2023 SEC Championships: Day 5 Finals Live Recap

2023 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
• Rec Center Natatorium, College Station, TX.
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Tennessee (1x)
  • Men: Florida (10x)
• Championship Central
• Women’s Fan Guide
• Men’s Fan Guide
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Day 5 Prelims Live Recap

The final session of the 2023 SEC Championships should feature some exciting showdowns on Saturday night at Texas A&M’s Rec Center Natatorium.

In the women’s 100 free, LSU star Maggie MacNeil enters as the top seed with a 47.46, just .01 seconds ahead of Alabama senior Kalia Antoniou.

After Jordan Crooks won the 50 free and Josh Liendo triumphed in the 100 fly, we’re set for round 3 of this exciting sprint battle in the men’s 100 free. Liendo’s time of 41.22 in prelims this morning made him the second-fastest freshman ever in the event, just .06 seconds behind Crooks.

Florida fifth year Dillon Hillis took down the SEC meet record in prelims with a 1:51.53, but he could be challenged in tonight’s final by freshman teammate Aleksas Savickas, who was within a tenth of Hillis this morning.

The 1650 free, 200 back, men’s platform diving, and 400 free relays are also on tap for this evening. In the mile, two-time defending champion Kristen Stege of Tennessee will try to protect her title against 2020 champion Kensey McMahon of Alabama. Notably, Alabama standout Rhyan White missed the women’s 200 back A-final this morning.

Stay tuned for live updates below:

SCORES AFTER DAY 4

WOMEN:

1. Florida – 962
2. Tennessee – 709.5
3. Kentucky – 698
4. LSU – 624
5. Georgia – 577.5
6. Alabama – 560
7. Auburn – 499
8. South Carolina – 489
9. Texas A&M – 470
10. Arkansas – 415
11. Missouri – 312
12. Vanderbilt – 135

MEN:

1. Florida – 1056.5
2. Auburn – 774.5
3. Texas A&M – 765
4. Tennessee – 727.5
5. Georgia – 584.5
6. Missouri – 517.5
7. Alabama – 464
8. Kentucky – 369
9. South Carolina – 366.5
10. LSU – 240

WOMEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: Katie Ledecky (Stanford): 15:03.31
• SEC Record: Brittany MacLean (Georgia): 15:27.84
• Meet Record: Brittany MacLean (Georgia): 15:36.52
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 15:52.41
• 2022 Champion: Kristen Stege, Tennessee (15:42.37)

Top 8:

1. Kensey McMahon (Alabama) – 15:47.02
2. Aly Breslin (Tennessee) – 15:52.71
3. Kristen Stege (Tennessee) – 15:53.47
4. Abby McCulloh (Georgia) – 15:58.45
5. Hayden Miller (Florida) – 15:59.21
6. Rachel Stege (Georgia) – 16:00.96
7. Emily Hetzer (Auburn) – 16:03.46
8. Tylor Mathieu (Florida) – 16:03.99

Alabama fifth year Kensey McMahon is back on top.

After losing the mile to Tennessee’s Kristen Stege the past two years, McMahon rallied past her 10 minutes into the race and never looked back en route to victory in 15:47.02. That time shaved 12 seconds off her season best.

“This is something that my coach and I have been workin on for the past three years,” McMahon said. “So it definitely feels good that it turned out this way.”

Tennessee junior Aly Breslin swam earlier this afternoon, but her massive personal best earned her second place over Stege, who faded down the stretch. Breslin dropped more than 10 seconds off her lifetime best from last year’s Big Ten Championships.

MEN’S 1650 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: Bobby Finke (Florida): 14:12.08
• SEC Record: Bobby Finke (Florida): 14:12.08
• Meet Record: Bobby Finke (Florida): 14:12.08
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 14:37.31
• 2022 Champion: Trey Freeman, Florida (14:39.74)

Top 8:

1. Levi Sandidge (Kentucky) – 14:31.47
2. Jake Magahey (Georgia) – 14:38.45
3. Tyler Watson (Florida) – 14:38.50
4. Mason Mathias (Auburn) – 14:42.99
5. Eric Brown (Florida) – 14:44.06
6. Jake Mitchell (Florida) – 14:46.91
7. Victor Johansson (Alabama) – 14:47.51
8. Grant Davis (Auburn) – 14:51.37

In one of the swims of the week, Kentucky freshman Levi Sandidge flew out to a fast start in the mile and hung on for an upset victory.

