SEC Championships Prelims Day 2: Josh Liendo, Jordan Crooks Bring Heat in 50

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Photo Courtesy: Michael P. Hall/Swimming Canada

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SEC Championships Prelims Day 2: Josh Liendo, Jordan Crooks Bring Heat in 50

It took until the end of the first morning session of the 2023 SEC Championships for things to really get cooking. The men’s sprinters made sure of that.

Nathan Adrian’s Student Recreation Aquatic Center had held since he 2009 NCAA championships. It was downed twice in about a minute, thanks to Jordan Crooks and Josh Liendo.

Liendo went 18.35 to trounce Adrian’s pool mark of 18.71, then Crooks undercut it with an 18.25 that nearly also swept away the meet mark. Those two are the top seeds in the 50 free Wednesday night.

All the morning action from Texas A&M:

SEC Championships Team Scores

  • (after Night 1)
 Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 5                      
 
  1. Louisiana State University        178   2. University of Florida             150
  3. Kentucky, University of           149   4. South Carolina, University of,    142
  5. University of Tennessee           136   6. University of Alabama             131
  7. Auburn University                 119   8. Georgia, University of            107
  9. Missouri                          105  10. University of Arkansas             97
 11. Vanderbilt University              62  12. Texas A&M University               56
 Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 6                       
 
  1. Texas A&M University              229   2. Auburn University                 166
  3. University of Tennessee           159   4. University of Florida             138
  5. Missouri                          126   6. South Carolina, University of,    115
  7. Georgia, University of            113   8. University of Alabama             107
  9. Kentucky, University of            86  10. Louisiana State University         65

Women’s 500 freestyle

Two of the top three spots in the women’s 500 freestyle belonged to a pair of Steges. Georgia sophomore Rachel Stege set the pace in the morning with a time of 4:38.19, her older sister Kristen Stege third in 4:39.73.

Rachel Stege led four swimmers under 4:40 to set the pace. Her big sis Kristen Stege, a senior at Tennessee who finished third in the event last year, was third. In between was Florida’s Emma Weyant.

Last year’s runner-up, Kensey McMahon of Alabama, is the fifth seed in 4:40.13, well within the contending pack. Not among that group is the reigning 500 free champ, Tennessee’s Julia Mrozinski, who finished 20th in 4:44.97 to make the C final.

 Event 9  Women 500 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 4:24.06  3/16/2017 Katie Ledecky, Stanford
          SEC: S 4:32.53  3/21/2014 Brittany MacLean, Georgia
     SEC Meet: M 4:33.10  2/17/2016 Brittany MacLean, Georgia
         POOL: P 4:27.84  11/16/2017Katie Ledecky, STAN
                 4:35.76  A
                 4:47.20  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Stege, Rachel G  SO Georgia           4:42.65    4:38.19 qB     
    r:+0.70  25.53        53.03 (27.50)
        1:21.08 (28.05)     1:49.24 (28.16)
        2:17.53 (28.29)     2:45.86 (28.33)
        3:14.29 (28.43)     3:42.63 (28.34)
        4:10.78 (28.15)     4:38.19 (27.41)
  2 Weyant, Emma J   SO Florida-FL        4:45.14    4:39.26 qB     
    r:+0.71  25.95        53.72 (27.77)
        1:21.78 (28.06)     1:49.93 (28.15)
        2:17.93 (28.00)     2:46.25 (28.32)
        3:14.65 (28.40)     3:43.50 (28.85)
        4:12.04 (28.54)     4:39.26 (27.22)
  3 Stege, Kristen   SR Tennessee-SE      4:45.66    4:39.73 qB     
    r:+0.78  25.62        52.85 (27.23)
        1:20.84 (27.99)     1:48.84 (28.00)
        2:17.21 (28.37)     2:45.68 (28.47)
        3:14.19 (28.51)     3:42.93 (28.74)
        4:11.80 (28.87)     4:39.73 (27.93)
  4 Miller, Hayden   FR Florida-FL        4:43.56    4:39.88 qB     
    r:+0.84  25.87        53.21 (27.34)
        1:21.04 (27.83)     1:49.20 (28.16)
        2:17.56 (28.36)     2:46.04 (28.48)
        3:14.54 (28.50)     3:43.10 (28.56)
        4:11.59 (28.49)     4:39.88 (28.29)
  5 McMahon, Kensey  SR Alabama-SE        4:41.83    4:40.13 qB     
    r:+0.75  26.24        54.41 (28.17)
        1:22.46 (28.05)     1:50.51 (28.05)
        2:18.80 (28.29)     2:47.43 (28.63)
        3:16.05 (28.62)     3:44.44 (28.39)
        4:12.69 (28.25)     4:40.13 (27.44)
  6 Barczyk, Jillia  SR Georgia           4:44.02    4:41.01 qB     
    r:+0.66  25.54        53.56 (28.02)
        1:21.84 (28.28)     1:49.99 (28.15)
        2:18.23 (28.24)     2:46.82 (28.59)
        3:15.54 (28.72)     3:44.36 (28.82)
        4:12.98 (28.62)     4:41.01 (28.03)
  7 Mathieu, Tylor   SR Florida-FL        4:40.23    4:41.08 qB     
    r:+0.75  26.29        54.51 (28.22)
        1:22.57 (28.06)     1:50.90 (28.33)
        2:19.14 (28.24)     2:47.51 (28.37)
        3:16.00 (28.49)     3:44.77 (28.77)
        4:13.47 (28.70)     4:41.08 (27.61)
  8 Wheeler, Kaitly  SR Kentucky          4:40.56    4:41.32 qB     
    r:+0.61  25.82        54.45 (28.63)
        1:22.77 (28.32)     1:51.28 (28.51)
        2:19.56 (28.28)     2:47.68 (28.12)
        3:15.85 (28.17)     3:43.94 (28.09)
        4:12.50 (28.56)     4:41.32 (28.82)

