2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships Day Three Finals Live: Smith, Brown Win Titles to Put Florida, Tennessee Ahead

Kieran Smith won the 400 IM at the SEC Championships. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

SEC Swimming and Diving Championships

Auburn, Alabama 2020

The third night of the 2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships from Auburn, Alabama featured the finals of the 400 IM, 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.

An NCAA record watch was in effect tonight with Erika Brown and Kieran Smith set to swim their respective events. Ultimately, no NCAA records fell but Brown did get under the American record in the 100 butterfly as she moved to third all-time in the event.

Smith won the 400 IM for his second title of the meet but fell short of the NCAA record. He might end up choosing the 200 free for NCAAs but he will be a favorite in both events in five weeks come nationals.

The Florida Gators built a huge lead on Thursday night as the men got two wins from Smith and Khader Baqlah on the night. They lead by over 100 points over Texas A&M.

The Tennessee women also extended their lead as they got wins from Brown and Tess Cieplucha (400 IM) as they search for their first ever SEC team title.

Georgia’s Veronica Burchill (200 free) and Missouri’s Danny Kovac (100 fly) also won titles on night three.

Details

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 22                 
 
  1. Tennessee, University of, Knox    632.5   
  2. University of Florida             585.5
  3. Kentucky, University of           491.5   
  4. Texas A&M University              491
  5. Auburn University                 478   
  6. Georgia, University of            456
  7. University of Alabama             351.5   
  8. University of Arkansas            254
  9. Missouri                          252
 10. Louisiana State                   236  
 11. South Carolina, University of,    228  
 12. Vanderbilt University              90

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 21                  
 
  1. University of Florida             694.5   
  2. Texas A&M University              538.5
  3. Georgia, University of            493.5   
  4. University of Alabama             438.5
  5. Tennessee, University of, Knox    422   
  6. Kentucky, University of           416
  7. Missouri                          415   
  8. Auburn University                 385
  9. South Carolina, University of,    265  
 10. Louisiana State University        258

Women’s 400 IM

Tennessee senior Tess Cieplucha put the pedal to the metal on the back half of the 400 IM as she won going away with a 4:01.88 to give the Vols a big win on Thursday night at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships. She was pushed by Florida sophomore Vanessa Pearl, who closed the gap on the breaststroke leg, but Pearl fell off on the freestyle and finished second at 4:04.61. The Gators are still in the lead through 8 women’s events at SECs. The Gators are shooting for their first team title since 2009 while Tennessee is shooting for their first in school history.

Kentucky junior Bailey Bonnett swam a 4:05.62 to finish in third place as she held off Texas A&M’s Jing Quah (4:06.18) at the finish.

Alabama’s Alexis Preski (4:07.95), Tennessee’s Alexis Yager (4:10.54), Florida’s Kathleen Golding (4:10.56) and Florida’s Kelly Fertel (4:10.71) also competed in the championship final as the Gators got a boat-load of points.

