Texas widens lead in NCAA swimming and diving meet

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Texas, winning four events Friday, was firmly in the driver's seat at the NCAA mens' swimming and diving meet as the championships entered their final day Saturday.

The Longhorns had a commanding 416 points, defending champion Auburn was second with 291, Arizona third with 241 1/2, Stanford fourth with 185 1/2 and Tennessee fifth with 184. Host Minnesota was eighth with 146.

''The last few years we haven't done well,'' said Texas' Matt Ulrickson, who won the 100-meter backstroke in 52.05 seconds. ''We continue to attack everything as if the score was even. It's been more fun this year than in years past.''

Ulrickson was the lead swimmer for the Longhorns' 200-meter medley relay team that won in 1 minute, 35.66 seconds. Texas also won the 800 relay.

Texas' Troy Dumais won his second diving title in two days, adding the 3-meter crown to his 1-meter championship by accumulating 662.65 points.

Arizona's Ryk Neethling edged closer to an achievement reached by only two other swimmers.

Neethling had to come from behind on the last lap to win his third straight 200-meter freestyle. The victory gave the reigning Division I swimmer of the year his second championship of the meet and ninth NCAA title in a four-year career. Neethling will go for No. 10 Saturday in the 1,500-meter freestyle.

''Maybe I'm thinking about the 10 titles a little too much,'' he said. ''We'll see what happens.''

Only Pablo Morales of Stanford, with 11, and John Naber of Southern Cal (10) have reached double figures in titles.

Neethling's time in the 200 of 1:43.90 edged Stanford's Adam Messner by less than two seconds.

''I think I had one or two breaths the last 20 meters,'' Neethling said. ''I closed my eyes, touched the wall, and kind of hoped to see my name on the scoreboard.''

Virginia's Ed Moses won the 100-meter breaststroke in 57.66, Michigan's Tim Sciliano won his second straight championship in the 400-meter individual medley in 4:06.02, and Adam Pine of Nebraska won the 100-meter butterfly in 51.23.