Men’s 500 freestyle

The departures of last year’s champion (Matt Sates) and runner-up (Kieran Smith) make he 500 wide open his year, and swimmers are queuing up to fill the gap.

Top seed Jake Magahey of Georgia is safely through to the A final in third a 4:13.18, but he’s got two Gators in front of him. Alfonso Mestre set the pace in prelims in 4:12.08, teammate Jake Mitchell less than half a second behind. Two other Gators are in the A final and six are in the top 10 in their chase for a team crown. Auburn’s Michael Bonson is the fourth seed.

Event 10  Men 500 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 4:06.32  2/19/2020 Kieran Smith, Florida
          SEC: S 4:06.32  2/19/2020 Kieran Smith, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 4:06.32  2/19/2020 Kieran Smith, Florida
         POOL: P 4:08.92  3/26/2009 Jean Basson, ARIZ
                 4:11.40  A
                 4:22.35  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Mestre, Alfonso  SR Florida-FL        4:11.03    4:12.08 qB     
    r:+0.72  22.76        47.71 (24.95)
        1:12.98 (25.27)     1:38.51 (25.53)
        2:03.82 (25.31)     2:29.52 (25.70)
        2:55.01 (25.49)     3:20.77 (25.76)
        3:46.61 (25.84)     4:12.08 (25.47)
  2 Mitchell, Jake   JR Florida-FL        4:13.00    4:12.54 qB     
    r:+0.69  22.61        47.11 (24.50)
        1:12.18 (25.07)     1:37.60 (25.42)
        2:03.25 (25.65)     2:29.00 (25.75)
        2:54.88 (25.88)     3:20.78 (25.90)
        3:46.89 (26.11)     4:12.54 (25.65)
  3 Magahey, Jake M  JR Georgia           4:09.83    4:13.18 qB     
    r:+0.70  23.64        49.18 (25.54)
        1:15.10 (25.92)     1:41.06 (25.96)
        2:06.84 (25.78)     2:32.45 (25.61)
        2:57.76 (25.31)     3:23.03 (25.27)
        3:48.23 (25.20)     4:13.18 (24.95)
  4 Bonson, Michael  JR Auburn-SE         4:13.30    4:13.96 qB     
    r:+0.68  23.28        48.98 (25.70)
        1:14.99 (26.01)     1:41.10 (26.11)
        2:06.49 (25.39)     2:31.99 (25.50)
        2:57.46 (25.47)     3:23.03 (25.57)
        3:48.72 (25.69)     4:13.96 (25.24)
  5 Linscheer, Giov  FR Florida-FL        4:19.95    4:14.22 qB     
    r:+0.69  24.16        49.73 (25.57)
        1:15.39 (25.66)     1:41.08 (25.69)
        2:06.66 (25.58)     2:32.38 (25.72)
        2:58.05 (25.67)     3:23.71 (25.66)
        3:49.20 (25.49)     4:14.22 (25.02)
  6 Hawke, Charlie   SO Alabama-SE        4:16.57    4:14.36 qB     
    r:+0.75  23.13        48.47 (25.34)
        1:14.04 (25.57)     1:39.59 (25.55)
        2:05.12 (25.53)     2:30.73 (25.61)
        2:56.75 (26.02)     3:22.82 (26.07)
        3:48.85 (26.03)     4:14.36 (25.51)
  7 Brown, Eric G    FR Florida-FL        4:17.67    4:14.39 qB     
    r:+0.71  23.14        48.36 (25.22)
        1:13.71 (25.35)     1:39.74 (26.03)
        2:05.63 (25.89)     2:31.38 (25.75)
        2:57.10 (25.72)     3:22.93 (25.83)
        3:48.93 (26.00)     4:14.39 (25.46)
  8 Johansson, Vict  SR Alabama-SE        4:14.34    4:15.04 qB     
    r:+0.73  23.64        49.07 (25.43)
        1:14.62 (25.55)     1:40.39 (25.77)
        2:06.22 (25.83)     2:31.91 (25.69)
        2:57.84 (25.93)     3:23.93 (26.09)
        3:49.86 (25.93)     4:15.04 (25.18)