Event 16  Women 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 3:54.60  3/16/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
     SEC Meet: S 3:58.35  2/17/2012 Elizabeth Beisel, Florida
         Pool: P 3:56.54  3/16/2012 Katinka Hosszu, Southern Cal
                 4:03.62  A
                 4:17.30  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Cieplucha, Tess  SR Tennessee         4:04.04    4:01.88 A       32  
    r:+0.73  25.37        54.98 (29.61)
        1:26.44 (31.46)     1:57.67 (31.23)
        2:31.97 (34.30)     3:06.19 (34.22)
        3:34.53 (28.34)     4:01.88 (27.35)
  2 Pearl, Vanessa   SO FLOR              4:05.52    4:04.61 B       28  
    r:+0.68  25.81        55.90 (30.09)
        1:27.42 (31.52)     1:58.93 (31.51)
        2:32.67 (33.74)     3:06.74 (34.07)
        3:35.97 (29.23)     4:04.61 (28.64)
  3 Bonnett, Bailey  JR Kentucky          4:06.36    4:05.62 B       27  
    r:+0.66  26.24        56.45 (30.21)
        1:28.46 (32.01)     2:00.72 (32.26)
        2:33.48 (32.76)     3:07.85 (34.37)
        3:37.53 (29.68)     4:05.62 (28.09)
  4 Quah, Jing       JR Texas A&M         4:08.35    4:06.18 B       26  
    r:+0.61  25.73        55.33 (29.60)
        1:27.04 (31.71)     1:57.73 (30.69)
        2:33.39 (35.66)     3:09.64 (36.25)
        3:38.50 (28.86)     4:06.18 (27.68)
  5 Preski, Alexis   SR Alabama           4:06.83    4:07.95 B       25  
    r:+0.68  26.46        56.09 (29.63)
        1:28.02 (31.93)     1:59.13 (31.11)
        2:34.63 (35.50)     3:10.25 (35.62)
        3:39.68 (29.43)     4:07.95 (28.27)
  6 Yager, Alexis A  JR Tennessee         4:05.75    4:10.54 B       24  
    r:+0.73  26.28        56.60 (30.32)
        1:29.06 (32.46)     2:00.67 (31.61)
        2:35.53 (34.86)     3:10.78 (35.25)
        3:41.07 (30.29)     4:10.54 (29.47)
  7 Golding, Kathle  FR FLOR              4:08.94    4:10.56 B       23  
    r:+0.70  25.99        56.28 (30.29)
        1:28.53 (32.25)     2:00.81 (32.28)
        2:36.65 (35.84)     3:12.86 (36.21)
        3:41.97 (29.11)     4:10.56 (28.59)
  8 Fertel, Kelly A  SR FLOR              4:09.11    4:10.71 B       22  
    r:+0.72  26.13        56.71 (30.58)
        1:28.95 (32.24)     2:00.33 (31.38)
        2:35.58 (35.25)     3:11.76 (36.18)
        3:41.88 (30.12)     4:10.71 (28.83)

Men’s 400 IM

The Florida Gators went 1-2-3 in the 400 IM final as they swept the podium and jumped Texas A&M in the team standings on Thursday night at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships. Sophomore Kieran Smith won his second event of the week with a 3:37.31 as he broke Chase Kalisz’s pool record set in 2015. Senior Grant Sanders (3:40.20) and sophomore Bobby Finke (3:41.56) swept the podium for the second straight year as Finke won it last year followed by Smith and Sanders.

The time for Smith is the fastest in the country as he is 24 hours removed from his American record last night.

The Gators had five total swimmers in the A-Final as sophomore Miguel Cancel (3:44.32) and freshman Kevin Vargas (3:44.73) finished in fifth and sixth place respectively, nearly completing a full sweep.

Alabama’s Nicholas Perera (3:42.61) finished in fourth while Georgia’s Andrew Abruzzo (3:44.80) and Clayton Forde (3:45.28) finished seventh and eighth.

 Event 17  Men 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 3:33.42  3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
     SEC Meet: S 3:35.76  2/16/2018 Hugo Gonzalez, Auburn
         Pool: P 3:38.39  2/19/2015 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
                 3:39.16  A
                 3:51.46  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Smith, Kieran S  SO FLOR              3:40.54    3:37.31PA       32  
    r:+0.69  23.06        50.05 (26.99)
        1:17.77 (27.72)     1:44.47 (26.70)
        2:15.30 (30.83)     2:46.84 (31.54)
        3:12.84 (26.00)     3:37.31 (24.47)
  2 Sanders, Grant   SR FLOR              3:42.90    3:40.20 B       28  
    r:+0.71  23.05        49.54 (26.49)
        1:17.83 (28.29)     1:45.54 (27.71)
        2:16.07 (30.53)     2:47.16 (31.09)
        3:14.25 (27.09)     3:40.20 (25.95)
  3 Finke, Bobby C   SO FLOR              3:43.79    3:41.56 B       27  
    r:+0.75  24.13        51.45 (27.32)
        1:19.11 (27.66)     1:46.37 (27.26)
        2:18.52 (32.15)     2:51.12 (32.60)
        3:17.00 (25.88)     3:41.56 (24.56)
  4 Perera, Nichola  SO Alabama           3:43.61    3:42.61 B       26  
    r:+0.59  23.68        50.40 (26.72)
        1:19.49 (29.09)     1:48.32 (28.83)
        2:18.90 (30.58)     2:50.32 (31.42)
        3:16.58 (26.26)     3:42.61 (26.03)
  5 Cancel, Miguel   SO FLOR              3:45.25    3:44.32 B       25  
    r:+0.62  23.70        51.40 (27.70)
        1:20.43 (29.03)     1:48.45 (28.02)
        2:20.35 (31.90)     2:52.44 (32.09)
        3:18.90 (26.46)     3:44.32 (25.42)
  6 Vargas, Kevin L  FR FLOR              3:44.16    3:44.73 B       24  
    r:+0.65  24.07        51.50 (27.43)
        1:21.07 (29.57)     1:49.94 (28.87)
        2:20.93 (30.99)     2:52.42 (31.49)
        3:18.94 (26.52)     3:44.73 (25.79)
  7 Abruzzo, Andrew  SO Georgia           3:44.36    3:44.80 B       23  
    r:+0.75  23.88        51.42 (27.54)
        1:19.82 (28.40)     1:47.84 (28.02)
        2:20.50 (32.66)     2:53.71 (33.21)
        3:19.93 (26.22)     3:44.80 (24.87)
  8 Forde, Clayton   SR Georgia           3:44.43    3:45.28 B       22  
    r:+0.74  24.17        51.40 (27.23)
        1:21.03 (29.63)     1:49.83 (28.80)
        2:21.87 (32.04)     2:53.76 (31.89)
        3:20.31 (26.55)     3:45.28 (24.97)

