Kylie Stewart Wins First Collegiate Race As Georgia Stomps Vanderbilt

Photo by Griffin Scott

ATHENS, Georgia, September 24. THE first meet of the new season for the reigning Women’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving team champions took place today, as the Georgia Bulldogs obliterated their conference foes from Vanderbilt.

Georgia will have as tough a time to repeat as national champions in March as they did last season, but freshman Kylie Stewart appears ready to fill part of the gap left by the graduations of Shannon Vreeland, Melanie Margalis and others. Stewart won her first individual collegiate race, taking the 200 free in a respectable 1:49.90 over teammates Rachel Zilinskas (1:51.32) and Maddie Locus (1:52.18). A few minutes earlier, Stewart had supplied the fastest backstroke split of the 200 medley relay with a 25.97.

Acting Head Coach Harvey Humphries gave several of his swimmers the opportunity to post first-place finishes. Hali Flickinger and Amber McDermott were the only double winners of the day. Flickinger won the 100 back with a 54.73 and had the fastest time in the 500 free with a 4:51.38. With Georgia routing the scores near the end of the meet, Flickinger’s 500 was swum as exhibition. Flickinger got within a second of her lifetime best of 53.75 in the 100 back, a good sign at this point in the season.

McDermott started her meet with a 2:00.45 in the 200 back and finished up with a 2:02.77 in the 200 IM as an exhibition swim. McDermott is a national finalist in the middle-distance freestyle events, so she was swimming off-events today.

Of note is Maddie Locus’ 23.09 to lead off Georgia’s 200 free relay at the end of the session. That would have clearly won the 50 free event, where Chantal Van Landeghem posted a 23.58. Locus had completed the 100 fly not too long before the relay, posting a 55.85 in an exhibition swim as the fastest time in the event.

Other winners from today’s competition:

Jordan Mattern, 1000 free (9:59.71)
Emily Cameron, 100 breast (1:03.91)
Megan Kingsley, 200 fly (2:01.47)
Lauren Harrington, 50 free (23.58)
Meaghan Raab, 200 breast (2:19.14)

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Bill Bell

9 years ago

“Humble Harv’s” been “acting” head coach for almost a year now.

The ‘Dawgs still haven’t made a formal announcement as to Jack Bauetle’s status? Wonder what’s taking so long.

On another front…speculation has it that Chade Kalisz would leave the ‘Dawg a Pound this fall and stay in Baltimore, turn pro and focus on a Rio. But have seen nothing to indicate he is not returning to Georgia for his junior season.

Any word?