2021 SEC Men’s Swimming Championships Day Three Heats: Murphy Puts Up Nation Leading 100 Fly; Georgia Has Huge Morning

Cam Murphy. Photo Courtesy: Chamberlain Smith / Georgia Athletics

2021 SEC Men’s Swimming Championships

Day Three Heats, Columbia, Missouri

The SEC Men’s Swimming Championships continued Thursday from Columbia, Missouri with the heats of the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back. After tying his own American record last night in the 500, Kieran Smith will be swimming the 400 IM today as the Gators flooded the A-Final with four A-finalists.

However, Georgia had the best morning with 11 total A-Finalists to Florida’s nine as the Bulldogs sit second in the team standings and may start closing the gap tonight. The Bulldogs will have seniors Camden Murphy and Javier Acevedo leading the way in the 100 fly and 100 back, respectively as the Gators have Smith and Dillon Hillis leading the 400 IM and 100 breast.

Texas A&M’s Mark Theall is the other top seed in the 200 freestyle.

Team Ups, Mids, Downs (through 3m diving)

Georgia 11, 6, 5
Florida 9, 5, 4
Texas A&M 7, 4, 5
Missouri 6, 2, 4
Tennessee 5, 10, 5
Alabama 3, 6, 5
Kentucky 3, 5, 5
LSU 3, 0, 6
Auburn 1, 9, 5
South Carolina 0, 1, 4

400 IM

Florida junior Kieran Smith, fresh off tying his American record last night in the 500 freestyle, cruised to a 3:41.81 in the heats of the 400 IM as he really nailed his breaststroke leg and shut it down on the freestyle. The Gators will have four swimmers in the A-Final as they continue to pile on the points in these middle distance events and leave everyone else in their wake.

Florida’s Bobby Finke (3:44.46), Miguel Cancel (3:46.37) and Kevin Vargas (3:46.73) also advanced to the championship final.

Georgia, who currently sits in second place overall, put two swimmers in the A-Final in Ian Grum (3:42.73) and Andrew Abruzzo (3:46.99) as Grum, just a sophomore, is a big reason why this Georgia team is so vastly improved from last season.

Alabama’s Nicholas Perera dropped five seconds from his seed with a 3:45.18 to put himself in laane six in tonight’s final as the Crimson Tide are deadlocked with Missouri in the team standings. Missouri’s Jack Dubois (3:45.95) is also in tonight’s A-Final.

 Event 8  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 3:40.33  2/19/2016 Jay Litherland, Georgia
                 3:39.16  A
                 3:51.46  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Smith, Kieran S  JR Florida-FL        3:42.11    3:41.81 qB     
    r:+0.69  23.66        51.01 (27.35)
        1:20.10 (29.09)     1:47.40 (27.30)
        2:17.86 (30.46)     2:48.82 (30.96)
        3:16.14 (27.32)     3:41.81 (25.67)
  2 Grum, Ian P      SO Georgia-GA        3:46.41    3:42.73 qB     
    r:+0.71  23.46        50.88 (27.42)
        1:19.19 (28.31)     1:46.58 (27.39)
        2:18.55 (31.97)     2:51.37 (32.82)
        3:17.45 (26.08)     3:42.73 (25.28)
  3 Finke, Bobby C   JR Florida-FL        3:44.37    3:44.46 qB     
    r:+0.75  23.95        51.30 (27.35)
        1:19.43 (28.13)     1:46.90 (27.47)
        2:19.03 (32.13)     2:51.60 (32.57)
        3:18.57 (26.97)     3:44.46 (25.89)
  4 Perera, Nichola  JR Alabama-SE        3:50.08    3:45.18 qB     
    r:+0.62  24.03        51.37 (27.34)
        1:20.96 (29.59)     1:49.74 (28.78)
        2:20.38 (30.64)     2:51.68 (31.30)
        3:18.91 (27.23)     3:45.18 (26.27)
  5 Dubois, Jack R   JR Missouri-MV       3:46.96    3:45.95 qB     
    r:+0.68  23.96        50.87 (26.91)
        1:20.27 (29.40)     1:49.28 (29.01)
        2:19.88 (30.60)     2:52.31 (32.43)
        3:19.39 (27.08)     3:45.95 (26.56)
  6 Cancel, Miguel   JR Florida-FL        3:49.38    3:46.37 qB     
    r:+0.62  24.06        51.39 (27.33)
        1:20.06 (28.67)     1:48.33 (28.27)
        2:20.45 (32.12)     2:52.88 (32.43)
        3:20.12 (27.24)     3:46.37 (26.25)
  7 Vargas, Kevin L  SO Florida-FL        3:46.56    3:46.73 qB     
    r:+0.63  24.08        51.59 (27.51)
        1:21.37 (29.78)     1:49.99 (28.62)
        2:21.01 (31.02)     2:52.80 (31.79)
        3:20.41 (27.61)     3:46.73 (26.32)
  8 Abruzzo, Andrew  JR Georgia-GA        3:42.78    3:46.99 qB     
    r:+0.76  23.57        50.85 (27.28)
        1:19.79 (28.94)     1:47.66 (27.87)
        2:20.67 (33.01)     2:53.76 (33.09)
        3:20.89 (27.13)     3:46.99 (26.10)

