DURHAM, N.C. – After winning the Nike Cup Invitational for the first time in program history, the Duke men's swimming and diving team jumped five spots to No. 18 in Tuesday's poll released by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The Blue Devil men (5-0, 2-0 ACC) collected first-place finishes in two individual events and three relays en route to capturing the Nike Cup title. The squad accounted for three program records, as junior Kaz Takabayashi eclipsed the 100-yard backstroke benchmark twice and joined junior Peter Kropp, senior David Armstrong and junior James Peek on the record-breaking 400 medley relay (3:09.20). That group, as well as the 200 freestyle relay of junior Mike Seaberg, Armstrong, junior Dylan Payne and Peek, also earned Koury Natatorium records.
Duke totaled 1,721 points over three days of competition to edge NC State (1,545.5) and North Carolina (1,434) in the men's team standings. The U.S. Naval Academy (1,297), Yale (1,038.5), East Carolina (905) and Old Dominion (593) rounded out the field.
The Blue Devils are one of five ACC teams listed in the latest men's rankings, joining No. 7 NC State, No. 10 Louisville, No. 13 North Carolina and No. 25 Georgia Tech.
Following next month's USA Swimming and USA Diving winter nationals, the Duke men and women resume competition Jan. 8 at South Carolina.
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