How I Met the Hottest Male Athlete

The men's 4x200 free relay victory celebration as recreated by cast members How I Met Your Mother for Entertainment Weekly. Photo by Williams + Hirakawa

Ricky, Ryan Lochte, and Michael Phelps have placed fifth in the New York Daily News' list of the Hottest Male Athletes of 2008.

No. 1 Men's Swimming and Diving claims six victories on day One of Texas Invitational

UT junior Ricky Berens claimed two events and posted a pair of NCAA automatic-qualifying marks on day one of the Texas Invitational.
Dec. 4, 2008

No. 1 Texas claimed six of seven events to successfully kick off the opening session of the Texas Invitational at UT's Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
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Berens picked up his first of two victories in the 100 butterfly, where he scored a new personal best with a NCAA automatic-qualifying mark of 45.54. Texas picked up NCAA provisional-qualifying cuts from junior Hill Taylor, who took third in 46.69, and sophomore Matt Donch, who placed fifth in 47.55. Feigen and sophomore Brian Wilson tied for seventh at 47.69.
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Texas finished off the evening with a close win over Arizona in the 400 medley relay. Taylor, Magruder, Berens and Walters captured the event in 3:09.10.

UT leads the meet with 503.5 points, while Arizona sits in second with 343.5 points.


Men's Swimming and Diving's Collins scores school record at Texas Invitational
Texas sophomore Bryan Collins takes down teammate Michael Klueh's school mark in the 400 IM in the day two prelims at the Texas Invitational.

Dec. 5, 2008

Olympians Dave Walters and Ricky Berens led the Horns in the 200 freestyle by taking second and third in the preliminary round. Walters topped out at 1:34.85, while Berens came in at 1:35.71. All totaled, seven Longhorns – including senior Ryan Verlatti, Klueh, freshman Jackson Wilcox and sophomore Scott Jostes - will join Arizona’s Jean Basson, the top seed, in what figures to be a lightning-fast 200 freestyle final. UT also picked up NCAA “B” cut marks from senior Sean Patton and freshman Kyle McNeilis.

Texas Invitational – day 2 prelims results
200 Freestyle
2. Dave Walters – 1:34.85 (NCAA “B” cut)
3. Ricky Berens – 1:35.71 (NCAA “B” cut)

100 Backstroke
1 Ricky Berens – 46.81 (NCAA “B” cut)
3. Hill Taylor – 47.17 (NCAA “B” cut)

No. 1 Texas Tops Washington, 142-115

November 21st, 2008

No. 1 Texas totaled eight victories en route to a 142-115 victory over Washington Friday in the Horns’ home opener at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
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Junior Ricky Berens led a one through three Texas finish in the 100 backstroke, where he won in a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 48.10. Senior Michael Klueh took second in 49.32. Senior Sean Patton led a one through four UT finish in the 200 backstroke, where he was victorious in 1:47.05. Sophomore Bryan Collins took second in 1:49.25.

Magruder led another one through four Texas finish in the 200 breaststroke. Magruder claimed the event in 2:01.94, while Berens took second in 2:06.05. Berens later led a one-two-three UT showing in the 100 butterfly, where he clocked a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 47.65. Sophomore Matt Donch took second in 49.26. Junior Dave Walters claimed the 200 individual medley in 1:50.89, though he completed the event as an exhibition and did not officially pick up the victory.

Texas capped the meet with an exhibition win in the 200 freestyle relay. Donch, Berens, freshman Neil Caskey and Klueh finished in 1:21.62.

The Longhorns return to action on Thursday, Dec. 4 when they host the annual three-day Texas Invitational at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

Men 100 Yard Backstroke
1. Berens, Ricky Texas 48.10
2. Klueh, Michael Texas 49.32
3. Jostes, Scott Texas 50.16

Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
1. Magruder, Agustin Texas 2:01.94
2. Berens, Ricky Texas 2:06.05
3. Friedland, Eric Texas 2:06.36

Men 100 Yard Butterfly
1. Berens, Ricky Texas 47.65
2. Donch, Matt Texas 49.26
3. Wang, Andrew Texas 49.54

Men's Swimming and Diving's Livingston, Berens earn Big 12 honors

Nov. 12, 2008
Big 12 Conference coaches have tabbed Texas freshman diver Drew Livingston and junior swimmer Ricky Berens as the league's diver and swimmer of the week after the two registered outstanding performances in the top-ranked Longhorns' recent victories over No. 3 Michigan and No. 14 Indiana.
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Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) won three individual events and swam on three winning relays in Texas' double dual-meet wins against Michigan and Indiana. Each individual and relay swim resulted in a mark that leads the nation.

Berens tied Michigan's Tyler Clary in the 200 IM in a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 1:46.85 - that mark is tied as the nation's best. Berens claimed the 100 butterfly in a NCAA "B" cut mark of 47.69, which leads the nation. Berens captured the 200 butterfly in a NCAA "B" cut mark of 1:46.31, which also leads the nation.