His winning time of 14:31.47 shaved a whopping 20 seconds off his previous best, shocking the rest of the field as well as himself. It’s the fastest time in the country this season ahead of Alabama’s Victor Johansson, who placed seventh about eight seconds off his season-best time.

Sandidge made history as the first Kentucky man to win an SEC title since 2006 and the first Wildcat to win the mile in program history. In the process, he also broke the boys’ 17-18 national age group (NAG) record in the event, taking down the 14:34.22 that PJ Ransford posted in 2015.

Georgia’s Jake Magahey (14:38.45) and Florida’s Tyler Watson (14:38.50) were separated by just .05 seconds in the battle for second place.

WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:47.24, Beata Nelson (2019)
• SEC Record: 1:48.06, Rhyan White (2020)
• Meet Record: 1:48.06, Rhyan White (2022)
• Pool Record: 1:49.11, Gemma Spofforth (2009)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:50.50
• 2022 Champion: Rhyan White, Alabama (1:50.22

Top 8:

1. Ella Varga (LSU) – 1:51.74
2. Josephine Fuller (Tennessee) – 1:52.21
3. Caitlin Brooks (Kentucky) – 1:52.38
4. Daisy Platts (Auburn) – 1:52.62
5. Lydia Hanlon (Kentucky) – 1:52.83
6. Grace Frericks (Kentucky) – 1:53.97
7. Emma Weyant (Florida) – 1:54.06
8. Mabel Zavaros (Florida) – 1:54.35

With defending champion Rhyan White out of the A-final, this race was wide open, and LSU freshman Ella Varga capitalized on the opportunity by clocking another breakout performance.

Varga’s best time was just 1:56.68 last month, but she dropped four seconds in prelims this morning before blazing a 1:51.74 tonight for the win. Varga sealed her victory with a 28.44 split on the final 50, the fastest in the field.

Tennessee sophomore Josephine Fuller (1:52.21) and Kentucky senior Caitlin Brooks (1:52.38) rounded out the podium. Brooks was joined by a pair of Kentucky teammates, freshmen Lydia Hanlon (1:52.83) and Grace Frericks (1:53.97) in fifth and sixth place, respectively. The Wildcats rookies are showing out so far this evening.

MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:35.73, Ryan Murphy (2016)
• SEC Record: 1:35.75, Shaine Casas (2021)
• Meet Record: 1:36.85, Shaine Casas (2021)
• Pool Record: 1:36.62, Shaine Casas (2020)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:39.13
• 2022 Champion: Kieran Smith, Florida (1:39.51)

Top 8:

1. Bradley Dunham (Georgia) – 1:39.27
2. Baylor Nelson (Texas A&M) – 1:39.79
3. Jack Dahlgren (Missouri) – 1:39.80
4. Aidan Stoffle (Auburn) – 1:39.88
5. Nick Simons (Tennessee) – 1:40.05
6. Ethan Gogulski (Texas A&M) – 1:40.59
7. Nate Stoffle (Auburn) – 1:40.75
8. Ian Grum (Georgia) – 1:40.96

For the past two years, Bradley Dunham has finished just off the podium in fourth place. This time around, the Georgia senior would not be denied a medal.

Dunham was slightly slower than his best time from prelims this morning (1:38.90) with a 1:39.27, but it was still enough to beat Texas A&M freshman Baylor Nelson (1:39.79) by about half a second.

“It’s surreal,” Dunham said. “I’m just so grateful for my family, my friends, my team, my coaches for believing in me.”

