2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships Day Five Heats: Belousova Out, White Cranks Out SEC Meet Record in 2Back

Rhyan White posted the number one time in the nation in the 200 back. Photo Courtesy: Jeff Hanson / Alabama Athletics

SEC Swimming and Diving Championships

Auburn, Alabama 2020

The final day of the 2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships is finally here and it will have the heats of the 2oo back, 100 free and 200 breast.

The Kentucky women had a marvelous last day with six total A-Finalists; four of them coming in the 200 backstroke. Florida and Texas A&M each had five men’s A-finalists as the Gators are well on their way to their eighth straight team title.

Notably, last year’s 200 breast champ Anna Belousova of Texas A&M scratched out of the heats citing back problems, according to Texas A&M.

The full ups-mids-downs report is below. Teams are in order of the team scores after Friday night.

Details:

Women - Ups-Mids-Downs                     
 
  1. Tennessee, University of, Knox    4, 4, 1   
  2. University of Florida             2, 3, 2
  3. Texas A&M University              0, 2, 5   
  4. Kentucky, University of           6, 3, 0
  5. Georgia, University of            3, 4, 1   
  6. Auburn University                 4, 3, 1
  7. University of Alabama             2, 2, 4   
  8. Missouri                          0, 3, 3
  9. South Carolina, University of,    1, 0, 3  
 10. Louisiana State University        1, 0, 2
 11. University of Arkansas            1, 0, 1  
 12. Vanderbilt University             0, 0, 0

Men - Ups, Mids, Downs                      
 
  1. University of Florida             5, 2, 3   
  2. Texas A&M University              5, 2, 2
  3. Georgia, University of            3, 4, 0   
  4. Missouri                          3, 2, 2
  5. University of Alabama             4, 3, 4   
  6. Tennessee, University of, Knox    2, 4, 1
  7. Auburn University                 0, 2, 1   
  8. Kentucky, University of           0, 2, 4
  9. Louisiana State University        1, 1, 2  
 10. South Carolina, University of,    1, 1, 4

Women’s 200 Back

Fresh off a 50.0 last night in the 100 backstroke, Alabama’s Rhyan White torched the heats of the 200 back with a 1:48.06 to break the SEC meet record set all the way back in 2009 by Florida’s Gemma Spofforth. That time by Spofforth was an NCAA record at the time.

Half of tonight’s final will be blue and white as Backstroke U (Kentucky) qualified Asia Seidt (1:50.27), Ali Galyer (1:50.43), Sophie Sorenson (1:52.38) and Caitlin Brooks (1:52.81) for the A-Final.

Florida’s Sherridon Dressel (1:52.57), Auburn’s Sonnele Oeztuerk (1:53.22) and Tennessee’s Meghan Small (1:53.25) also advanced to the A-Final.

 Event 34  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.24  3/23/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
     SEC Meet: S 1:48.34  2/21/2009 Gemma Spofforth, Florida
         Pool: P 1:48.34  2/21/2009 Gemma Spofforth, Florida
                 1:50.50  A
                 1:57.11  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 White, Rhyan E   SO Alabama           1:50.00    1:48.06SqA     
    r:+0.55  25.30        52.43 (27.13)
        1:20.21 (27.78)     1:48.06 (27.85)
  2 Seidt, Asia M    SR Kentucky          1:50.85    1:50.27 qA     
    r:+0.61  26.11        54.14 (28.03)
        1:22.12 (27.98)     1:50.27 (28.15)
  3 Galyer, Ali J    SR Kentucky          1:50.99    1:50.43 qA     
    r:+0.56  26.23        53.75 (27.52)
        1:21.78 (28.03)     1:50.43 (28.65)
  4 Sorenson, Sophie SO Kentucky          1:54.86    1:52.38 qB     
    r:+0.65  26.54        54.85 (28.31)
        1:23.43 (28.58)     1:52.38 (28.95)
  5 Dressel, Sherri  SR FLOR              1:53.38    1:52.57 qB     
    r:+0.57  26.43        54.75 (28.32)
        1:23.66 (28.91)     1:52.57 (28.91)
  6 Brooks, Caitlin  FR Kentucky          1:52.15    1:52.81 qB     
    r:+0.52  26.23        54.39 (28.16)
        1:23.30 (28.91)     1:52.81 (29.51)
  7 Oeztuerk, Sonne  JR Auburn            1:53.25    1:53.22 qB     
    r:+0.66  26.73        55.36 (28.63)
        1:24.16 (28.80)     1:53.22 (29.06)
  8 Small, Meghan N  SR Tennessee         1:52.20    1:53.25 qB     
    r:+0.64  27.04        56.12 (29.08)
        1:24.90 (28.78)     1:53.25 (28.35)

Men’s 200 Back

The men’s 200 back final should be a very competitive field with three guys that have a shot to break 1:40 for the win. Florida junior Clark Beach (1:40.12) is the top seed and will be surrounded by Missouri’s Nick Alexander (1:40.58) and Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas (1:40.68). Both Alexander and Casas were ranked number one in the nation at some point this season.

