2022 SEC Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Rhyan White, Mona McSharry in Position to Double Up

Rhyan White; Photo Courtesy: NCAA Media

2022 SEC Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Rhyan White, Mona McSharry in Position to Double Up

A day after claiming wins in their 100-yard strokes, Rhyan White and Mona McSharry are in position to add a second win at the final day of the 2022 SEC Championships. The Alabama senior and Tennessee sophomore are the top seeds out of prelims in the women’s 200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke, respectively.

It sets up a scintillating final day in the team competition, where both champions are in strong position – Tennessee for the women, Florida for the men. But a pitched battle is underway for second place.

All the action is below. Saturday’s night session begins in the afternoon with the mile, plus women’s platform diving and the culminating 400 freestyle relay.

2022 SEC Championships Links

Men’s team standings

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 31                      
 
  1. University of Florida             976   2. University of Tennessee           739
  3. University of Alabama             711   4. Georgia, University of            708
  5. Texas A&M University            636.5   6. Auburn University               624.5
  7. Missouri                        589.5   8. Kentucky, University of           462
  9. Louisiana State University        422  10. South Carolina, University of,  336.5

Women’s team standings

Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 30                     
 
  1. University of Tennessee         972.5   2. Georgia, University of            754
  3. Kentucky, University of           712   4. University of Alabama             685
  5. University of Florida             616   6. Texas A&M University              510
  7. Auburn University                 402   8. Louisiana State University        375
  9. Missouri                        372.5  10. South Carolina, University of,    357
 11. University of Arkansas            292  12. Vanderbilt University              93

Ups/Mids/Downs

Women’s

Tennessee 5-4-2
Georgia 2-4-2
Kentucky 6-2-3
Alabama 8-1-2
Florida 0-4-0
Texas A&M 1-0-3
Auburn 0-3-5
LSU 0-1-0
Missouri 1-0-5
South Carolina 1-1-3
Arkansas 0-4-0
Vanderbilt 0-0-0

Men’s

Florida 6-2-1
Tennessee 3-1-4
Alabama 4-4-2
Georgia 1-5-4
Texas A&M 5-3-1
Auburn 2-2-5
Missouri 2-2-3
Kentucky 0-3-1
LSU 1-0-1
South Carolina 0-2-2

Women’s 200 backstroke

Rhyan White set the pace in 1:51.57. It’s quicker than the field by a full second, though it’s just shy of two seconds slower than her season best. White holds the conference record at 1:48.06.

Second in prelims was second Sophie Sorenson, .01 seconds ahead of Morgan Liberto of Alabama. Kentucky tucked three swimmers into the A final.

Event 34  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.24  3/23/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
          SEC: S 1:48.06  2/22/2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
     SEC Meet: M 1:48.34  2/21/2009 Gemma Spofforth, Florida
         Pool: P 1:49.30  11/21/2020Rhyan White, Alabama
                 1:50.50  A
                 1:57.11  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 White, Rhyan E   SR Alabama-SE        1:49.73    1:51.57 qB     
    r:+0.70  25.70        53.82 (28.12)
        1:22.52 (28.70)     1:51.57 (29.05)
  2 Sorenson, Sophie SR Kentucky-KY       1:52.11    1:52.62 qB     
    r:+0.73  26.50        54.82 (28.32)
        1:23.44 (28.62)     1:52.62 (29.18)
  3 Liberto, Morgan  SR Alabama-SE        1:54.92    1:52.63 qB     
    r:+0.73  26.41        54.60 (28.19)
        1:23.36 (28.76)     1:52.63 (29.27)
  4 Brooks, Caitlin  JR Kentucky-KY       1:53.07    1:53.43 qB     
    r:+0.63  26.59        54.88 (28.29)
        1:23.93 (29.05)     1:53.43 (29.50)
  5 Kraus, Mari L    SR South Carolina-S  1:55.08    1:53.44 qB     
    r:+0.76  27.41        55.32 (27.91)
        1:24.14 (28.82)     1:53.44 (29.30)
  6 Rees, Meredith   JR Missouri-MV       1:55.13    1:53.82 qB     
    r:+0.70  26.47        55.04 (28.57)
        1:24.14 (29.10)     1:53.82 (29.68)
  7 Herren, Parker   SR Kentucky-KY       1:55.86    1:53.96 qB     
    r:+0.70  26.89        55.89 (29.00)
        1:25.13 (29.24)     1:53.96 (28.83)
  8 Barzelay, Aviv   FR Texas A&M-GU      1:55.93    1:54.17 qB     
    r:+0.65  27.12        55.80 (28.68)
        1:24.98 (29.18)     1:54.17 (29.19)

