Alabama Sweeps Delta State to Open 2017-18 NCAA Competitive Season

Photo Courtesy: Amelia J. Brackin

The Alabama swimming and diving team swept Delta State on Friday afternoon to open the 2017-18 NCAA competitive slate. The Alabama women beat Delta State 235-65 while the Crimson Tide men came out on top 231-69.

“It’s always fun to have the opportunity to see freshmen in a collegiate meet for the first time,” UA head coach Dennis Pursley said. “That was especially true this year because we have such and enormous freshman class. For the most part I was very pleased with what I saw.”

The meet marked the fifth season in a row that the two teams have engaged in the first NCAA competition in the nation for the new season. The Crimson Tide won 15 of 16 women’s events, including both relays and both diving events. The Alabama men won 14 of 16 events, including both relays and both diving events.

“The thing I’m most pleased with is that we swam tough and our overall team dynamic was very good,” Pursley said. “They seemed to be bonding, embracing the opportunity, the environment and having fun. That’s a good place to be four weeks into the season.”

Freshman Flora Molnar led the way for the women, swimming on the winning 400 medley and freestyle relays as well as taking top honors in the 50 freestyle (23.19) and 100 butterfly (54.31). In addition to Molnar, fellow rookie Leonie Kullmann won the 200 and 500 freestyle in times of 1:51.43 and 4:59.43, respectively while the all freshman 400 freestyle relay of Molnar, Kullmann, Julia Kukla and Sezin Eligul came up with a 3:24.92 for the win.

“I think we’re going to have the strongest competitive environment, both in meets and in practice, that we’ve had on the women’s side since we’ve been here,” Pursley said. “So we’re excited about that.”

The Tide veterans also got into the act in the women’s meet. Senior Paige Matherson won the 1,000 freestyle (10:25.92) and the 200 butterfly (2:01.99) within the first five individual events while junior Justine Macfarlane won the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, stopping the clock at 1:03.07 and 2:16.73, respectively.

In the deep end, junior Ayanna Woods won the 1 and 3-meter springboard events, totaling 261.75 and 256.34 points, respectively. Seniors Mia Nonnenberg and Bailey Scott nabbed titles as well. Nonnenberg won the 200 individual medley (2:04.92) while Scott won the 100 freestyle (51.38). Sophomore Kacey Oberlander also picked up a win, taking first in the 200 backstroke with a 2:02.47.

Junior Katie Kelsoe, Macfarlane, senior Hannah Musser and Molnar combined to win the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:44.41 to open the meet.

Junior Robert Howard and sophomore Kyle Maas led the way for the men. Howard won the 200 and 500 freestyles (1:39.74 and 4:38.33) and was part of the winning 400 freestyle relay while Maas won the 200 backstroke (1:51.16), 200 individual medley (1:51.79) and swam the breaststroke leg on the winning 400 medley relay.

Freshman Christian Strycker earned the men’s first individual win of the season, with a 9:36.79 in the 1,000 freestyle. Fellow newcomers Richard Miksi (200 breaststroke/2:07.47), Robby Costine (1-meter diving/308.92 points) and Austin Rettinghouse (3-meter diving/268.42 points), also earned their first career wins for the Tide.

Seniors Will Freeman (200 butterfly/1:49.83) and Christopher Reid (100 freestyle/45.59) along with sophomore Zane Waddell (50 freestyle/20.20) and junior Laurent Bams (100 butterfly/47.19) also earned individual wins against Delta State.

Reid, Maas, senior Luke Kaliszak and Waddell opened the men’s meet by winning the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:18.51 while Waddell, Bams, Howard and Kaliszak won the 400 freestyle relay with a 3:00.07 to close the meet.

Press release courtesy of Alabama Swimming & Diving.

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Vicky Kumar Sah

6 years ago

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