Irvine Novaquatics boasted three national champions in eight of the events swum Wednesday night at Clovis West High School. Olympian Gabrielle Rose, 23, of Memphis, Tenn. kicked it all off for the club by finishing first in the women's 100m free with a time of 55.41.

"I was committed to being aggressive from the start," Rose said. "There was some great competition in this race, and I felt like if I really committed to my strategy, I could make the top 4 and make the Goodwill Games team.

"When I looked up, I was very surprised to see No. 1 by my name. It was a strong swim for me. I wasn't expecting it at all. My top priority was making the Goodwill Games, and I was happy to qualify in my first event."

Teammate Scott Tucker, 26, of Irvine, Calif., immediately followed Rose's performance with a win in the men's 100m free. He outtouched Nate Dusing of Villa Hills, Ken., with a time of 49.42.

"The field was basically wide open, and I just wanted to get my hand on the wall," Tucker said. "I turned on the wall right next to Nate at the 50, and I just wanted to get my hand on the wall first. The last five meters really hurt."

Diana MacManus, 16, of Irvine, Cal., rounded out the string of first-place finishes by Irvine Novaquatics with a win in the women's 200m backstroke. Her time of 2:12.66 was a personal best and the fastest by an American woman this year.

The swim also marked her first national championship title.

"It was kind of a joke we had about Nova sweeping it all, but it really happened," MacManus said. "Tonight I just wanted to make sure I worked the third 50. I knew if I was ahead on the third 50, I'd be on my way.

"It's the most exciting feeling I ever felt in my life. It's just an honor to be a champion for the USA."

Other meet highlights included Olympian Tom Wilkens, 25, of Middletown, N.J., swimming his way to his 14th national title in the men's 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:14.54.

"There were some things I could have cleaned up to be a little faster, but being unshaved, I wanted to come here and win a national title or two, and I did it in my first race," Wilkens said. "I wasn't worried about my time. I just wanted to think about racing and having fun, and that's what I'm doing.

"I was happy with the way I raced. Now I just hope I have a couple more races like that this week."

Kristen Caverly, 16, of San Clemente, Calif., won her first national championship in the women's 200m breast with a time of 2:29.36, defeating Olympic gold medalist Megan Quann.

"Megan was definitely out fast in the 100," Caverly said. "Having someone at that level to swim against is a lot of fun. I just picked myself up to race against her.

"I got in front of her, and from then on I just had a level of confidence. On the last 50, I was on my last legs, and I just tried to hold on."

On the possibility of swimming at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia, later this month, Caverly said, "It's going to be a lot of fun to hang out with the kangaroos."

Emily Mason, 18, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was another first-time national champion. She won the women's 200m fly with a time of 2:10.76.

"It feels really good," Mason said. "I was really glad (I won), even though the competition's not here that I'm used to, I'm still really glad.

"I was looking to go faster than that time, but I can live with it since I won."

In the men's 200m back, Olympic team captain Josh Davis won his first national championship in a non-freestyle event. His time of 1:58.69 was a personal best.

"I'm built for the 200, whether it's freestyle on my belly or on my back," Davis said. "I've always wanted to do the 200 back in a big-time meet, and with Lenny (Krayzelburg) and Aaron (Piersol) not here, I thought I had a shot.

"I was hoping to break 2:00. I've been double-0 for the past five or six years, but I've never gone under the sound barrier. I've never had a chance to do it shaved and tapered in a competitive environment like this."

Davis was offered a spot on the Goodwill Games team but has declined.

"I just can't justify giving up two weeks with my family without compensation," he said.

People verbally accepting Goodwill Games spots are Gabrielle Rose, Colleen Lanne, Lindsay Benko, Tammie Stone, Scott Tucker, Nate Dusing, Jamie Rauch, Kristen Caverly, Tom Wilkens, Diana MacManus and Emily Mason. This roster will be updated each day as the meet progresses as some swimmers were still deciding.