Tennessee’s Matthew Garcia (1:40.68) is also not to be counted out as he is tied for third with Casas.

Alabama’s Matthew Menke (1:41.56), Georgia’s Ian Grum (1:41.65), Harry Homans (1:41.99) and Missouri’s Daniel Hein (1:42.24) also advanced to the championship final.

 Event 35  Men 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:35.73  3/26/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
     SEC Meet: S 1:38.29  2/17/2005 Ryan Lochte, Florida
         Pool: P 1:39.65  2/21/2015 Sean Lehane, Tennessee
                 1:39.16  A
                 1:45.04  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Beach, Clark G   JR FLOR              1:43.70    1:40.12 qB     
    r:+0.52  23.69        49.05 (25.36)
        1:14.56 (25.51)     1:40.12 (25.56)
  2 Alexander, Nick  SR Missouri          1:41.76    1:40.58 qB     
    r:+0.50  23.67        48.87 (25.20)
        1:14.64 (25.77)     1:40.58 (25.94)
  3 Casas, Shaine M  SO Texas A&M         1:38.21    1:40.68 qB     
    r:+0.54  23.08        48.68 (25.60)
        1:15.39 (26.71)     1:40.68 (25.29)
  3 Garcia, Matthew  SR Tennessee         1:41.42    1:40.68 qB     
    r:+0.59  23.92        49.04 (25.12)
        1:14.37 (25.33)     1:40.68 (26.31)
  5 Menke, Matthew   FR Alabama           1:49.14    1:41.56 qB     
    r:+0.61  23.46        49.26 (25.80)
        1:15.19 (25.93)     1:41.56 (26.37)
  6 Grum, Ian P      FR Georgia           1:42.61    1:41.65 qB     
    r:+0.60  23.98        49.30 (25.32)
        1:15.42 (26.12)     1:41.65 (26.23)
  7 Homans, Harry A  FR Georgia           1:42.62    1:41.99 qB     
    r:+0.49  24.01        49.67 (25.66)
        1:15.50 (25.83)     1:41.99 (26.49)
  8 Hein, Daniel W   SR Missouri          1:42.62    1:42.24 qB     
    r:+0.52  24.14        50.41 (26.27)
        1:16.69 (26.28)     1:42.24 (25.55)

Women’s 100 Free

Tennessee senior Erika Brown showed no signs of fatigue on the last day of the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships as she swam a 46.56 to lead the 100 freestyle heats. Brown should have a race on her hands with a quartet of seniors, led by Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin (47.06), who has been dynamite on the Razorback relays. Auburn’s Julie Meynen (47.43), Claire Fisch (47.58) and Georgia’s Veronica Burchill (47.68) will also make the final exciting and intense as multiple women could break 47 seconds on the last day of the meet.

Alabama’s Kalia Antoniou (48.48), Tennessee’s Tjasa Pintar (48.49) and Auburn’s Abbey Webb (48.52) also advanced to the championship final.