Berens swam the butterfly leg in 47.59 in UT's 400 medley relay that won in 3:15.33; that relay is ranked first in the nation. Berens swam the third leg of UT's 800 free relay in 1:36.97; the relay won in a mark of 6:28.89, which ranks first in the nation. Berens led off UT's 400 free relay in 44.72. The relay finished in 2:57.45, a mark that ranks the relay first in the nation.

Livingston, Berens and the rest of the Longhorns return to action on Friday, Nov. 21 when they host Washington at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at 3 p.m. Central.

Berens tabbed National Men's College Swimmer of the Week

UT junior Ricky Berens holds the nation's top times in three individual events.
Nov. 4, 2008

CollegeSwimming.com has selected University of Texas junior Ricky Berens as its National Men's College Swimmer of the Week after the Beijing Olympic gold medalist won three individual events and swam on three winning relays in the Horns' wins over the weekend against No. 3 Michigan and No. 14 Indiana.

Berens (Charlotte, N.C.) tied Michigan's Tyler Clary in the 200 IM in a NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 1:46.85, which is the fastest mark in college swimming thus far. Berens captured the 100 butterfly in a NCAA "B" cut mark of 47.69, which leads all of college swimming, and took the 200 butterfly in a nation-leading 1:46.31.

Berens swam the butterfly leg in 47.59 in UT's 400 medley relay that defeated Michigan and Indiana in a top national mark of 1:46.31. He swam the third leg of UT's 800 free relay in 1:36.97, and the relay finished in a top national time of 6:28.89. Berens finished off UT's double dual-meet wins over the third-ranked Wolverines and 14th-ranked Hoosiers by leading off Texas' 400 freestyle relay in 44.72. The relay finished in 2:57.45, good for yet another time that leads college swimming.

Berens and classmate Dave Walters earned gold medals in the 800 freestyle relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Top-ranked Texas returns to action on Friday, Nov. 21 when it hosts Washington.

No. 1 Men's Swimming and Diving defeats No. 3 Michigan, No. 14 Indiana in tri-meet

Nov. 1, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 1 Texas lengthened its lead after the opening day of competition and finished off a pair of victories over No. 3 Michigan and No. 14 Indiana Saturday at Michigan’s Canham Natatorium.

UT held a 14-point cushion over Michigan heading into Saturday, but the Horns pulled away to a 221.5-166.5 victory. Texas defeated Indiana by a 209-153 count.

Texas opened the session with a win in the 800 freestyle relay, as junior Dave Walters, senior Sean Patton, junior Ricky Berens and senior Michael Klueh finished in 6:28.89. UT’s “B” relay of sophomore Bryan Collins, freshmen Neil Caskey and Kyle McNeilis and senior Ryan Verlatti took third in 6:42.18.
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UT finished off the meet with a victory in the 400 freestyle relay, where the Horns finished in 2:57.45.

Texas returns to action on Friday, Nov. 21 when it hosts Washington at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.

800 Yard Freestyle Relay
1 University of Texas 'A' 6:28.89
2 Michigan, University of 'A' 6:36.92
3 University of Texas 'B' 6:42.18

200 Yard Butterfly
1 Berens, Ricky C Texas 1:46.31
2 Weik, Cody A Indiana 1:47.34
3 Madwed, Dan Michigan 1:49.48

400 Yard Freestyle Relay
1 University of Texas 'A' 2:57.45
2 Michigan, University of 'A' 2:58.34
3 Indiana University 'A' 3:00.69

No. 1 Men's Swimming and Diving leads No. 3 Michigan, No. 14 Indiana after day one of tri-meet

October 31, 2008

No. 1 Texas tallied five individual wins and two relay victories in day one of its meet against No. 3 Michigan and No. 14 Indiana Friday at Michigan's Canham Natatorium.

After Friday's opening session, Texas leads Michigan by a 108.5-94.5 margin and Indiana by a 148-55 count.The second and final session is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern.
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Junior Ricky Berens trailed Michigan's Tyler Clary by 23 one-hundredths of a second in the 200 IM before running him down and tying Clary in 1:46.85. Freshman Eric Friedland placed seventh in 1:52.94.

Texas captured the 400 medley relay, where juniors Hill Taylor, Scott Spann, Ricky Berens and Dave Walters finished in 3:15.33. Freshman diver Drew Livingston registered his first collegiate victory in dominant fashion, as he finished with 423.30 points and topped the nearest finisher by over 55 points. Senior Jonathan Wilcox took third with 352.55 points, and sophomore Matt Cooper took fifth with 342.55 points.

200 Yard IM
1 Clary, Tyler T Michigan 1:46.85
1 Berens, Ricky C Texas 1:46.85
3 Kennedy, Neal H Michigan 1:50.21

400 Yard Medley Relay
1 University of Texas 'A' 3:15.33
2 Michigan, University of 'A' 3:16.76
3 University of Texas 'B' 3:21.16

100 Yard Butterfly
1 Berens, Ricky C Texas 47.60
2 Brady, Chris D Michigan 48.08
3 Madwed, Dan Michigan 48.76