100 Fly

In what will be one of the most exciting races of the night, Georgia’s Camden Murphy glided in to the top seed in the 100 butterfly with a 44.77 as he is ahead of Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas (44.92), Georgia’s Luca Urlando (44.97) and Missouri’s Danny Kovac (45.16), who should all factor into the title. Kovac is the defending champion and Murphy is the top ranked swimmer in the nation so it is going to be a very fast field. Is the meet record of 44.21 in danger of falling? Potentially. But it may take around a 44-mid to stand on top of the podium, and the top four all have a shot.

Florida’s Eric Friese advanced to the final in fifth at 45.68 as the Gators look like they will win their ninth straight SEC title when the meet is all said and done tomorrow night.

Tennessee’s Kayky Mota (46.22), Alabama’s Colton Stogner (46.45) and Texas A&M’s Jace Brown (46.58) also advanced to the championship final.

 Event 9  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 44.80  2/19/2016 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
                 45.05  A
                 47.43  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Murphy, Camden   SR Georgia-GA          44.89      44.77PqA     
     r:+0.61  9.61        20.95 (11.34)
          32.86 (11.91)       44.77 (11.91)
  2 Casas, Shaine M  JR Texas A&M-GU        44.98      44.92 qA     
     r:+0.61  9.38        20.68 (11.30)
          32.93 (12.25)       44.92 (11.99)
  3 Urlando, Luca R  FR Georgia-GA          45.10      44.97 qA     
     r:+0.68  9.67        21.13 (11.46)
          32.90 (11.77)       44.97 (12.07)
  4 Kovac, Danny D   JR Missouri-MV         45.07      45.16 qB     
     r:+0.59  9.44        20.86 (11.42)
          33.22 (12.36)       45.16 (11.94)
  5 Friese, Eric E   SO Florida-FL          46.33      45.68 qB     
     r:+0.66  9.49        21.00 (11.51)
          33.13 (12.13)       45.68 (12.55)
  6 Mota, Kayky M    JR Tennessee-SE        45.50      46.22 qB     
     r:+0.67  9.51        21.34 (11.83)
          33.62 (12.28)       46.22 (12.60)
  7 Stogner, Colton  JR Alabama-SE          46.55      46.45 qB     
     r:+0.57  9.75        21.28 (11.53)
          33.68 (12.40)       46.45 (12.77)
  8 Brown, Jace C    SO Texas A&M-GU        47.54      46.58 qB     
     r:+0.64  9.88        21.64 (11.76)
          33.82 (12.18)       46.58 (12.76)

200 Free

Texas A&M’s Mark Theall posted the top time in the heats of the 200 freestyle with a 1:33.10 as he used a strong back half to run down LSU’s Brooks Curry (1:33.21) in his heat. Curry was out quickly at 44.23 on the first 100 but faded slightly on the second 100 to grab lane five in tonight’s final.

Georgia showed out well this morning with three advancing to the championship final as freshman Jake Magahey (1:33.42) back up his 4:06 last night with the third fastest time this morning. The Bulldogs will also have Bradley Dunham (1:34.22) and Zach Hils (1:34.26) in lanes 1 and 8, respectively. Georgia now has seven A-finalists to Florida’s six.

Missouri’s Jack Dahlgren (1:33.66), Florida’s Trey Freeman (1:34.12) and Texas A&M’s Coco Bratanov (1:34.19) also advanced to the championship final in what is expected to be a very tactical race.