 Event 36  Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 45.56  3/18/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
     SEC Meet: S 46.41  2/23/2019 Erika Brown, Tennessee
         Pool: P 46.88  3/17/2012 Arianna Vanderpool Wallace, Auburn
                 47.18  A
                 49.51  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Brown, Erika J   SR Tennessee           46.15      46.56PqA     
    r:+0.67  10.51        22.41 (11.90)
          34.52 (12.11)       46.56 (12.04)
  2 Hopkin, Anna E   SR Arkansas            46.56      47.06 qA     
    r:+0.68  10.57        22.44 (11.87)
          34.69 (12.25)       47.06 (12.37)
  3 Meynen, Julie    SR Auburn              47.73      47.43 qB     
    r:+0.69  10.98        22.96 (11.98)
          35.17 (12.21)       47.43 (12.26)
  4 Fisch, Claire A  SR Auburn              48.20      47.58 qB     
    r:+0.71  10.72        22.77 (12.05)
          35.07 (12.30)       47.58 (12.51)
  5 Burchill, Veron  SR Georgia             47.75      47.68 qB     
    r:+0.67  10.88        22.88 (12.00)
          35.23 (12.35)       47.68 (12.45)
  6 Antoniou, Kalia  SO Alabama             49.32      48.48 qB     
    r:+0.72  11.00        23.33 (12.33)
          36.04 (12.71)       48.48 (12.44)
  7 Pintar, Tjasa    JR Tennessee           48.72      48.49 qB     
    r:+0.64  11.18        23.44 (12.26)
          36.05 (12.61)       48.49 (12.44)
  8 Webb, Abbey C    FR Auburn              49.37      48.52 qB     
    r:+0.75  11.32        23.57 (12.25)
          36.17 (12.60)       48.52 (12.35)

Men’s 100 Free

LSU freshman Brooks Curry has been on fire this week for the LSU Tigers at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships as he is the top seed in the 100 freestyle at 42.02. Curry was second in the 200 free on Thursday night and has broken two other school records for the Tigers. He is seeded ahead of 100 back champ Zane Waddell (42.05) of Alabama and Kieran Smith (42.52) of Florida.

South Carolina’s Lewis Burras (42.33) dropped over a second from his best time and is seeded third for the Gamecocks.

Texas A&M’s Adam Koster (42.55), Florida’s Khader Baqlah (42.74), Tennessee’s Alec Connolly (42.96) and Texas A&M’s Mark Theall (43.03) also advanced to the championship final.

 Event 37  Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 39.90  3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: S 41.07  2/20/2016 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 41.55  2/21/2009 Matt Targett, Auburn
                 41.71  A
                 43.80  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Curry, Brooks V  FR LSU                 43.38      42.02 qB     
     r:+0.58  9.46        20.01 (10.55)
          31.00 (10.99)       42.02 (11.02)
  2 Waddell, Zane    SR Alabama             42.79      42.05 qB     
     r:+0.68  9.40        19.88 (10.48)
          31.04 (11.16)       42.05 (11.01)
  3 Burras, Lewis E  SO South Carolina      43.59      42.33 qB     
     r:+0.63  9.75        20.40 (10.65)
          31.38 (10.98)       42.33 (10.95)
  4 Smith, Kieran S  SO FLOR                43.50      42.52 qB     
     r:+0.68  9.67        20.46 (10.79)
          31.57 (11.11)       42.52 (10.95)
  5 Koster, Adam R   SR Texas A&M           42.26      42.55 qB     
     r:+0.64  9.60        20.19 (10.59)
          31.29 (11.10)       42.55 (11.26)
  6 Baqlah, Khader   SR FLOR                43.90      42.74 qB     
     r:+0.69  9.92        20.63 (10.71)
          31.79 (11.16)       42.74 (10.95)
  7 Connolly, Alec   SR Tennessee           42.76      42.96 qB     
     r:+0.65  9.40        20.00 (10.60)
          31.19 (11.19)       42.96 (11.77)
  8 Theall, Mark J   JR Texas A&M           43.64      43.03 qB     
     r:+0.65  9.82        20.65 (10.83)
          31.94 (11.29)       43.03 (11.09)

Women’s 200 Breast

Georgia freshman Zoie Hartman, fresh off a win in last night’s 100 breaststroke, put up the top time in the 200 breast at 2:07.88. Hartman was just 0.02 ahead of fellow freshman Gillian Davey (2:07.90) of Kentucky as it will be a very young field with only one senior and three freshman. LSU’s Niamh Robinson (2:08.92) slipped in for eighth as the third freshman in the field.

South Carolina’s Albury Higgs (2:08.85) is the only senior in the field as the sixth seed.

Georgia’s Danielle DellaTorre (2:08.11), Kentucky’s Bailey Bonnett (2:08.34), Florida’s Vanessa Pearl (2:08.60) and Tennessee’s Alexis Yager (2:08.90) also advanced to the championship final as any of the eight could win the gold medal.

Notably, last year’s champ Anna Belousova of Texas A&M scratched out of the heats citing back problems, according to Texas A&M.

