ASU's men's and women's swimming teams began their 2005-06 season Saturday morning with the Alumni Meet.
Many former Sun Devil swimmers returned to Tempe to compete with this year's squad, as several of the current ASU swimmers shined in front of their predecessors.
Sophomore Caitlin Andrew, hoping to build on an excellent freshman season in which she won the Pac-10 Championship in the 100-meter butterfly, won three events in Saturday's meet.
She won the 50-yard breaststroke in 32.29, and she was a part of the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams, which both won their races.
Also a part of that 200-yard medley relay team was freshman Jen Beckberger, who is expected to be a big contributor for the women this season. Beckberger also captured the 100-yard freestyle in 53.25, beating All-American senior Kathryn Hennessy in the process.
On the men's side, sophomore Lucas Azevedo won the 100-yard freestyle in 49.76 and the 200-yard freestyle in 1:44.02, and a couple of newcomers shined in their first competition as Sun Devils.
Junior college transfer Cheyne O'Gorman was the highest finisher among current Sun Devils in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing third in 22.14, while freshman Marcus Titus was the top ASU swimmer in the 50-yard breaststroke, finishing third in 28.41
The winner of both of those races was former Sun Devil Nick Brunelli, who won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.43 and the 50-yard breaststroke in 27.25. Brunelli had a remarkable career at ASU, as he won the Pac-10 title in the 200-meter freestyle in his senior season in 2004, and most recently he qualified for the finals of the 50-meter freestyle at the World Championships this past summer.
Coach Michael Chasson said the meet provided a good chance for his team to get going.
"The most I got from the meet was that some swimmers who were working on technique in practice were making progress," Chasson said.
The swimming team has its intrasquad meet this Friday, followed by its pentathlon on Saturday before its first real competition on Oct. 21 at Hawaii.
Reach the reporter at matthew.storey@asu.edu.