Men’s 200 backstroke

A wide-open field on paper paid off with five swimmers within .55 seconds of the lead Saturday morning. When the dust settled, Texas A&M secured two of the top three seeds, Anze Erzen setting the pace in 1:40.36 and 100 back runner-up Ethan Gogulski in third. But it should be an open race.

The second seed is Bradley Dunham of Georgia (1:40.54). But among the leading quintet are two swimmers who are having excellent weeks: Kieran Smith, the 400 IM champ, in fourth and Missouri’s Jack Dahlgren.

 Event 35  Men 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:35.73  3/26/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
          SEC: S 1:35.75  3/27/2021 Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 1:36.85  2/24/2021 Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 1:37.87  12/5/2013 Arkady Vyatchanin, NY Aquatics
                 1:39.13  A
                 1:45.04  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Erzen, Anze F    JR Texas A&M-GU      1:42.26    1:40.36 qB     
    r:+0.86  23.94        49.08 (25.14)
        1:14.46 (25.38)     1:40.36 (25.90)
  2 Dunham, Bradley  JR Georgia-GA        1:41.70    1:40.54 qB     
    r:+0.80  23.84        48.90 (25.06)
        1:14.43 (25.53)     1:40.54 (26.11)
  3 Gogulski, Ethan  JR Texas A&M-GU      1:41.57    1:40.87 qB     
    r:+0.79  23.97        49.25 (25.28)
        1:15.13 (25.88)     1:40.87 (25.74)
  4 Smith, Kieran S  SR Florida-FL        1:43.13    1:40.90 qB     
    r:+0.67  24.30        49.92 (25.62)
        1:15.45 (25.53)     1:40.90 (25.45)
  5 Dahlgren, Jack   SR Missouri-MV       1:40.96    1:40.91 qB     
    r:+0.74  23.73        49.23 (25.50)
        1:14.81 (25.58)     1:40.91 (26.10)
  6 Marcum, Jake L   SR Alabama-SE        1:41.20    1:41.49 qB     
    r:+0.69  24.37        50.19 (25.82)
        1:15.62 (25.43)     1:41.49 (25.87)
  7 Smith, Lleyton   JR Auburn-SE         1:41.55    1:41.50 qB     
    r:+0.71  23.49        49.22 (25.73)
        1:15.28 (26.06)     1:41.50 (26.22)
  8 Stelmar, Eric R  SO Alabama-SE        1:42.05    1:41.53 qB     
    r:+0.67  23.77        49.29 (25.52)
        1:15.43 (26.14)     1:41.53 (26.10)

Women’s 100 freestyle

The Tide is rolling, and if you need an indication of where to put your money for the 400 free relay, look no further.

Bama monopolized the top four, count ‘em, four spots in prelims, led by Morgan Scott’s 47.77. Kalia Antoniou was second, .12 ahead of Cora Dupre. Those two will be vying for the anchor leg spots on the 200 and 400 medley relays, both of which set conference records this week. Diana Petkova rounded out the top four.

Riley Gaines is in another A final for Kentucky. Tennessee pushed three into the A final to formally close the title race.

