The Auburn Tigers men's swimming and diving team will send 12 swimmers and divers to the 2012 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way, Wash., Thursday through Saturday.
Auburn coach Brett Hawke, named 2012 SEC Men's Coach of the Year, will lead 11 swimmers and one diver in the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center against the top 270 swimmers and divers in the nation.
"We've got a great team going out there," Hawke said. "We have a lot of swimmers with multiple swims. Our relays are very strong; we feel great about that. We're just happy with the number that we got."
The group of swimmers is highlighted by junior Kyle Owens. Owens, named SEC Co-Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year along with Ryan Helms of Tennessee, will swim in a team-high seven events.
Owens will race the 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke and the 200-meter individual medley. He won took the SEC title in the 100- and 200-meter and finished second in the 200-meter individual medley.
Senior Drew Modrov will join Owens in the 400-freestyle relay and swim in four other events. Modrov will race the 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle along with the 200-meter freestyle relay.
Karl Krug will swim in the 200-meter freestyle relay with Modrov and against him in the 50-meter freestyle. The senior will also race in the 200-meter medley relay and the 100-meter freestyle.
Senior Max Murphy will race the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. Murphy was named to the 2012 SEC Second Team.
Auburn's lone diver, John Santeiu, will participate in three events. The sophomore is set to dive in the one-meter, three-meter and platform events.
Even though Hawke said the competing field will be tough, he feels good about his team's chances.
"I feel really good about where the men's team is," Hawke said. "It's a very competitive meet across the board with really solid teams in the top 10. Anyone can take a run at trying to win this thing. I don't know that there's any real standout favorites.
"Every team has their own strengths and weaknesses, but we feel pretty good about where we're at right now."
Hawke said he wanted his seniors to finish their careers at Auburn on a positive note.
"Our seniors--Karl Krug, Drew Modrov and Max Murphy--I want them to finish strong so we can send them out the way an Auburn swimmer should be sent out," Hawke said.
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