March 17, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - In his final meet as a California Golden Bear senior Patrick O'Neil won the Bears' only NCAA individual title this weekend at the 2007 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn. O'Neil captured the 200 fly title on the final day of competition. The Golden Bears finished in eighth place as a team with 176 points.

O'Neil posted his Cal career-best time of 1:42.98 in the finals of the 200 fly. He also initially broke his previous Cal best of 1:44.00, in the prelims with his time of 1:43.77. O'Neil was the first Golden Bear to win in 11 years since Ugur Taner won the individual honor in 1994, 1995 and 1996. O'Neil was also the Pac-10 Champion in the event this season.

"It feels really good," the Roseberg, Ore., native said after claiming the title. "I have been working hard for a long time and it feels nice. Some of the younger guys I have been training with this year are really good and I think that they will be able to do really well in this event over the next few years.

"I guess there was some extra motivation," O'Neil laughed, referring to St. Patrick's Day. "I am part Irish, so maybe there was a little 'luck of the Irish' involved."

In other events, David Russell secured nine points for the Bears with his ninth-place finish in the 200 back (1:41.81).

In his first NCAA Championships, freshman Nathan Adrian notched 11 points for the Bears with his eighth-place finish in the 100 free (43.12).

In the 1650 free, Daniel Lysaught finished 14th with his time of 15:04.77, earning three points for the Bears.