Women’s 200 individual medley

Tennessee has the top seed in the 200 IM final thanks to Josephine Fuller, who went 1:54.09. She had been 14th in the race last year. Sara Stolter joins her in the A final.

Second is Zoie Hartman of Georgia in 1:54.76. Cat Wright grabs Alabama an A-final spot in 1:55.82.

Event 11  Women 200 Yard IM
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:50.08  3/17/2022 A. Wallsh, Virginia
          SEC: S 1:51.62  2/20/2019 Meghan Small, Tennessee
     SEC Meet: M 1:51.62  2/20/2019 Meghan Small, Tennessee
         POOL: P 1:52.69  2/15/2018 Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
                 1:53.66  A
                 1:59.56  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Fuller, Josephi  SO Tennessee-SE      1:55.54    1:54.09 qB     
    r:+0.68  24.81        52.43 (27.62)
        1:25.46 (33.03)     1:54.09 (28.63)
  2 Hartman, Zoie E  SR Georgia           1:54.26    1:54.76 qB     
    r:+0.71  25.47        53.78 (28.31)
        1:26.62 (32.84)     1:54.76 (28.14)
  3 Wright, Cat G    SR Alabama-SE        1:57.08    1:55.82 qB     
    r:+0.66  25.64        55.03 (29.39)
        1:27.62 (32.59)     1:55.82 (28.20)
  4 Dixon, Zoe A     FR Florida-FL        1:57.20    1:55.85 qB     
    r:+0.65  24.76        53.48 (28.72)
        1:27.24 (33.76)     1:55.85 (28.61)
  5 Poole, Lauren M  SR Kentucky          1:55.33    1:55.91 qB     
    r:+0.71  25.08        53.52 (28.44)
        1:27.64 (34.12)     1:55.91 (28.27)
  6 Stotler, Sara B  SO Tennessee-SE      1:56.96    1:56.21 qB     
    r:+0.71  24.72        53.68 (28.96)
        1:28.20 (34.52)     1:56.21 (28.01)
  7 Petkova, Diana   JR Alabama-SE        1:57.97    1:56.31 qB     
    r:+0.71  25.18        54.63 (29.45)
        1:28.19 (33.56)     1:56.31 (28.12)
  8 Kwan, Victoria   GR South Carolina-S  1:58.28    1:56.78 qB     
    r:+0.68  25.35        54.68 (29.33)
        1:28.47 (33.79)     1:56.78 (28.31)

Men’s 200 individual medley

Seizing the home-pool advantage, Texas A&M took the top two seeds in the 200 IM, with Baylor Nelson leading the way in 1:41.71 and Kaloyan Bratanov in 1:42.18. Florida snuck three into the A final, with Julian Smith leading the way in fifth. Georgia’s Zach Hils was third.

Event 12  Men 200 Yard IM
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:37.69  3/24/2022 Leon Marchand, Arizona State
          SEC: S 1:38.13  2/15/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 1:38.13  2/15/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         POOL: P 1:38.13  2/15/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
                 1:41.22  A
                 1:46.52  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Nelson, Baylor      Texas A&M-GU      1:41.83    1:41.71 qB     
    r:+0.61  21.90        46.92 (25.02)
        1:16.30 (29.38)     1:41.71 (25.41)
  2 Bratanov, Koko      Texas A&M-GU      1:44.12    1:42.18 qB     
    r:+0.64  22.42        48.22 (25.80)
        1:17.61 (29.39)     1:42.18 (24.57)
  3 Hils, Zach C     SR Georgia           1:43.03    1:42.27 qB     
    r:+0.68  22.04        47.18 (25.14)
        1:16.70 (29.52)     1:42.27 (25.57)
  4 Patton, Ben H    SR Missouri-MV       1:46.17    1:42.51 qB     
    r:+0.62  22.16        47.55 (25.39)
        1:16.79 (29.24)     1:42.51 (25.72)
  5 Smith, Julian    SO Florida-FL        1:43.47    1:42.64 qB     
    r:+0.66  21.80        47.67 (25.87)
        1:17.44 (29.77)     1:42.64 (25.20)
  6 Maas, Derek E    SR Alabama-SE        1:44.87    1:43.04 qB     
    r:+0.66  22.16        47.95 (25.79)
        1:17.92 (29.97)     1:43.04 (25.12)
  7 Hillis, Dillon   5Y Florida-FL        1:46.68    1:43.23 qB     
    r:+0.67  22.45        48.57 (26.12)
        1:17.36 (28.79)     1:43.23 (25.87)
  8 Gonzalez Pinero  SO Florida-FL        1:44.05    1:43.53 qB     
    r:+0.60  22.07        47.79 (25.72)
        1:18.21 (30.42)     1:43.53 (25.32)