Women’s 100 Butterfly

Tennessee senior Erika Brown got within a finger nail of the 100 butterfly NCAA record on Thursday night at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships in Auburn, Alabama as she swam a 49.38. Brown just missed the 49.26 record that is joint-held by USC’s Louise Hansson and Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil. Both of those swimmers are still in the NCAA and if Brown elects too swim this event, it will be one of the can’t-miss races of the NCAA Championships. Brown is now third all-time in the 100 butterfly and wins her third straight SEC title in the event.

Alabama sophomore Rhyan White finished in the runner-up spot with a 50.80 as she got under 51 seconds for the second time today. Florida senior Sherridon Dressel (51.20) finished in third place as the Gators are still in the hunt for the team title.

Tennessee picked up a good amount of points from Brown and sophomore Trude Rothrock (51.60), who finished fourth in a tie with Kentucky’s Izzy Gati (51.60).

Alabama’s Flora Molnar (51.94), Georgia’s Dakota Luther (52.04) and South Carolina’s Christina Lappin (52.32) also swam in the championship final.

 Event 18  Women 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 49.26  12/6/2019 L. Hansson & M. MacNeil, USC & Michigan
     SEC Meet: S 49.85  2/15/2019 Erika Brown, Tennessee
         Pool: P 50.62  3/21/2003 Natalie Coughlin, California
                 50.92  A
                 53.76  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Brown, Erika J   SR Tennessee           50.39      49.38SA       32  
    r:+0.63  10.52        22.83 (12.31)
          35.79 (12.96)       49.38 (13.59)
  2 White, Rhyan E   SO Alabama             50.97      50.80 A       28  
    r:+0.66  11.05        23.84 (12.79)
          36.90 (13.06)       50.80 (13.90)
  3 Dressel, Sherri  SR FLOR                51.60      51.20 B       27  
    r:+0.64  10.93        24.01 (13.08)
          37.46 (13.45)       51.20 (13.74)
  4 Gati, Izzy G     SO Kentucky            52.02      51.60 B       25.5
    r:+0.65  11.23        24.15 (12.92)
          37.99 (13.84)       51.60 (13.61)
  4 Rothrock, Trude  SO Tennessee           51.53      51.60 B       25.5
    r:+0.64  10.84        24.03 (13.19)
          37.61 (13.58)       51.60 (13.99)
  6 Molnar, Flora    JR Alabama             52.32      51.94 B       24  
    r:+0.66  10.72        23.79 (13.07)
          37.43 (13.64)       51.94 (14.51)
  7 Luther, Dakota   SO Georgia             51.99      52.04 B       23  
    r:+0.69  11.31        24.46 (13.15)
          38.12 (13.66)       52.04 (13.92)
  8 Lappin, Christi  SR South Carolina      52.27      52.32 B       22  
    r:+0.73  10.95        24.24 (13.29)
          37.86 (13.62)       52.32 (14.46)

Men’s 100 Butterfly

Missouri sophomore Danny Kovac held off Auburn’s Santiago Grassi in the finals of the 100 butterfly as it looked like the Tigers would be celebrating their first gold medal of the championships in their home pool. But alas, the James E. Martin Aquatic Center would hear the Missouri fight song played throughout the speakers as Kovac touched first at 45.29 to Grassi’s 45.32.

