University of Tennessee Athletics
In the Archives: The 1988 SEC Championships
February 12, 2012 | Women's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 12, 2012
The Tennessee Lady Vols are hosting the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships for the fifth time in program history beginning Feb. 15 at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. In the four days leading up to the meet, here is a summary of the previous championships in Knoxville.
UTLadyVols.com
It didn't take long for the Southeastern Conference Championships to return to Knoxville and the Student Aquatic Center, as after the Lady Vols hosted the league meet in 1986, two years later the squad would again have the home advantage.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Dave Roach, the Big Orange returned eight upperclassmen, five All-Americans and finished 14th at the NCAA Championships in 1987.
Having never placed higher than fourth in its first seven trips to the SEC Championships, the 1988 meet was vastly different, as Tennessee made a colossal leap by notching second.
Junior Tracy Ignatosky became just the third Lady Vol to win an SEC title in an individual event and the first to earn multiple crowns. Ignatosky was victorious in the 100y breast (1:03.06) and 200y breast (1:58.44), while also finishing runner-up in the 200y IM (2:03.68).
On relays, the Reading, Pa., native also swam a leg of the second place 200y free, 400y free and 800y free relays. When the four-day event was all said and done, Ignatosky accumulated 57 points for UT, a meet high.
Tennessee had 12 top-three finishes versus league foes, which was four more than the previous best that came in 1987. Dianna Vogel made it a 1-2 finish for UT in the 200y breast, finishing runner-up behind Ignatosky in the event.
The 400y medley relay claimed UT's other second-place finish, while the 200y medley quartet was one spot behind in third. Individually, Heather Burgess (100y free), Kim Marsden (1650y free) and Brigid Corr (100y breast) placed third in their respective events.
The Lady Vols scored 565 points in their home pool, only behind Florida's tally of 843. It was the highest point outpoint for UT through the first eight years of the meet. Tennessee would go on to claim runner-up in the 1989 and '90 conference championships, but could not surpass the Gators.
UF would eventually finish second at NCAAs in '88, while the Lady Vols just missed cracking the Top 10, placing 11th.
1988 SEC Championships Final Standings
1. Florida 843
2. Tennessee 565
3. Georgia 472
4. Louisiana State 425.5
5. Auburn 399
6. Alabama 344
7. Kentucky 254.5
8. Vanderbilt 180
