Gamecocks Return To CSCAA Rankings At No. 23 | News

The South Carolina men’s swimming and diving team is ranked No. 23 in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Division I Team Rankings, the CSCAA announced Wednesday.

The Gamecocks, who were unranked in the final poll of the fall season, returned to the rankings after defeating Duke, 159-141, on Jan. 12 and putting up a strong showing in a loss to 13th-ranked Florida State last Friday. South Carolina recorded 12 first-place finishes during the two meets.

“Even though we came up a little short in our meet last week, I think we swam well enough and put up times that were fast enough that the committee realized they couldn’t keep us out of the poll,” South Carolina head coach McGee Moody said. “When you put us up head-to-head against the 18 to 25 group, it’s a close meet, so I was pleased with where we were. If things are working right from a coaching perspective, we should continue to move up in the next poll as well.”

The CSCAA Team Rankings are voted on by nine CSCAA-member coaches and one media member. The 2012-13 rankings will be released on a regular basis throughout the season, alternating weeks between a men's and a women's team ranking.

This year's poll is different than previous seasons in that the poll is not designed to predict the results of the NCAA Championship. The purpose is to rank in order which teams would win head-to-head against other teams in the country. Rankings are based on performances that have taken place since the previous poll and include dual meets and invitationals.

The Gamecocks close out their home schedule this week with a two-session meet against College of Charleston, Queens and Wingate. Friday will be Senior Day for South Carolina with the meet set to get underway at 4 p.m. On Saturday the teams will begin competing at 10 a.m. at the Carolina Natatorium.

NCAA Division 1 Men’s Swimming and Diving Ranking

Current rank            Record                  Previous rank

T1. Michigan            (6-0, Big Ten 4-0)      1

T1. Arizona             (3-1, Pac 12 0-1)             3

3. Southern California (5-0, Pac 12 2-0)             5

4. California           (2-0, Pac 12 0-0)             2

T5. Florida             (5-0, SEC 3-0)          7

T5. Auburn        (5-0, SEC 4-0)          9

7. Texas          (2-2, Big 12 0-0)             4

8. Indiana        (6-2, Big Ten 3-1)      10

9. Stanford             (2-0, Pac 12 0-0)       8

10. Ohio State          (6-1, Big Ten 1-1)      6

11. Virginia            (6-1, ACC 2-0)          15

12. Georgia             (5-2, SEC 1-1)          12

13. Florida State             (8-2, ACC 3-1)          13

14. Louisville          (2-2, Big East 1-1)     16

15. Minnesota           (3-1, Big Ten 2-1)      11

16. North Carolina      (4-1, ACC 1-1)          22

17. Virginia Tech       (8-1-1, ACC 3-1-1)      17

18. Purdue        (4-2, Big Ten 2-1)      NR

19. Penn State          (3-2, Big Ten 0-1)      T20

20. Iowa          (3-3, Big Ten 1-3)      18

21. Texas A&M           (2-4, SEC 1-3)          NR

22. NC State            (4-3-1, ACC 2-1-1)      NR

23. South Carolina      (3-4, SEC 1-1)          NR

T24. Missouri           (4-1, SEC 2-1)          14

T24. LSU          (4-2, SEC 2-2)          19

Also receiving votes: Notre Dame, Princeton