This morning’s top seed, Camden Murphy of Georgia, finished in third at 45.47 as the Bulldogs are pushing for the runner-up spot with Texas A&M. Florida’s Will Davis (45.75) and Eric Friese (45.97) continued to pile on the points for the Gators as they distance themselves from A&M and Georgia.

Alabama’s Tyler Sesvold (45.76), Tennessee’s Kayky Mota (45.76) and Missouri’s Daniel Hein (45.86) also competed in the very tight championship final.

 Event 19  Men 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: S 44.21  2/18/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 45.02  2/20/2009 Matt Targett, Auburn
                 45.05  A
                 47.43  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Kovac, Danny D   SO Missouri            45.94      45.29 B       32  
     r:+0.57  9.43        20.92 (11.49)
          32.89 (11.97)       45.29 (12.40)
  2 Grassi, Santiag  SR Auburn              46.17      45.32 B       28  
     r:+0.61  9.39        20.84 (11.45)
          32.83 (11.99)       45.32 (12.49)
  3 Murphy, Camden   JR Georgia             45.54      45.47 B       27  
     r:+0.69  9.76        21.15 (11.39)
          32.94 (11.79)       45.47 (12.53)
  4 Davis, Will      SO FLOR                46.24      45.75 B       26  
     r:+0.62  9.58        21.16 (11.58)
          33.17 (12.01)       45.75 (12.58)
  5 Sesvold, Tyler   JR Alabama             45.88      45.76 B       24.5
     r:+0.63  9.19        20.92 (11.73)
          33.03 (12.11)       45.76 (12.73)
  5 Mota, Kayky M       Tennessee           45.65      45.76 B       24.5
     r:+0.63  9.57        21.16 (11.59)
          33.26 (12.10)       45.76 (12.50)
  7 Hein, Daniel W   SR Missouri            46.18      45.86 B       23  
     r:+0.62  9.64        20.98 (11.34)
          33.11 (12.13)       45.86 (12.75)
  8 Friese, Eric E   FR FLOR                46.12      45.97 B       22  
     r:+0.65  9.54        21.30 (11.76)
          33.29 (11.99)       45.97 (12.68)

Women’s 200 Freestyle

Georgia senior Veronica Burchill won her very first SEC individual title in the 200 freestyle on Thursday night at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships as she swam a 1:42.33 to just hold off Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin (1:42.35). Hopkin came home like a freight train on the last 25 and nearly caught Burchill but came up just short, as the Bulldog senior went 1-3 with junior Courtney Harnish (1:43.26).

Burchill and Harnish will have an opportunity to go faster at the NCAA Championships that will be in their home pool in Athens, Georgia in 27 days.

Tennessee senior Meghan Small (1:43.55) could not continue Tennessee’s winning streak tonight as she finished in fourth place.

Kentucky’s Ali Galyer (1:44.55), Texas A&M’s Katie Portz (1:45.12), Tennessee’s Tjasas Pintar (1:45.30) and Texas A&M’s Karling Hemstreet (1:45.66) also swam in the championship final.

 Event 20  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
     SEC Meet: S 1:41.83  2/20/2014 Shannon Vreeland, Georgia
         Pool: P 1:41.21  3/16/2012 Megan Romano, Georgia
                 1:42.98  A
                 1:47.12  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Burchill, Veron  SR Georgia           1:43.74    1:42.33 A       32  
    r:+0.68  23.57        48.98 (25.41)
        1:15.38 (26.40)     1:42.33 (26.95)
  2 Hopkin, Anna E   SR Arkansas          1:44.67    1:42.35 A       28  
    r:+0.65  23.92        49.97 (26.05)
        1:16.09 (26.12)     1:42.35 (26.26)
  3 Harnish, Courtn  JR Georgia           1:44.84    1:43.26 B       27  
    r:+0.72  24.44        50.65 (26.21)
        1:16.87 (26.22)     1:43.26 (26.39)
  4 Small, Meghan N  SR Tennessee         1:44.87    1:43.55 B       26  
    r:+0.68  24.40        50.34 (25.94)
        1:16.59 (26.25)     1:43.55 (26.96)
  5 Galyer, Ali J    SR Kentucky          1:44.69    1:44.55 B       25  
    r:+0.66  24.14        50.28 (26.14)
        1:17.03 (26.75)     1:44.55 (27.52)
  6 Portz, Katie A   SR Texas A&M         1:45.36    1:45.12 B       24  
    r:+0.67  24.82        51.36 (26.54)
        1:18.17 (26.81)     1:45.12 (26.95)
  7 Pintar, Tjasa    JR Tennessee         1:45.47    1:45.30 B       23  
    r:+0.69  24.57        51.14 (26.57)
        1:18.55 (27.41)     1:45.30 (26.75)
  8 Hemstreet, Karl  SR Texas A&M         1:45.20    1:45.66 B       22  
    r:+0.67  24.82        51.55 (26.73)
        1:18.42 (26.87)     1:45.66 (27.24)

