2022 SEC Championships, Day 4 Finals: Riley Gaines Nips Into 200 Fly win

Riley Gaines; Photo Courtesy: UK Athletics

2022 SEC Championships, Day 4 Finals: Riley Gaines Nips Into 200 Fly win

Something about the SEC Championships seems to bring out the best in Kentucky’s Riley Gaines. Even when things don’t go perfectly for the senior, as you could argue her long finish into the wall in the women’s 200 butterfly Thursday didn’t go perfectly, it still seems to work out Gaines’ way. (She was also named the 2022 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Friday.)

So it was Friday night in an epic tilt to open the fourth night session of the 2022 SEC Championships. Gaines surged in the second 50 and had enough steam coming home to nip Dakota Luther by .14 seconds to the win, setting a conference record in the process.

It’s the first of four events on the women’s side Friday night, which finished with a stellar showing by Alabama in teh 400 medley relay. All the details are below.

2022 SEC Championships Links

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. Universityof 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

Women’s 200 butterfly

Riley Gaines just got her hand to the wall first in 1:51.51, setting a Tennessee pool record. It unseats the 1:51.39 set in November by Alex Walsh of Virginia. It also downs the SEC and SEC Championships records, set in 2021 by Dakota Luther (1:52.04).

Gaines went a best time in the morning at 1:54.69 to earn the third seed. But she destroyed that in the evening in what is an off event for the two-time reigning SEC 200 free champ, sealing an NCAA A cut in the process.

It’s a tough pill to swallow for Luther, who 1:51.65 and did all she needed to do for a third straight win in the event. But Gaines denied her at the last stroke, despite Luther appearing to line up the finish better. Luther has medaled in her signature event all four years in college, finishing third as a freshman. With classmate Callie Dickinson in third, the Bulldogs pick up big points in the team competition, especially with leaders Tennessee settling fifth and eighth. Seniors also occupied the top three spots.

Kentucky took strides in the team competition, too, Gaines’ win augmented by Anna Havens Rice and Izzy Gati finishing ninth and 10th, respectively.

Event 23  Women 200 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:49.51  2/24/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
          SEC: S 1:52.04  2/20/2021 Dakota Luther, Georgia
     SEC Meet: M 1:52.04  2/20/2021 Dakota Lutherr, Georgia
         Pool: P 1:51.83  11/20/2021Alex Walsh, Virginia
                 1:53.20  A
                 1:59.23  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Gaines, Riley M  SR Kentucky-KY       1:54.69    1:51.51PA       32  
    r:+0.69  25.46        53.27 (27.81)
        1:21.99 (28.72)     1:51.51 (29.52)
  2 Luther, Dakota   SR Georgia-GA        1:53.83    1:51.65PA       28  
    r:+0.70  25.15        53.17 (28.02)
        1:22.10 (28.93)     1:51.65 (29.55)
  3 Dickinson, Callie SR Georgia-GA       1:56.32    1:55.01 B       27  
    r:+0.69  25.46        54.34 (28.88)
        1:24.41 (30.07)     1:55.01 (30.60)
  4 Ray, Amanda E    SO Florida-FL        1:57.17    1:55.53 B       26  
    r:+0.74  26.05        55.55 (29.50)
        1:25.26 (29.71)     1:55.53 (30.27)
  5 Stotler, Sara B  FR Tennessee-SE      1:54.60    1:55.80 B       25  
    r:+0.69  25.09        53.88 (28.79)
        1:23.53 (29.65)     1:55.80 (32.27)
  6 Bargeron, Avery  FR Auburn-SE         1:55.71    1:55.87 B       24  
    r:+0.70  26.51        55.77 (29.26)
        1:24.91 (29.14)     1:55.87 (30.96)
  7 Novoszath, Melinda  South Carolina-S  1:56.50    1:56.15 B       23  
    r:+0.66  26.45        55.62 (29.17)
        1:25.12 (29.50)     1:56.15 (31.03)
  8 Smith, Summer D  FR Tennessee-SE      1:56.20    1:56.22 B       22  
    r:+0.73  26.09        54.89 (28.80)
        1:24.85 (29.96)     1:56.22 (31.37)

Women’s 100 backstroke

Rhyan White’s strength in an off event, finishing second in the 100 fly, boded well for when the meet shifted to backstroke. The Alabama senior delivered Friday, going 50.18 to win the 100 back, an NCAA A cut and a Tennessee pool record. It takes down the pool mark she set in November (50.31) but is just outside the 50.02 she used to win the event in 2020, which is the meet and conference record.