 Event 10  Men 200 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:29.15  3/27/2019 Dean Farris, Harvard
     SEC Meet: S 1:29.48  2/22/2021 Kieran Smith, Florida
         Pool: P 1:29.48  2/23/2021 Kieran Smith, Florida
                 1:32.05  A
                 1:36.32  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Theall, Mark J   SR Texas A&M-GU      1:32.98    1:33.10 qB     
    r:+0.66  21.55        44.80 (23.25)
        1:08.87 (24.07)     1:33.10 (24.23)
  2 Curry, Brooks V  SO L S U-LA          1:33.75    1:33.21 qB     
    r:+0.57  20.70        44.23 (23.53)
        1:08.78 (24.55)     1:33.21 (24.43)
  3 Magahey, Jake M  FR Georgia-GA        1:33.50    1:33.42 qB     
    r:+0.73  22.09        46.11 (24.02)
        1:09.89 (23.78)     1:33.42 (23.53)
  4 Dahlgren, Jack   JR Missouri-MV       1:34.79    1:33.66 qB     
    r:+0.60  21.63        44.93 (23.30)
        1:08.91 (23.98)     1:33.66 (24.75)
  5 Freeman, Trey P  SO Florida-FL        1:34.00    1:34.12 qB     
    r:+0.69  22.08        46.02 (23.94)
        1:10.14 (24.12)     1:34.12 (23.98)
  6 Bratanov, Kaloy  JR Texas A&M-GU      1:33.70    1:34.19 qB     
    r:+0.65  22.34        46.52 (24.18)
        1:09.70 (23.18)     1:34.19 (24.49)
  7 Dunham, Bradley  SO Georgia-GA        1:34.90    1:34.22 qB     
    r:+0.73  22.20        45.85 (23.65)
        1:09.99 (24.14)     1:34.22 (24.23)
  8 Hils, Zach C     SO Georgia-GA        1:35.49    1:34.26 qB     
    r:+0.68  22.24        46.21 (23.97)
        1:10.10 (23.89)     1:34.26 (24.16)

100 Breast

Florida junior Dillon Hillis and Tennessee junior Michael Houlie put up stellar swims in separate heats in the prelims of the 100 breaststroke as Hillis will occupy lane four in tonight’s finals after his 51.27 prelims swim, while Houlie will be next to him in lane five after his 51.38. Those two men sit second and third nationally at this point in the season as this is the first men’s Division I conference to take place this season.

Missouri qualified two A-finalists in its home pool with Ben Patton (52.01) and Fred Rindshoej (52.52) advancing in third and fourth place as the Tigers have five A-finalists thus far during this morning session. Georgia also qualified an A-finalist in senior Jack Dalmolin (52.61) as the Bulldogs have the most A-finalists thus far on this Thursday morning.

Texas A&M’s Andres Puente (52.59), LSU’s Mitchell Mason (52.61) and Tennessee’s Jarrell Dillard (52.65) also qualified for tonight’s A-final.

 Event 11  Men 100 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 49.69  3/23/2018 Ian Finnerty, Indiana
     SEC Meet: S 50.03  2/18/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 51.07  2/19/2016 Fabian Schwingenchloegl, Missouri
                 51.67  A
                 54.27  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Hillis, Dillon   JR Florida-FL          53.15      51.27 qA     
    r:+0.64  11.05        23.81 (12.76)
          37.28 (13.47)       51.27 (13.99)
  2 Houlie, Michael  JR Tennessee-SE        51.89      51.38 qA     
    r:+0.62  10.78        23.76 (12.98)
          37.22 (13.46)       51.38 (14.16)
  3 Patton, Ben H    SO Missouri-MV         51.80      52.01 qB     
    r:+0.63  11.18        24.09 (12.91)
          37.86 (13.77)       52.01 (14.15)
  4 Rindshoej, Fred  FR Missouri-MV         53.05      52.52 qB     
    r:+0.67  11.43        24.74 (13.31)
          38.59 (13.85)       52.52 (13.93)
  5 Puente Bustaman  SO Texas A&M-GU        52.38      52.59 qB     
    r:+0.66  11.18        24.41 (13.23)
          38.40 (13.99)       52.59 (14.19)
  6 Mason, Mitchell  FR L S U-LA            53.69      52.61 qB     
    r:+0.62  11.39        24.91 (13.52)
          38.99 (14.08)       52.61 (13.62)
  6 Dalmolin, Jack   SR Georgia-GA          52.25      52.61 qB     
    r:+0.66  11.16        24.47 (13.31)
          38.24 (13.77)       52.61 (14.37)
  8 Dillard, Jarel   JR Tennessee-SE        52.72      52.65 qB     
    r:+0.61  11.13        24.60 (13.47)
          38.54 (13.94)       52.65 (14.11)

100 Back

Georgia’s Javier Acevedo ran down Florida’s Adam Chaney in his 100 back heat with a 45.34 to Chaney’s 45.44 as the Florida freshman was blazing on the first 50 at 21.46. Alabama’s Matthew Menke was also on fire on the first 50, turning at 21.53 as he is third seed at 45.47.

