Jan. 12, 2006

The Maryland Terrapins return to the pool on Friday in Pittsburgh as they swim against Villanova and host-Pittsburgh. The meet marks the end of a 54-day layoff since the team's last full meet, the annual Terrapin Cup Invitational. The women enter the second half 5-2, 3-2 ACC while the men sit at 2-4, 0-4 ACC.

The Terps did see some action during the interim. Five swimmers competed in the U.S. Open meet in Auburn, Ala., Dec. 1-3. Freshman Yelena Skalinskaya (Almaty, Kazakhstan) swam in the consolation-finals heat of the 50-meter free and finished 16th (27.33). She also competed in the 100-meter free at the meet.

Junior Natalie Ferdinand (St. Thomas, Barbados) qualified for the Central American and Caribbean Games in the 100-meter back. The 2006 games will be held in Cartagena, Columbia. Ferdinand also time trialed the 50-meter back.

Senior Krisztina Kovacs (Budapest, Hungary) finished 21st in the 100-meter breast. Junior Sasha Malanina (Volgograd, Russia) competed in the 400-meter IM, and Patrick Doyle (Norfolk, Va.) swam his fastest long-course meters times in the 200- and 400-meter free.

In addition, the Terps announced the hiring of Kevin Clements as a new assistant coach, rounding out the staff of first-year head coach Dave Durden. Clements graduated from Auburn in 2002.

Last Time for the Terps (Terrapin Cup Invitational, Nov. 17-19)

On the women's side...

• The Maryland women's swimming and diving team finished fifth at the Terrapin Cup Invitational, which was won by Connecticut.

• Freshman Yelena Skalinskaya (Almaty, Kazakhstan) and senior Krisztina Kovacs (Budapest, Hungary) both won events on the third night of Terp Cup. Skalinskaya took the crown in the 100-free (51.63) and Kovacs took the 200-breast (2:15.84).

• Senior Inbal Levavi (Kibutz Givat Haim, Israel) took third in the 200-back (2:05.01).

On the men's side...

• The Maryland men's swimming and diving team finished sixth at the Terrapin Cup Invitational, which was won by N.C. State.

• Freshman Matt Golebiewski (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) finished 12th in the 100-free (47.35).

• Danny Gray (Carlisle, Pa.) finished 9th in the 50-free (20.79).

• Freshman Eric Cullen (Severn Md.) led the Terps in the 200-breast finishing 10th (2:08.83), with teammates freshman Kevin Rybicki (Lancaster, Pa.), junior Tim Shepard (Catonsville, Md.), junior Tony Miller (Severna Park, Md.) taking 13th, 14th and 18th respectively.

The two day meet begins Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.