The reigning NCAA silver medalist in this event won it for the third straight year, going out in 24.10 and pulling away from there. Sarah Thompson of Missouri finished second in 51.35, another senior medalist. Her teammate Meredith Reese was fourth. Caitlin Brooks of Kentucky finished third.

Event 25  Women 100 Yard Backstroke
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 49.18  3/22/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
          SEC: S 50.02  2/21/2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
     SEC Meet: M 50.02  2/21/2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
         Pool: P 50.31  11/19/2021Rhyan White, Alabama
                 50.93  A
                 53.94  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 White, Rhyan E   SR Alabama-SE          51.08      50.18PA       32  
    r:+0.67  11.74        24.10 (12.36)
          37.03 (12.93)       50.18 (13.15)
  2 Thompson, Sarah  SR Missouri-MV         51.65      51.35 B       28  
    r:+0.99  11.81        24.59 (12.78)
          37.95 (13.36)       51.35 (13.40)
  3 Brooks, Caitlin  JR Kentucky-KY         51.73      51.54 B       27  
    r:+0.57  12.12        24.64 (12.52)
          37.86 (13.22)       51.54 (13.68)
  4 Rees, Meredith   JR Missouri-MV         51.86      51.63 B       26  
    r:+0.64  12.13        24.90 (12.77)
          38.10 (13.20)       51.63 (13.53)
  5 Sansores, Andrea SR Arkansas-AR         52.71      51.83 B       25  
    r:+0.69  12.09        25.00 (12.91)
          38.52 (13.52)       51.83 (13.31)
  6 Fuller, Josephine   Tennessee-SE        52.32      52.00 B       24  
    r:+0.70  12.24        25.13 (12.89)
          38.69 (13.56)       52.00 (13.31)
  7 Lee, Meghan R    SO Auburn-SE           52.30      52.18 B       23  
    r:+0.67  12.29        25.30 (13.01)
          38.66 (13.36)       52.18 (13.52)
  8 Sorenson, Sophie SR Kentucky-KY         52.55      52.65 B       22  
    r:+0.76  12.34        25.36 (13.02)
          38.90 (13.54)       52.65 (13.75)

Women’s 100 breaststroke

Tennessee’s quest for another SEC team title got a boost from Mona McSharry, who led by a half-second and roared away for the win in 57.50. That’s an NCAA A cut for the Irish Olympian.

Zoie Hartman of Georgia was second in 58.35, also an A cut. After a so-so morning swim, Avery Wiseman used some outside smoke to get up to third in 58.73.

Event 27  Women 100 Yard Breaststroke
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 55.73  3/19/2019 Lilly King, Indiana
          SEC: S 57.23  3/20/2014 Breeja Larson, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 57.28  2/21/2014 Breeja Larson, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 56.64  12/1/2017 Molly Hannis, TNAQ
                 58.46  A
               1:01.84  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 McSharry, Mona   SO Tennessee-SE        57.79      57.50 A       32  
    r:+0.64  12.47        27.03 (14.56)
          41.95 (14.92)       57.50 (15.55)
  2 Hartman, Zoie E  JR Georgia-GA          59.07      58.35 A       28  
    r:+0.76  12.79        27.60 (14.81)
          42.99 (15.39)       58.35 (15.36)
  3 Wiseman, Avery   FR Alabama-SE          59.65      58.73 B       27  
    r:+0.66  12.58        27.58 (15.00)
          42.71 (15.13)       58.73 (16.02)
  4 Herrmann, Vanessa   Arkansas-AR         59.37      58.85 B       26  
    r:+0.68  12.84        27.83 (14.99)
          43.16 (15.33)       58.85 (15.69)
  5 Petkova, Diana   SO Alabama-SE          59.13      59.01 B       25  
    r:+0.70  12.67        27.49 (14.82)
          42.94 (15.45)       59.01 (16.07)
  6 Bonnett, Bailey     Kentucky-KY         59.40      59.11 B       24  
    r:+0.63  12.81        28.03 (15.22)
          43.39 (15.36)       59.11 (15.72)
  7 Evans, Angharad  FR Georgia-GA          59.88      59.30 B       23  
    r:+0.70  13.61        28.21 (14.60)
          44.51 (16.30)       59.30 (14.79)
  8 Kennett, Bobbi   SO Texas A&M-GU        59.23      59.36 B       22  
    r:+0.68  12.94        28.09 (15.15)
          43.45 (15.36)       59.36 (15.91)

Women’s 400 medley relay

When Alabama went 3:27.18 in the fall to down the SEC record, it put down a marker that it was going to be a player at NCAAs. That message was reinforced in a big way Friday.