Event 36  Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 45.56  3/18/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
          SEC: S 45.83  2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
     SEC Meet: M 45.83  2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
         Pool: P 46.15  11/23/2019Erika Brown, Tennessee
                 47.18  A
                 49.51  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Scott, Morgan E  SR Alabama-SE          47.94      47.77 qB     
    r:+0.65  10.82        22.80 (11.98)
          35.29 (12.49)       47.77 (12.48)
  2 Antoniou, Kalia  JR Alabama-SE          47.71      48.08 qB     
    r:+0.67  11.00        23.17 (12.17)
          35.75 (12.58)       48.08 (12.33)
  3 Dupre, Cora A    JR Alabama-SE          48.21      48.20 qB     
    r:+0.46  11.09        23.29 (12.20)
          35.79 (12.50)       48.20 (12.41)
  4 Petkova, Diana   SO Alabama-SE          48.56      48.29 qB     
    r:+0.70  11.02        23.15 (12.13)
          35.69 (12.54)       48.29 (12.60)
  5 Gaines, Riley M  SR Kentucky-KY         48.43      48.35 qB     
    r:+0.65  11.09        23.21 (12.12)
          35.85 (12.64)       48.35 (12.50)
  6 Pintar, Tjasa    SR Tennessee-SE        48.37      48.41 qB     
    r:+0.64  11.27        23.57 (12.30)
          36.12 (12.55)       48.41 (12.29)
  6 Rumley, Jasmine  SO Tennessee-SE        48.80      48.41 qB     
    r:+0.57  10.85        23.12 (12.27)
          35.80 (12.68)       48.41 (12.61)
  8 Rothrock, Trude  SR Tennessee-SE        48.76      48.48 qB     
    r:+0.63  11.04        23.27 (12.23)
          35.98 (12.71)       48.48 (12.50)

Men’s 100 freestyle

OK, so you’ve got the 50 free champ. The 200 free runner-up. The 100 back champ. The 100 fly runner-up.

That’s a fascinating collision in the 100 free, where the overlapping stroke specialists should collide for a scintillating race. Brooks Curry of LSU led the way in prelims with a time of 41.82. He’s got a 40-point relay split to his name already this week. Second was 50 free champ Jordan Crooks of Tennessee in 41.92, while Florida’s Adam Chaney, with his backstroke gold, was third in 42.17. Don’t count out his teammate, Eric Friese, in sixth.

Event 37  Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 39.90  3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
          SEC: S 39.90  3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 41.07  2/20/2016 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 41.24  2/18/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
                 41.71  A
                 43.80  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Curry, Brooks V  JR LSU-LA              42.10      41.82 qB     
     r:+0.59  9.36        19.80 (10.44)
          30.77 (10.97)       41.82 (11.05)
  2 Crooks, Jordan   FR Tennessee-SE        42.33      41.92 qB     
     r:+0.59  9.30        19.87 (10.57)
          30.77 (10.90)       41.92 (11.15)
  3 Chaney, Adam C   SO Florida-FL          43.07      42.17 qB     
     r:+0.65  9.77        20.83 (11.06)
          31.59 (10.76)       42.17 (10.58)
  4 Bratanov, Kaloyan   Texas A&M-GU        43.82      42.37 qB     
     r:+0.64  9.62        20.25 (10.63)
          31.36 (11.11)       42.37 (11.01)
  5 McDuff, Macguire FR Florida-FL          43.49      42.47 qB     
     r:+0.67  9.62        20.46 (10.84)
          31.46 (11.00)       42.47 (11.01)
  6 Friese, Eric E   JR Florida-FL          42.55      42.58 qB     
     r:+0.65  9.35        19.95 (10.60)
          31.21 (11.26)       42.58 (11.37)
  7 Alves, Kaique K  FR Alabama-SE          42.88      42.60 qB     
     r:+0.63  9.52        20.21 (10.69)
          31.49 (11.28)       42.60 (11.11)
  8 Tarasenko, Alekey   Tennessee-SE        44.97      42.72 qB     
     r:+0.62  9.78        20.49 (10.71)
          31.60 (11.11)       42.72 (11.12)

Women’s 200 breaststroke

Mona McSharry will have a race on her hands in the 200 breast after clocking the top seed at 2:07.24 in the morning. Zoie Hartman of Georgia, the runner-up to the Irishwoman in the 100 breast, was second in 2:07.46. Kentucky’s Gillian Davey was third also under 2:08, with teammate Bailey Bonnett a spot behind.

