The LSU swimming team started the Southeastern Conference Championships just the way it wanted— quickly.   In the first two days, LSU earned a silver medal, two bronze medals, broke six records and qualified multiple swimmers for the NCAA Championships.    The wins put the men in seventh place, with the scores carrying over from the diving championships held last weekend. The women are steadily climbing the rankings, moving up to fourth place after starting the meet in eighth.    Sophomore Craig Hamilton started off Wednesday’s finals with an LSU record in the 500-yard freestyle. The time of 4:22.17 placed him No. 12 in the SEC in the event.   Sophomore Andrei Tuomola took seventh place in the men’s 50-yard freestyle finals, earning points for the Tigers.   The Lady Tigers racked up points in their 50-yard freestyle finals, with senior Jane Trepp finishing third and earning a bronze medal with a personal best time. Sophomore Amanda Kendall finished just behind Trepp in fourth place, while junior Samantha Goates came in eighth.    The Lady Tigers also earned bronze in the 200-yard freestyle relay with an LSU record-breaking time of 1:28.98.   Freshmen Torrey Bussey and Cari Blalock finished seventh and eighth respectively in the 200-yard individual medley finals. Bussey broke the program record for the event in the preliminaries.    LSU will look to use carry its hot start over to the last two days of the meet. The Friday and Saturday events include the 400-yard individual medley, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard backstroke.   —-
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