Women’s 50 freestyle

Maggie MacNeil is out front again, going 21.41 to lead the way in prelims. She’s four tenths clear of runner-up Kalia Antoniou of Alabama. Mona McSharry is third. MacNeil owns the pool record at 21.03, which is level with the SEC Meet and conference record set in 2020 by Erika Brown of Tennessee.

 Event 13  Women 50 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 20.84  3/17/2022 Kate Douglass, Virginia
          SEC: S 21.03  2/19/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
     SEC Meet: M 21.03  2/19/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
         POOL: P 21.03  11/16/2022Maggie MacNeil, LSU
                 21.66  A
                 22.71  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 MacNeil, Maggie  GR LSU-LA              21.03      21.41 qA     
    r:+0.67  10.52        21.41 (10.89)
  2 Antoniou, Kalia  SR Alabama-SE          21.86      21.85 qB     
    r:+0.68  10.59        21.85 (11.26)
  3 McSharry, Mona   JR Tennessee-SE        22.15      21.98 qB     
    r:+0.65  10.51        21.98 (11.47)
  4 Mack, Katie G    SR Florida-FL          22.03      22.01 qB     
    r:+0.64  10.57        22.01 (11.44)
  5 Stepanek, Chloe     Texas A&M-GU        22.37      22.09 qB     
    r:+0.67  10.75        22.09 (11.34)
  6 Nikonova, Ekate  SO Florida-FL          22.40      22.11 qB     
    r:+0.67  10.72        22.11 (11.39)
  7 Sansores, Andre  SR Arkansas-AR         22.37      22.18 qB     
    r:+0.72  10.82        22.18 (11.36)
  8 Cronk, Micayla   SO Florida-FL          22.68      22.25 qB     
    r:+0.65  10.95        22.25 (11.30)

Men’s 50 freestyle

Josh Liendo set the pace early, but Jordan Crooks rose to meet it. The reigning champ from Tennessee set his best time of the season by .02 in 18.25. Liendo has previously been 18.83 before his 18.35.

It took 19.09 to make the A final. Maguire McDuff and Adam Chaney earned Florida three spots in it. Reigning NCAA champ Brooks Curry of LSU tied for sixth in 19.08. He’ll be in an outside lane, with Gui Caribe of Tennessee having the faster seed time as the tiebreak.

 Event 14  Men 50 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
          SEC: S 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 18.23  2/17/2016 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         POOL: P 18.71  3/26/2009 Nathan Adrian, CAL
                 18.88  A
                 19.82  B
    Name           Year School               Seed    Prelims              
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Crooks, Jordan   SO Tennessee-SE        18.27      18.25PqA     
     r:+0.60  8.70         18.25 (9.55)
  2 Liendo, Josh     FR Florida-FL          18.83      18.35PqA     
     r:+0.61  8.90         18.35 (9.45)
  3 McDuff, Macguir  SO Florida-FL          19.11      18.99 qB     
     r:+0.63  9.13         18.99 (9.86)
  4 Chaney, Adam C   SO Florida-FL          19.23      19.04 qB     
     r:+0.60  9.24         19.04 (9.80)
  5 Tirheimer, Loga  JR Auburn-SE           19.33      19.05 qB     
     r:+0.60  9.20         19.05 (9.85)
  6 Santos, Guilher     Tennessee-SE        18.91      19.08 qB     
     r:+0.61  9.17         19.08 (9.91)
  6 Curry, Brooks V  SR LSU-LA              18.94      19.08 qB     
     r:+0.62  9.13         19.08 (9.95)
  8 Downing, Dillon  SR Georgia             19.25      19.09 qB     
     r:+0.62  9.12         19.09 (9.97)
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