The Alabama foursome of Rhyan White, Avery Wiseman, Morgan Scott and Cora Dupree went 3:26.64, lopping seven tenths off the meet, conference and pool records. (The record in the fall was set with Kalia Antoniou on the end.) The Crimson Tide’s reaction times extracted just about every legal instant out of it – minus-.02, minus-.01 and .00. Compare that to runner-up Tennessee, which was .24 back but left .80 seconds on the blocks in reaction time.

White got Bama out to a massive lead with a 50.44. Wiseman held that, as Mona McSharry of Tennessee carved out nearly a second. Ellen Walshe put Tennessee in the lead before Dupre reeled in Tjasa Pintar, gobbling up sixth tenths on the first 50 on the way to a 47.11.

Tennessee still solidified its lead top the team standings. Kentucky, Georgia and Texas A&M (with Chloe Stepanek anchoring in 47.19) notched A cuts.

Event 30  Women 400 Yard Medley Relay
==================================================================================
         NCAA: N 3:24.59  3/18/2021 NC State
                          K. Berkoff, S. Hansson, K. Alons, J. Poole
          SEC: S 3:27.18  11/18/2021Alabama
                          R White, A Wiseman, M Scott, K Antoniou
     SEC Meet: M 3:28.43  2/22/2019 Tennessee
                          E. Brown, N. Popov, M. Banic, B. Grinter
         Pool: P 3:27.12  11/18/2021Virginia
                          R Tiltmann, A Wenger, K Douglass, A Walsh
                 3:31.66  A
                 3:33.78  B
    School                           Seed     Finals       Points 
==================================================================================
  1 Alabama-SE  'A'               3:27.18    3:26.64PA       64  
     1) White, Rhyan E SR             2) r:-0.02 Wiseman, Avery FR    
     3) r:-0.01 Scott, Morgan SR      4) r:0.00 Dupre, Cora JR        
    r:+0.68  24.25        50.44 (50.44)
        1:17.25 (26.81)     1:48.46 (58.02)
        2:11.81 (23.35)     2:39.53 (51.07)
        3:01.82 (22.29)     3:26.64 (47.11)
  2 Tennessee-SE  'A'             3:28.91    3:26.88PA       56  
     1) Fuller, Josephine A FR        2) r:0.18 McSharry, Mona SO     
     3) r:0.34 Walshe, Ellen FR       4) r:0.38 Pintar, Tjasa SR      
    r:+0.67  25.37        52.32 (52.32)
        1:18.86 (26.54)     1:49.47 (57.15)
        2:12.85 (23.38)     2:39.22 (49.75)
        3:02.09 (22.87)     3:26.88 (47.66)
  3 Kentucky-KY  'A'              3:37.38    3:29.74 A       54  
     1) Brooks, Caitlin P JR          2) r:0.26 Bonnett, Bailey       
     3) r:0.34 Gaines, Riley SR       4) r:0.34 Sorenson, Sophie SR   
    r:+0.53  24.78        51.46 (51.46)
        1:18.69 (27.23)     1:49.73 (58.27)
        2:13.52 (23.79)     2:41.04 (51.31)
        3:04.37 (23.33)     3:29.74 (48.70)
  4 Georgia-GA  'A'               3:33.23    3:30.01 A       52  
     1) Sansome, Millie K JR          2) r:0.24 Hartman, Zoie JR      
     3) r:0.29 Luther, Dakota SR      4) r:0.43 Parker, Maxine SO     
    r:+0.60  25.41        52.57 (52.57)
        1:19.53 (26.96)     1:50.62 (58.05)
        2:14.57 (23.95)     2:42.33 (51.71)
