felton's prelims time of 1:50.37 was a career-best and NCAA B Standard, and Philp's time was a season-best and provisional qualifier.
In the 100y breaststroke finals, sophomore Monica Shannahan finished ninth overall with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:03.94. Freshman Nicole Brannock also competed, advancing to her first SEC finals, and ended in 14th place with a time of 1:05.67. Her prelims time of 1:05.33 was a season best.
Georgia continues to lead the team competition with 582 points, as the Bulldogs won five events on the night. Auburn is second (463) and Florida is in third (323). The meet continues through Saturday in Auburn, Ala.. Prelims begin at 10:30 a.m. with finals commencing at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's competition will feature the 1650y free, men's and women's platform diving, 200y backstroke, 100y free, 200y breast, 200y fly, and the meet will wrap up with the 400 free relay.
TENNESSEE 2000 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS Team Scores 1. Georgia 582 6. Kentucky 236 2. Auburn 463 7. Alabama 198 3. Florida 323 8. South Carolina 130 4. Tennessee 278 9. Arkansas 109 5. Louisiana State 247 Prelims Finals 100y Butterfly 7. Pam Hanson 55.76 55.68 22. Sara Wingfield 58.67 29. Missy Bell 1:00.34 200y Freestyle 13. Tanya Felton 1:50.37 1:50.42 14. Elizabeth Philp 1:50.91 1:50.49 16. Teresa Moodie 1:51.01 1:51.20 18. Azurdee Engel 1:51.26 24. Laura Hancock 1:51.98 31. Cortney Piper 1:54.11 100y Breaststroke 9. Monica Shannahan 1:04.03 1:03.94 14. Nicole Brannock 1:05.33 1:05.67 100y Backstroke 5. Bianca Jones 56.49 56.13 6. Pam Hanson 56.36 56.37 8. Bethany Hall 57.01 56.76 11. Valerie Conte 57.38 57.07 22. Katy White 59.97 3m Diving 1. Jane Woodard 482.60 525.35 6. Lizzy Flynt 476.95 468.80 13. Jaime Sanger 445.95 16. Bethany Minser 431.45 800y Freestyle Relay 5. Tennessee --- 7:27.78 (Elizabeth Philp, Laura Hancock, Tanya Felton, Azurdee Engel)
