University of California Athletics

Bart Sikora

Bears enter the meet with a 3-1 record.

Jan. 27, 1998

This Week: Wed., Jan. 28 - at Pacific, Stockton, CA - 2 p.m.

NOTING THE BEARS: The No. 14 ranked California men's swim team (3-1) defeated both No. 11 ranked Arizona State and No. 10 ranked Arizona at the Koret Recreation Center on the University of San Francisco campus. The Cal men squeaked by Arizona State, 124-122, Friday, Jan. 23, and upset Arizona, 155-87, Saturday, Jan. 24.

The Cal men won seven of the 11 swimming events against the Sun Devils and were led by senior Bart Sikora (Gdynia, Poland) and junior Gordon Kozulj (Zagreb, Croatia), who won two events apiece. Sikora placed first in the 200 free (1:40.21) and 200 back (1:45.54), while Kozulj topped the field in the 200 IM (1:51.04) and 200 fly (1:50.27). Sophomore Bart Kizierowski (Warsaw, Poland) also was a highlight, winning the 100 free with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 43.73, and sophomore Ratapong Sirisanont (Bangkok, Thailand) won the 200 breast (2:00.72).

Against Arizona, the Bears had five different individual winners and won eight of 11 swimming events. Sikora again won two events, winning the 200 IM (1:50.38) and automatically qualifying for the NCAAs in the 200 back (1:44.47). Junior Dan Lindstrom (Borgholm, Sweden) won the 50 free (20.69), Kozulj captured the 200 fly (1:50.89), Kizierowski won the 100 free (43.61) and Sirisanont won the 200 breast (2:02.23).

HEAD COACH NORT THORNTON: Nort Thornton is in his 24th season as Cal's head men's swim coach. Thornton has a 172-70 (.711) dual meet record with the Golden Bears. He has led Cal to 18 Top-10 NCAA finishes, two national titles (1979-80) and an impressive collection of 38 Olympians and 104 All-Americans. Thornton was named an assistant coach to the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in May of 1995.

NOTING PACIFIC: Andy Thurman and Dave Palacio will lead the Pacific Tigers against the Bears. Thurman has the fifth-best time in the 500 free (4:45.19) in the Big West so far this season, while Palacio has the seventh-best time in the 200 fly (2:00.97). Cal has a series record of 54-6 against the Tigers, with the Bears defeating Pacific in their last meeting, 130-64, on Jan. 30, 1997 in Berkeley.

NCAA QUALIFIERS: Besides Sikora and Kizierowski automatically qualifying for the NCAAs in the 200 back and 100 free, respectively, the Cal men have four swimmers who have NCAA consideration times-junior transfer (Auburn) Lindstrom in the 50 (20.28) and 100 free (44.30), and the 100 fly (47.77); Kizierowski in the 50 (20.36) and 200 free (1:39.24); sophomore Lars Merseburg (Wurzburg, Germany) in the 100 free (44.94) and Sirisanont in the 200 breast (2:00.72).

BEAR NOTES: During the World Swimming Championships in Perth, Australia earlier this month, Cal senior Bart Sikora took some time off from collegiate competition to compete for his native Poland, where he finished seventh in the 200-meter backstroke (2:00.71). Two former Bear swimmers also did well-Ron Karnaugh (1988-89) placed third in the 200-meter IM (2:01.89) and Ugur Taner (1993-96) placed ninth in the 200-meter fly (1:59.13). During Cal's close 155-143 loss to No. 3 ranked Texas Nov. 1 at the Koret Center (all of the Bears men's and women's home swim meets will be held at USF's Koret Center due to the construction of the Haas Pavilion on the Cal campus), the Bears received outstanding efforts from Sirisanont and Kizierowski. Sirisanont, a two-time Olympian for Thailand, notched three victories, winning the 100 breast (57.08), the 200 breast (2:01.71) and the 200 IM (1:51.43). Kizierowski placed first in the 50 (20.81) and 100 free (45.29).