        3:05.29 (22.96)     3:30.01 (47.68)
  5 Texas A&M-GU  'A'             3:36.50    3:31.66 A       50  
     1) Barzelay, Aviv FR             2) r:0.37 Kennett, Bobbi SO     
     3) r:0.07 Theall, Olivia SO      4) r:0.05 Stepanek, Chloe SO    
    r:+0.60  25.91        53.33 (53.33)
        1:21.20 (27.87)     1:52.83 (59.50)
        2:16.80 (23.97)     2:44.47 (51.64)
        3:06.65 (22.18)     3:31.66 (47.19)
  6 Arkansas-AR  'A'              3:34.36    3:32.47 B       48  
     1) Sansores, Andrea A SR         2) r:0.18 Herrmann, Vanessa SR  
     3) r:0.04 Melton, Kobie SR       4) r:0.03 Cothern, Bella SO     
    r:+0.62  25.19        52.40 (52.40)
        1:19.78 (27.38)     1:51.05 (58.65)
        2:15.36 (24.31)     2:44.09 (53.04)
        3:06.59 (22.50)     3:32.47 (48.38)
  7 Florida-FL  'A'               3:38.13    3:33.63 B       46  
     1) Bates, Talia B JR             2) r:0.18 Mathieu, Tylor JR     
     3) r:0.10 Peoples, Olivia FR     4) r:0.46 Nikonova, Ekaterina FR
    r:+0.63  25.12        52.49 (52.49)
        1:20.75 (28.26)   1:53.03 (1:00.54)
        2:17.00 (23.97)     2:45.57 (52.54)
        3:08.47 (22.90)     3:33.63 (48.06)
  8 Auburn-SE  'A'                3:33.91    3:33.71 B       44  
     1) Lee, Meghan R SO              2) r:0.18 Makarova, Anastasia   
     3) r:0.15 Bargeron, Avery FR     4) r:0.21 Leehy, Mykenzie       
    r:+0.65  25.45        52.88 (52.88)
        1:20.68 (27.80)   1:52.94 (1:00.06)
        2:16.84 (23.90)     2:44.91 (51.97)
        3:08.02 (23.11)     3:33.71 (48.80)
  9 South Carolina-SC  'A'        3:36.48    3:34.49         40  
     1) Pantano, Bella L SO           2) r:0.17 Steele, Taylor JR     
     3) r:0.10 Toh, Nicholle SO       4) r:0.09 Smith, Janie JR       
    r:+0.68  25.69        53.32 (53.32)
        1:21.15 (27.83)   1:53.78 (1:00.46)
        2:17.52 (23.74)     2:46.16 (52.38)
        3:08.80 (22.64)     3:34.49 (48.33)
 10 Missouri-MV  'A'              3:33.50    3:34.80         34  
     1) Rees, Meredith A JR           2) r:0.17 Jones, Kayla SR       
     3) r:0.36 Thompson, Sarah SR     4) r:0.42 Keil, Megan SR        
    r:+0.73  25.24        52.38 (52.38)
        1:20.83 (28.45)   1:53.95 (1:01.57)
        2:17.52 (23.57)     2:46.06 (52.11)
        3:09.18 (23.12)     3:34.80 (48.74)
 11 LSU-LA  'A'                   3:39.36    3:36.27         32  
     1) Milutinovich, Katarina JR     2) r:0.21 Boll, Emilie JR       
     3) r:0.19 Bellina, Hannah SO     4) r:0.17 Kucsan, Natalie SR    
    r:+0.69  25.52        53.67 (53.67)
        1:21.30 (27.63)   1:53.81 (1:00.14)
        2:18.64 (24.83)     2:47.87 (54.06)
        3:10.73 (22.86)     3:36.27 (48.40)
 -- Vanderbilt-SE  'A'            3:41.64         DQ        
      Early take-off swimmer #2
     1) Pierobon Mays, Gabriela V SO  2) r:-0.05 Knelson, Faith       
     3) r:0.39 Utley, Kailia FR       4) r:0.30 Beers, Eleanor SO     
    r:+0.70  26.43        54.81 (54.81)
        1:22.92 (28.11)   1:56.13 (1:01.32)
        2:21.72 (25.59)     2:51.09 (54.96)
        3:14.87 (23.78)          DQ (50.81)

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