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Michael Flach

Class: RS Junior Hometown: Annandale, Va. High School: Bishop O'Connell

Event: Free/Fly

2011-12 Gamecock Spotlight Video

2011-12 - Took an Olympic redshirt to focus training on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials...Training paid off with a stellar showing at the Trials...Claimed eighth in the 200-meter butterfly finals with a time of 1:59.43...Became first Gamecock to make the finals at the U.S. Swimming Trials since 1988...Set a long course personal record of 1:58.04 to finish sixth overall in the 200 butterfly semifinals...Had a strong showing in the 200 freestyle, finishing 36th overall (1:50.87)...Also swam the 100 butterfly, finishing 61st with a PR of 54.72...Named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll.

2010-11 - Gamecocks' top swimmer... All-American in 500 freestyle, finishing 15th at NCAA Championships with time of 4:21.66...Qualified 9th in prelims with 4:17.76; missed championship final by .16 seconds...Also competed in 200 free and 200 fly at NCAA Championships for second straight year...Won SEC bronze medal in 500 freestyle for second consecutive season, posting 4:16.03 to break a 23-year-old school record in the championship final...Had NCAA `B' cuts in three individual events and three relays... Advanced to SEC championship final in 200 free, finishing 5th...Took 10th in 200 fly finals at SEC meet... Had team's top time in four individual events - 100 free (44.84-leadoff leg), 200 free (1:35.39), 500 free (4:16.03) and 200 fly (1:45.36)... Won 200 free and 500 free at Nike Cup... 200 free time is second-fastest in school history... 200 fly is third-fastest at South Carolina... Named Counsilman Hunsaker National Swimmer of the Week after performance at Nike Cup where he earned five `B' cut times... Also named South Carolina AgSouth Athlete of the Week... Also posted a career-best time in 1000 free (9:17.77) vs. UNC Wilmington; ranks as fifth-fastest in school history... Had team's fifth-best time in 100 fly (49.85)... Swam leadoff leg on 400 FR (2:58.02) and 800 FR (6:27.30) that posted `B' cuts at SEC Championships... 800 FR time was a school record...Won 15 individual events during the season and part of six winning relay teams...Was undefeated in four races vs. Clemson and East Carolina...Won three times vs. UNC Wilmington and Missouri...Had two wins against Western Kentucky and Kentucky/Charleston.

2009-10 - Was the team's top swimmer as a freshman... Competed at NCAA Championships in three events... Named SEC Freshman of the Week four times during the season, the most of any athlete in the league... Earned bronze medal in 500 freestyle at SEC Championships with time of 4:19.37, ranking second in school history... Scored two points in 200 fly with 1:47.11 to finish 15th... Posted career-best 200 fly time at NCAA Championships, touching in 1:46.71 to notch the third-best time in school history... Earned NCAA `B' cut in 200 free with a 1:36.62 leadoff leg of 800 FR, which also earned a `B' cut with a 6:34.03... 200 free time ranks sixth in school history... Prelim time of 4:22.78 in 500 free at the Gamecock Invitational was, at the time, the fastest in the nation... Turned in 13 swims during the season that were under the NCAA provisional standard... Won 13 individual races during the season, including three wins in the 500 freestyle... Named to SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.

PRE-COLLEGE - Rated #91 overall prospect in the country by CollegeSwimming.com... Graduated from Bishop O'Connell High School... Named team MVP in 2008 and 2009... Holds school records in 200 and 500 free and 200 IM... Earned All-America honors in those three events in 2008 and 2009...Was ninth in the nation in the 500 free in 2009... Club team is The Fish...Was High Point Scorer from 2002-2009... Holds club team record in 12 different events... Won the 2009 Eastern Zone Sectional Meet, setting meet record in 1000 free...Third place at Senior Championships in 2009...Honor roll student.

PERSONAL - Full name is Michael Flach... Born April 30, 1991... Parents are Michael and Theresa Flach...Has four sisters, Clare, Emily, Katie and Anna...Plans to major in business...Chose South Carolina for its strong business program and the opportunity to compete in the Southeastern Conference.