Event 38  Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 2:02.60  3/17/2018 Lilly King, Indiana
          SEC: S 2:03.26  3/17/2018 Bethany Galat, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 2:04.62  2/18/2018 Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 2:03.58  11/20/2021Kate Douglass, Virginia
                 2:06.58  A
                 2:13.97  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 McSharry, Mona   SO Tennessee-SE      2:07.35    2:07.24 qB     
    r:+0.61  28.37        59.73 (31.36)
        1:32.58 (32.85)     2:07.24 (34.66)
  2 Hartman, Zoie E  JR Georgia-GA        2:08.11    2:07.46 qB     
    r:+0.76  29.38      1:01.36 (31.98)
        1:34.00 (32.64)     2:07.46 (33.46)
  3 Davey, Gillian   JR Kentucky-KY       2:08.60    2:07.78 qB     
    r:+0.70  29.19      1:01.55 (32.36)
        1:34.59 (33.04)     2:07.78 (33.19)
  4 Bonnett, Bailey     Kentucky-KY       2:09.24    2:08.35 qB     
    r:+0.65  29.23      1:01.78 (32.55)
        1:34.64 (32.86)     2:08.35 (33.71)
  5 Wiseman, Avery   FR Alabama-SE        2:05.46    2:08.66 qB     
    r:+0.66  28.71      1:01.22 (32.51)
        1:34.41 (33.19)     2:08.66 (34.25)
  6 Yager, Alexis A  SR Tennessee-SE      2:07.99    2:09.04 qB     
    r:+0.66  29.22      1:01.40 (32.18)
        1:34.55 (33.15)     2:09.04 (34.49)
  7 Wright, Cat G    SR Alabama-SE        2:10.82    2:09.15 qB     
    r:+0.67  29.30      1:02.43 (33.13)
        1:35.25 (32.82)     2:09.15 (33.90)
  8 Della Torre, Danielle   Georgia-GA    2:09.23    2:09.68 qB     
    r:+0.65  29.27      1:01.76 (32.49)
        1:35.26 (33.50)     2:09.68 (34.42)

Men’s 200 breaststroke

Just .01 seconds separated a pair of Iron Bowl rivals in the morning session in an event where the top three seeds were clustered within seven hundredths.

Reid Mikuta of Auburn set the pace in 1:53.10. But 100 breast champ Derek Maas of Alabama is looming just .01 back in second place, with Texas A&M’s Andres Bustamante Puente in third, the only three swimmers sub-1:54.

Event 39  Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.91  3/25/2017 Will Licon, Texas
          SEC: S 1:50.80  3/28/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
     SEC Meet: M 1:51.58  2/21/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
         Pool: P 1:52.22  2/18/2017 Anton McKee, Alabama
                 1:52.28  A
                 1:58.43  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Mikuta, Reid R   SO Auburn-SE         1:53.69    1:53.10 qB     
    r:+0.65  25.24        53.76 (28.52)
        1:22.84 (29.08)     1:53.10 (30.26)
  2 Maas, Derek E    JR Alabama-SE        1:52.46    1:53.11 qB     
    r:+0.69  25.27        54.47 (29.20)
        1:23.82 (29.35)     1:53.11 (29.29)
  3 Puente Bustamante Andres Texas A&M    1:54.09    1:53.17 qB     
    r:+0.69  25.39        54.13 (28.74)
        1:23.58 (29.45)     1:53.17 (29.59)
  4 Goodwin, Will A  JR Missouri-MV       1:54.55    1:54.06 qB     
    r:+0.58  25.48        54.35 (28.87)
        1:23.71 (29.36)     1:54.06 (30.35)
  5 Al-Wir, Amro B   SO Florida-FL        1:55.88    1:54.14 qB     
    r:+0.69  26.18        54.86 (28.68)
        1:24.13 (29.27)     1:54.14 (30.01)
  6 Vargas, Kevin L  JR Florida-FL        1:55.46    1:54.58 qB     
    r:+0.66  26.10        55.01 (28.91)
        1:24.58 (29.57)     1:54.58 (30.00)
  7 Ribeiro, Vincent SO Texas A&M-GU      1:56.11    1:54.67 qB     
    r:+0.60  25.59        54.32 (28.73)
        1:24.08 (29.76)     1:54.67 (30.59)
  8 Dillard, Jarel   SR Tennessee-SE      1:54.58    1:55.35 qB     
    r:+0.62  25.66        54.86 (29.20)
        1:24.96 (30.10)     1:55.35 (30.39)

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