 Event 38  Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 2:02.80  3/17/2018 Lilly King, Indiana
     SEC Meet: S 2:04.62  2/18/2018 Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 2:04.76  3/17/2012 Caitlin Leverenz, California
                 2:06.84  A
                 2:13.97  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Hartman, Zoie E  FR Georgia           2:07.43    2:07.88 qB     
    r:+0.79  28.90      1:01.69 (32.79)
        1:34.90 (33.21)     2:07.88 (32.98)
  2 Davey, Gillian   FR Kentucky          2:08.29    2:07.90 qB     
    r:+0.70  29.73      1:02.32 (32.59)
        1:34.92 (32.60)     2:07.90 (32.98)
  3 DellaTorre, Dan  JR Georgia           2:09.20    2:08.11 qB     
    r:+0.65  28.94      1:00.88 (31.94)
        1:34.00 (33.12)     2:08.11 (34.11)
  4 Bonnett, Bailey  JR Kentucky          2:09.69    2:08.34 qB     
    r:+0.67  29.27      1:02.15 (32.88)
        1:35.10 (32.95)     2:08.34 (33.24)
  5 Pearl, Vanessa   SO FLOR              2:10.51    2:08.60 qB     
    r:+0.66  29.29      1:01.73 (32.44)
        1:34.68 (32.95)     2:08.60 (33.92)
  6 Higgs, Albury A  SR South Carolina    2:10.96    2:08.85 qB     
    r:+0.69  29.21      1:01.82 (32.61)
        1:35.06 (33.24)     2:08.85 (33.79)
  7 Yager, Alexis A  JR Tennessee         2:08.22    2:08.90 qB     
    r:+0.71  29.74      1:02.21 (32.47)
        1:35.50 (33.29)     2:08.90 (33.40)
  8 Robinson, Niamh  FR LSU               2:08.88    2:08.92 qB     
    r:+0.74  29.26      1:02.16 (32.90)
        1:35.29 (33.13)     2:08.92 (33.63)

Men’s 200 Breast

Texas A&M’s Benjamin Walker is the top seed in the men’s 200 breast at 1:53.22. Walker won the SEC title last season and looks to go out on top as a senior this year, but he will have his hands full with Alabama freshmen Derek Maas (1:53.53) and Liam Bell (1:53.83).

Georgia’s Jack Dalmolin (1:53.69) should also factor into the podium placings as he is seeded third for the Bulldogs.

Texas A&M had a very good morning with five A-finalists in the pool as Andres Puente put up the fifth seed at 1:53.89.

Florida also had five total A-finalists with Marco Guarente (1:54.05) and Grant Sanders (1:54.63) advancing in sixth and seventh. Missouri freshman Will Goodwin (1:55.59) placed eighth in the heats.

 Event 39  Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.91  3/25/2017 Will Licon, Texas
     SEC Meet: S 1:51.58  2/21/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
         Pool: P 1:51.58  2/21/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
                 1:52.61  A
                 1:58.43  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Walker, Benjamin SR Texas A&M         1:53.33    1:53.22 qB     
    r:+0.67  25.42        53.98 (28.56)
        1:23.35 (29.37)     1:53.22 (29.87)
  2 Maas, Derek E    FR Alabama           1:59.01    1:53.53 qB     
    r:+0.66  25.71        54.75 (29.04)
        1:24.02 (29.27)     1:53.53 (29.51)
  3 Dalmolin, Jack   JR Georgia           1:56.11    1:53.69 qB     
    r:+0.71  25.25        53.95 (28.70)
        1:23.13 (29.18)     1:53.69 (30.56)
  4 Bell, Liam K     FR Alabama           1:59.84    1:53.83 qB     
    r:+0.70  25.90        54.92 (29.02)
        1:24.10 (29.18)     1:53.83 (29.73)
  5 Puente Bustaman  FR Texas A&M         1:52.48    1:53.89 qB     
    r:+0.67  25.79        55.19 (29.40)
        1:24.49 (29.30)     1:53.89 (29.40)
  6 Guarente, Marco  SR FLOR              1:58.52    1:54.05 qB     
    r:+0.59  25.60        54.74 (29.14)
        1:23.86 (29.12)     1:54.05 (30.19)
  7 Sanders, Grant   SR FLOR              1:59.06    1:54.63 qB     
    r:+0.71  26.23        55.23 (29.00)
        1:24.64 (29.41)     1:54.63 (29.99)
  8 Goodwin, Will A  FR Missouri          1:55.29    1:55.59 qB     
    r:+0.58  26.34        55.56 (29.22)
        1:25.10 (29.54)     1:55.59 (30.49)

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