TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Heading into the final day of competition at the 2001 Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, the Auburn University men are sitting comfortably in first place with a score of 543 while the women stand in second with a score of 455.5 behind Georgia (494).

Junior Kevin Clements started off the night with a second place finish in the 400-yard individual medley with a school record time of 3:43.45 while James Galloway placed fifth (3:47.13) and Jeremy Knowles finished 10th (3:53.34).

The Tigers got back on the gold medal stand in the 100 fly with sophomore Andy Haidinyak swimming to a personal-best time of 47.13 taking the title with senior Jeff Somensatto finishing fourth (47.47), Jon Karr placing seventh (48.26) and Scott Talbot-Cameron taking 16th (49.85).

In the 200 free for the men, freshman Richard Long took the top spot for Auburn finishing sixth with a time of 1:37.83. Also placing in that event were Greg Busse in seventh (1:38.41), Brandon Roberts in eighth (1:38.69) and Bryce Hunt in 15th (1:38.79).

Auburn's domination in the breaststroke continued as the Tigers captured five of the top ten spots with senior Dave Denniston taking second (53.20), sophomore Pat Calhoun finishing third (53.27), freshman Mark Gangloff placed fourth (53.99) and junior Eric vanGoethem took ninth (54.39).

The Tigers placed four men in the 100 back with Karr finishing third with a time of 48.11, Kirk Hampleman placed fifth (48.43), Hunt finished eighth (49.39) and Talbot-Cameron took 10th (49.44). Freshman Caesar Garcia took sixth place in the 3-meter diving event (540.80) while Andrew Sivulka placed 11th with a score of 481.20.

The men's 400 medley relay team of Karr, Denniston, Haidinyak and Busse went on to not only capture the SEC title, but the Alabama Aquatics Center record and the SEC record with a time of 3:09.70.

"The men really started pulling away with the depth of the back and breast events," head coach David Marsh. "The upset of the night was Andy Haidinyak, who won the 100 fly. It probably wasn't an upset to him because his plan was to win all big events this season and his confidence carried him to victory. Kevin Clements' 400 IM was a great race as well with busting the school record. He is probably one of the top five IMers in the nation right now."

For the women, sophomore Maggie Bowen again claimed gold swimming to a school record time of 4:08.27 in the 400 IM while Megan Riddle finished 15th (4:25.13) to round out the scoring for the Tigers.

Auburn placed four women in the finals of the 100 fly with freshman Demerae Christianson taking third with a time of 54.74, Suzy Flook placing eighth (56.07), Taylor Spivey in 12th (56.11) and Laura Swander in 14th (56.29).

In the 200 free, freshmen Magda Dyszkiewicz and Heather Kemp tied for fourth with a time of 1:47.78 while Cassidy Maxwell finished ninth (1:48.52) and Becky Short placed 10th (1:48.82).

For the Tigers in the 100 breast, freshman Laura Swander finished with a third place time of 1:01.75 while senior Brook Monroe was close behind in fourth (1:02.14), junior captain Abby Hochella finished 10th (1:04.01) and sophomore Devyn LeBlanc took 15th (1:05.09).

Spivey was the only Auburn competitor in the 100 back and finished with a fourth place time of 55.39 for the Tigers. The women's 400 medley relay team of Spivey, Bowen, Christianson and Coparropa also captured the SEC title and a school record time of 3:36.94.

"Maggie in the 400 IM really started things off right for us this evening," Marsh said. "She really brings this program to a new level. Taylor really did a great job bouncing back in the medley relay after a disappointing finish in the back and Maggie recorded under a minute split in the 100 breast in the relay which has never happened at Auburn.

"Overall, this was one of the stronger days at a conference meet that we have ever had at Auburn," Marsh said. "The men are in a solid position for tomorrow and the women have to have nothing short of a perfect morning tomorrow. It is always fun going into the final day believing that it is possible to win. We also want to make sure and thank the Auburn faithful who have been out here every day and always support us. They are a major part of our success."

Auburn will wrap up SEC Championship competition Saturday at the Alabama Aquatics Center with preliminary events beginning at 10:30 a.m. and finals beginning at 6:30 p.m.