Men’s 200 Freestyle

The Florida Gators continued to pile on the points on Thursday night as Khader Baqlah won the 200 freestyle at 1:32.05, using a 23.68 on the final 50 to run down Texas A&M’s Mark Theall (1:32.45). Baqlah gets his title back from when he won as a sophomore in 2018 as he was third last year.

LSU freshman Brooks Curry had an incredible swim to finish in second place at 1:32.43 as he nearly became the first LSU SEC champion on the men’s side since Evan Martinec won the 100 back in 2004. Curry should have a bright future with the Tigers. He out-touched A&M’s Theall to get second.

Auburn’s Christian Sztolcman (1:33.16) was also among the leaders but could not crack the top three as he finished in fourth.

Florida’s Gerry Quinn (1:34.15), Georgia’s Grant Norgan (1:34.22), Tennessee’s Josh Walsh (1:34.35) and South Carolina’s Phil Costin (1:34.72) also swam in the championship final.

 Event 21  Men 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:29.15  3/27/2019 Dean Farris, Harvard
     SEC Meet: S 1:30.11  2/18/2020 Kieren Smith, Florida
         Pool: P 1:30.11  2/18/2020 Kieren Smith, Florida
                 1:32.05  A
                 1:36.32  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Baqlah, Khader   SR FLOR              1:33.82    1:32.05 A       32  
    r:+0.68  21.53        44.67 (23.14)
        1:08.37 (23.70)     1:32.05 (23.68)
  2 Curry, Brooks V  FR LSU               1:33.37    1:32.43 B       28  
    r:+0.59  20.94        44.57 (23.63)
        1:08.46 (23.89)     1:32.43 (23.97)
  3 Theall, Mark J   JR Texas A&M         1:32.48    1:32.45 B       27  
    r:+0.64  21.37        44.45 (23.08)
        1:08.24 (23.79)     1:32.45 (24.21)
  4 Sztolcman, Chri  SO Auburn            1:33.62    1:33.16 B       26  
    r:+0.66  21.49        44.99 (23.50)
        1:08.95 (23.96)     1:33.16 (24.21)
  5 Quinn, Gerry     JR FLOR              1:33.73    1:34.15 B       25  
    r:+0.69  21.60        45.41 (23.81)
        1:09.77 (24.36)     1:34.15 (24.38)
  6 Norgan, Grant C  JR Georgia           1:34.43    1:34.22 B       24  
    r:+0.71  22.15        45.97 (23.82)
        1:10.25 (24.28)     1:34.22 (23.97)
  7 Walsh, Josh M    JR Tennessee         1:34.44    1:34.35 B       23  
    r:+0.59  21.44        45.31 (23.87)
        1:09.78 (24.47)     1:34.35 (24.57)
  8 Costin, Phil     SO South Carolina    1:34.40    1:34.72 B       22  
    r:+0.71  22.06        45.72 (23.66)
        1:09.81 (24.09)     1:34.72 (24.91)

Women’s 3m Diving

 Event 22  Women 3 mtr Diving
=========================================================================
     SEC Meet: S 413.75  2/20/2014 Laura Ryan, Georgia
                 280.00  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Knight, Kyndal   SO Kentucky           292.20     353.75 B       32  
  2 Perez, Elizabet  SO FLOR               294.35     346.50 B       28  
  3 Maillard, Aliso  SR Auburn             324.05     336.15 B       27  
  4 McCool, Ashley   JR FLOR               319.40     334.70 B       26  
  5 Campbell, Charl  JR Texas A&M          312.25     334.65 B       25  
  6 Wilson, Aimee    SO LSU                329.80     327.60 B       24  
  7 Austin, McKensi  SR Georgia            296.35     297.00 B       23  
  8 Clairmont, Alys  FR Texas A&M          294.20     262.20         22

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