Aug. 5, 2008

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - The University of California men's swimming program had two athletes - Sean Mahoney and former sprint standout William Copeland - make the finals in their respective events during the last two days of the U.S. Open, held July 29 through August 2 at the at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn. On Friday, August 1, Mahoney, who will be a junior for the Bears this upcoming collegiate season, placed sixth in the finals of the 100-meter (long course) breaststroke with a time of 1:02.10. On Saturday, August 2, during the finals of the 50-meter (long course) freestyle, Copeland, who recently completed his eligibility with the Golden Bears, placed seventh with a mark of 22.77.

Other results for the Cal men during the last two days of the U.S. Open were David Russell placing 13th in the 100-meter backstroke (long course) with a time of 57.04, and John Foster placing 14th in the 200-meter freestyle (long course) with a time of 1:51.61, on Friday. Both Russell and Foster will be seniors for the Bears during the upcoming collegiate season. On Saturday, Mahoney finished 12th in the 200-meter individual medley (long course) with a mark of 2:04.06. His top performance at the U.S. Open was on July 29 when he placed third in the 200-meter (long course) breaststroke with a mark of 2:12.57. Mahoney was 13th in the 400-meter (long course) IM on July 30 (4:26.89) as well.

Besides finishing seventh in the 50-meter free on Saturday, Copeland had an impressive second-place finish in the 100-meter (long course) freestyle (49.85) on July 30. Also on July 30, Russell had placed ninth in the 200-meter (long course) backstroke, winning the B final with a time of 2:00.56.