This could be a very interesting final among those three swimmers, as Georgia qualified two more in sophomores Ian Grum (46.00) and Bradley Dunham (46.55), who were swimming in their second event of the day.

Florida also advanced Clark Beach to the final in fifth seed at 46.55 as Auburn’s Lleyton Smith (46.78) and Texas A&M’s Ethan Gogulski (46.80) will also swim in the championship final.

 Event 12  Men 100 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 43.49  3/25/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
     SEC Meet: S 44.24  2/21/2020 Zane Waddell, Alabama
         Pool: P 45.25  2/19/2016 Connor Oslin, Alabama
                 44.95  A
                 47.77  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Acevedo, Javi C  SR Georgia-GA          45.29      45.34 qB     
    r:+0.64  10.80        22.10 (11.30)
          33.84 (11.74)       45.34 (11.50)
  2 Chaney, Adam C   FR Florida-FL          47.13      45.44 qB     
    r:+0.73  10.41        21.46 (11.05)
          33.38 (11.92)       45.44 (12.06)
  3 Menke, Matthew   SO Alabama-SE          46.84      45.47 qB     
    r:+0.80  10.47        21.53 (11.06)
          33.32 (11.79)       45.47 (12.15)
  4 Grum, Ian P      SO Georgia-GA          46.48      46.00 qB     
    r:+0.71  11.02        22.45 (11.43)
          34.42 (11.97)       46.00 (11.58)
  5 Beach, Clark G   SR Florida-FL          48.50      46.55 qB     
    r:+0.52  10.88        22.27 (11.39)
          34.45 (12.18)       46.55 (12.10)
  5 Dunham, Bradley  SO Georgia-GA          46.59      46.55 qB     
    r:+0.81  10.96        22.43 (11.47)
          34.50 (12.07)       46.55 (12.05)
  7 Smith, Lleyton   SO Auburn-SE           47.57      46.78 qB     
    r:+0.61  11.12        22.57 (11.45)
          34.62 (12.05)       46.78 (12.16)
  8 Gogulski, Ethan  SO Texas A&M-GU        47.28      46.80 qB     
    r:+0.67  10.88        22.42 (11.54)
          34.65 (12.23)       46.80 (12.15)

3m Diving

Diving was completed last weekend.

 Event 13  Men 3 mtr Diving
==================================================================
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Mathews, Kurtis J      SR Texas A&M-GU           NP     457.15  
  2 Zhang, Mingli          JR Kentucky-KY        427.28     401.60  
  3 Wade, Matt T           JR Tennessee-SE       396.83     401.20  
  4 Celaya Hernandez, Jua  SR LSU-LA             441.00     400.00  
  5 Duncan, Sam               Kentucky-KY        329.33     395.95  
  6 Hattie, Bryden R       FR Tennessee-SE       387.30     391.80  
  7 Lane, Chase G          SR Kentucky-KY        384.38     382.50  
  8 Endo, Takuto           FR Missouri-MV        241.80     376.40
  
  9 Hallam, Will J         SR Tennessee-SE       339.65     361.75  
 10 Donald, Skip K         SO Auburn-SE          340.88     360.10  
 11 Lopez, Carlo           SO Missouri-MV        368.95     353.85  
 12 Garcia, Leonardo       FR FLOR-FL                NP     347.25  
 13 Li, Kevin              JR Alabama-SE         385.85     337.95  
 14 Romero, Rodrigo           Kentucky-KY        353.25     329.55  
 15 Andrews, Logan T       SR Auburn-SE          405.98     324.15  
 16 Sanchez, Kyle G        FR Texas A&M-GU       357.23     319.05  

 17 Allen, Zach T          SR Georgia-GA             NP     315.10  
 18 Reasor, Jacob A        FR Tennessee-SE       322.60     307.45  
 19 Lake, Caiden           SO Kentucky-KY        337.58     302.55  
 20 Stewart, Tony          FR Texas A&M-GU       342.45     293.15  
 21 Claus, Alex M          JR South Carolina-S   347.40     287.80  
 22 Richardson, Keegan J   SR Tennessee-SE       337.15     287.40  
 23 Svirskyi, Anton        SO FLOR-FL                NP     284.25  
 24 Hurbis, Dakota         SR LSU-LA                 NP     275.65

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use