Oct. 21, 2008

BIRMINGHAM - Auburn senior Matt Targett earned the first SEC Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week honor, the league announced Tuesday, after picking up a pair of NCAA provisional times last weekend at the War Eagle Invitational.

A senior from Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia, Targett returns to the Auburn swimming and diving team after taking last season off to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The senior sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist swam in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 200 butterfly last weekend in the season-opening War Eagle Invitational at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.

Targett became the first swimmer in the country to break the 20-second barrier as he clocked a 19.73 to win the 50 free. The time also gave him his first NCAA "B" cut time of the season. He followed that up with another NCAA provisional time on Saturday as he became the first swimmer to break the 43-second barrier in the 100 free, touching in with a time of 42.79.

Targett also picked up a win in the 500 free, one of his off-events, clocking a 4:43.14 to hit the wall first in the mid-distance event. He rounded out the weekend with a 2:04.47 performance in the 200 butterfly.

Also picking up awards in the first round of SEC weekly honors were Florida's Laurabeth Guenthner (Female Swimmer of the Week), South Carolina's Taryn Zack (Female Diver of the Week), Florida's Shara Stafford (Female Freshman of the Week), Florida's Anthony Lewark (Male Diver and Freshman of the Week).

The Tigers take a break after the season-opening meet, returning to action Nov. 14 at SEC rival Georgia. The dual meet is set to start at 2:30 p.m. CT at UGA's Gabrielsen Natatorium.