Men’s swimming and diving perform well on first day of NCAA Championships

Sophomores Matt Ellis and John Murray as well as juniors Tripp Cooper and Kip Darmody represented Texas in the 200-yard freestyle relay, placing second with 1:15.53 just behind California on the first day of the 2014 NCAA Division I Championships. The event goes until Saturday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

Freshman Jack Conger came in fifth with 4:14.34 in the 500-yard freestyle. The Longhorns had a break during event three, as no swimmers qualified for the 200-yard IM championship final the team moved down to fourth overall.

Murray finished sixth in the 50-yard freestyle with 19.11, followed by Ellis who came in eighth with 19.20.

Texas picked up the pace towards the end of the night with the 1-meter diving championship. Freshman diver Michael Hixon took the title with 443.5 points, making him the first UT freshman diver to win an NCAA championship since 2009. The Longhorns ended the night with a third place finish in the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:04.79. The NCAA Championships continue Friday with the 200 medley relay at 11 a.m.

— Courtney Norris

Men’s tennis begin conference play against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State

Following a full sweep of Tulsa last weekend, the Longhorns will continue their five-game home stand — their last of the year — against No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 21 Oklahoma State this weekend.

The weekend matchups begin Big 12 play for No. 11 Texas which boasts a 16-3 record up to this point in the season. The Longhorns are 8-0 at home and are currently on a three-match win streak.

Junior Soren Hess-Oleson enters this weekend leading the Longhorns with an 11-2 record in singles play and is currently ranked No. 21 in singles play. Along with junior Lloyd Glasspool, Hess-Oleson is also part of the No. 13 doubles team which has accounted for all eight of Texas’ wins over nationally ranked doubles opponents this season. 

The Sooners and Cowboys possess a combined five players in the top 100 in singles play this season which should make the Longhorns first shot at conference play a real test. 

Texas will play Oklahoma on Friday at 6 p.m. and Oklahoma State Sunday at 1 p.m.

—Matt Warden