University of Virginia Library

In ACC Meet

Mermen Finish 5th

By Jim Wilson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Swimmers Mark Bernadino (left) and Don Farmer Both Qualified For The Nationals

In Winning The Backstroke At Raleigh, Farmer Became Virginia's First ACC Swimming Champ

The University of Virginia's
swimming team came in fifth place
in the ACC Championships last
weekend at Raleigh. The place
might have been predictable, but
the way that the Cavaliers scared
USC and gained considerable
admiration from the leading ACC
teams was the story of the meet.

N.C. State, the ACC leader in
number of grants in aid, swam away
with the meet by over 200 points.
The final totals were N.C. State —
620, Maryland — 379, UNC — 362,
USC — 201, UVa — 164, Wake —
93, Duke — 38, and Clemson — 34.

The meet began last Thursday
with the 500 free in which Mark
Bernandino came in fourth and
John Shrum was eighth.
Bernandino's time of 4:57 set a
new school record. Before the meet
was over every school record but
two were to fall. John Vinson was
eighth in 200 IM with a solid time
of 2:06. Bill LePard and Steve
ReMine were twelfth in the 50 free
and the 1-meter dive respectively.
The 400 Medley Relay came in
fifth with a 3:43 to finish out the
day.

Mark Bernandino opened up
Friday the same way that he began
Thursday; with a fourth place. This
time it was in the 200 butter and in
this exciting race the top five
finalists were all in the 1:58's. Al
Ettenger came in twelfth in the 100
breast but the Cavaliers failed to
score a point (first through twelfth
places earn points in the
Championships) in the 200 free.

Jerry Rollins and Co-Captain
Don Farmer swam in the 100 back.
Rollins was sixth but, in a time of
55.5 Farmer won the event for
Virginia. Not only was this the first
event in the ACC Championships
ever won by a Virginia swimmer,
but also Farmer was the first
Cavalier ever to qualify to swim in
the National NCAA championships.

John Vinson and Mark
Creighton finished eighth and ninth
in the grueling 400 IM, but Vinson
was disqualified as his head went
under in a breaststroke turn. The 800
free relay ended the second day of
action. The team of Curtis,
Bernandino, Chewning, and Shurm
came in fourth place while lead-off
man "Bully" Curtis set a new
school record in the 200 free in a
time of 1:49.5.

The final day of action began
with Al Ettenger placing twelfth in
the 100 breast and Gary Chewning
eleventh in the 100 butter. Then
came the Cavaliers' strongest overall
event, the 200 back, in which three
Cavaliers placed. Don Farmer, Jerry
Rollins, and John Vinson came in
third, sixth, and ninth respectively.
After his precedent setting 100
back Don Farmer again qualified
for the Nationals with a time of
2:01.6.

The next event was the mile,
1650 yards. Co-Captain John
Shrum came in twelfth in a then
new school record time of 18:12.
Then Mark Bernandino continued
his sizzling swimming and set a
newer school record, came in third
place in the ACC's, and became the
second man from Virginia to
qualify for the National NCAA's.
His 10:16 at the 1000 yard mark
was a new school record and his
fantastic 17:03 for the mile is also a
new, and one of Bernandino's
many, school records.

The 3 meter dive and the 400
free relay rounded out the day, the
meet, and the season for this
Cavalier swimming team. Steve
ReMine came in twelfth in the dive
and the Relay came in sixth as
lead-off man Bill LePard set the last
school record of the meet in the
100 free in a time of 50.6.