Florida Leads Ohio State, Kentucky

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sherridon Dressel went 4-for-4 on the day with two individual and two relay victories to lead Florida. The swim team started 2019 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Natatorium, while the divers were at the Orlando YMCA. UF is currently in front of Ohio State, 189-92, and Kentucky, 145.50-135.50.

The Gators jumped out to an early lead, when Emma Ball, Vanessa Pearl, Dressel, and Bella Garofalo won the 200 Medley Relay with a combined time of 1:39.51.

Taylor Ault posted an NCAA B Cut of 16:29.57 and placed second in the 1,650 Free. Leah Braswell finished in fourth with a swim of 16:36.91.

With a season-best time of 1:48.07, Kelly Fertel posted the second-best swim in the 200 Free. Kelsey Dambacher notched a fifth-place swim of 1:49.33.

Dressel collected her first individual event win with an NCAA B Cut swim of 52.79 in the 100 Back. Ball swam a 54.09 and placed third. Sydney Sell clocked a 54.31 and finished in fourth.

In the 100 Breast, Pearl posted the second-fastest time when she swam a 1:01.99.

Mabel Zavaros earned an NCAA B Cut when she won the 200 Fly with a personal-best time of 1:58.26. Hannah Burns came in third with a swim of 1:59.96.

With a time of 23.40 in the 50 Free, Garofalo placed fourth. Ball added a fifth-place mark of 23.45.

Dressel achieved her second individual win, when she tied Riley Gaines of Kentucky as they both swam a 49.81 in the 100 Free. Garofalo placed third with a time of 50.84.

In the 200 Back, Mabel Zavaros clocked an NCAA B Cut of 1:56.06 and finished in second. Sell earned a fourth-place time of 1:58.45.

Pearl claimed the top spot in the 200 Breast with an NCAA B Cut of 2:11.58. Fertel added a third-place finish with a swim of 2:15.38. Burns posted a mark of 2:16.06 and finished in fourth.

Ault produced a second-place time of 4:48.38 in the 500 Free. Savanna Faulconer clocked a swim of 4:51.48 and finished in fifth.

With a swim of 54.77, Mabel Zavaros came in second in the 100 Fly. Ball added a season-best time of 55.36 for fourth place. Georgia Marris finished in fifth with a mark of 55.39.

Fertel, Burns, and Pearl finished the 200 IM in second, third, and fourth, respectively. Fertel posted a time of 2:00.72, Burns swam a 2:01.38, and Pearl added a 2:01.90.

Dressel, Garofalo, Dambacher, and Fertel ended the night on a high note, when they produced a total time of 3:19.56 and won the 400 Free Relay.

Gators Lead Kentucky, Ohio State after Day One

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida swimmers competed at the friendly confines of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Natatorium for the first time this season, while the divers competed at the Orlando YMCA. The Gators were led by Marco Guarente with two individual victories and one relay victory. UF leads Kentucky 198.50-101.50 and leads Ohio State 174-126.

The team of Kacper Stokowski, Chandler Bray, Maxime Rooney, and Will Davis got the meet started with a bang, as they combined for a time of 1:26.97 and won the 200 Medley Relay.

Robert Finke continued the winning trend as he placed first in the 1,650 Free with an NCAA B Cut of 15:03.14. Drew Clark added a fourth-place finish, after he clocked a 15:42.59.

Khader Baqlah paced the field in the 200 Free with a swim of 1:34.33, which was an NCAA B Cut time. Clark Beach posted a fourth-place time of 1:38.16.

With a time of 47.37 in the 100 Back, Stokowski placed first with an NCAA B Cut. Kieran Smith notched a time of 48.45 and placed second.

Guarente led the field with a time of 54.42 in the 100 Breast. Stanley Wu came in third with a mark of 55.07.

Dillon Hillis collected a fourth-place finish in the 200 Fly, after he swam a 1:49.43. Alex Lebed finished with a season-best time of 1:49.87 and placed fifth.

Rooney posted the fastest time in the 50 Free with an effort of 20.14. Will Davis notched a fourth-place mark of 20.44.

In the 100 Free, Stokowski clocked a third-place time of 44.66.

The Gators produced a sweep in the 200 Back. Clark Beach had the fastest swim with an NCAA B Cut swim of 1:44.53. Smith came in second with a mark of 1:46.56, while Ethan Beach posted a third-place time of 1:48.08.

Guarente picked up another individual victory in the 200 Breast with an effort of 1:59.25. Wu placed fifth with a mark of 2:02.50.

Baqlah claimed his second individual event win, as he swam an NCAA B Cut time of 4:21.98 in the 500 Free. Finke added a swim of 4:24.80 and placed second. Ross Palazzo notched a fifth-place finish with a mark of 4:33.27.

Rooney won the 100 Fly with an NCAA B Cut time of 47.26. Will Davis finished with a third-place mark of 48.29.

Lebed clocked a time of 1:48.66 and placed second in the 200 IM.

Florida ended the night the way it began, with a relay win. Rooney, Baqlah, Smith, and Stokowski recorded a time of 2:55.13 400 Free Relay.

On the 1-meter in Orlando, Alex Farrow accumulated 292.80 points and led UF diving in sixth place. Nick Lydon placed sixth on the 3-meter with a score of 296.80.

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