For Nelson, the time was a personal best, shaving a few tenths off his previous best from this morning. Missouri senior Jack Dahlgren rounded out the podium in third place with a 1:39.80, and Auburn senior Aidan Stoffle was the only other swimmer in the field sub-1:40 at 1:39.88.

WOMEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 45.56, Simone Manuel (2017)
• SEC Record: 45.83, Erika Brown (2020)
• Meet Record: 45.83, Erika Brown (2020)
• Pool Record: 46.62, Simone Manuel (2014)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 47.18
• 2022 Champion: Morgan Scott, Alabama (47.32)

Top 8:

1. Maggie MacNeil (LSU) – 46.27
2. Kalia Antoniou (Alabama) – 47.46
3. Ekaterina Nikonova (Florida) – 47.97
4. Micayla Cronk (Florida) – 47.99
5. Chloe Stepanek (Texas (A&M) – 48.20
6. Talia Bates (Florida) – 48.42
7. Brooklyn Douthwright (Tennessee) – 48.65
8. Katie Mack (Florida) – 48.89

LSU grad transfer Maggie MacNeil cruised to the 100 free title by more than a second with a time of 46.27, breaking Simone Manuel‘s pool record from 2014. That time would have been No. 1 in the nation if it had been an hour earlier, but Kate Douglass just threw down a 45.86 to win the ACC title.

“I’m loving it,” MacNeil said of her fifth year with the Tigers. “I’m just glad to be getting back to what I know I need to be doing on the road to Paris 2024 next year.”

Alabama senior Kalia Antoniou took second place with a time of 47.46, and Florida sophomore Ekaterina Nikonova held off fellow Florida sophomore Micayla Cronk by just .02 seconds for the final spot on the podium.

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 39.90, Caeleb Dressel (2018)
• SEC Record: 39.90, Caeleb Dressel (2018)
• Meet Record: 40.87, Caeleb Dressel (2018)
• Pool Record: 40.87, Caeleb Dressel (2018)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 41.64
• 2022 Champion: Brooks Curry, LSU (40.99)

Top 8:

1. Jordan Crooks (Tennessee) – 41.19
2. Josh Liendo (Florida) – 41.24
3. Gui Caribe (Tennessee) – 41.55
4. Macguire McDuff (Florida) – 41.59
5. Brooks Curry (LSU) – 41.88
6. Max Berg (Kentucky) – 42.11
7. Julian Smith (Florida) – 42.30
8. Adam Chaney (Florida) – 42.82

Round 3 of the sprint battle between Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks and Florida’s Josh Liendo lived up to the hype in the 100 free.

Liendo was a tenth of a second ahead at the midway point of the race, but Crooks surged ahead at the finish to just barely out-touch Liendo by .05 seconds. Crooks’ winning time of 41.19 was slightly slower than his NCAA-leading time of 41.17 from November’s Tennessee Invitational. The victory made Crooks the first Volunteer to win this race in 27 years.

Liendo’s 41.24 was just off his time from prelims that made him the second-fastest freshman of all time.

Tennessee freshman Gui Caribe, the third-fastest freshman ever in the event, placed third with a 41.55, holding off Florida’s Macguire McDuff (41.59) for the final spot on the podium.

Defending champion Brooks Curry of LSU placed fifth in 41.88.

Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime. Bar NONE!

Tune in live on SEC Network+! ⤵️
>> https://t.co/afwBnvg4Ew#GBO x #IGTBATV🍊 pic.twitter.com/PZg7KlZDaR

— Tennessee Swimming & Diving (@Vol_SwimDive) February 19, 2023

WOMEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 2:01.43, Kate Douglass (2023)
• SEC Record: 2:03.26, Bethany Galat (2018)
• Meet Record: 2:04.62, Sydney Pickrem (2018)
• Pool Record: 2:04.62, Sydney Pickrem (2018)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 2:06.18
• 2022 Champion: Gillian Davey, Kentucky (2:06.21)

Top 8:

1. Mona McSharry (Tennessee) – 2:05.11
2. Zoie Hartman (Georgia) – 2:05.48
3. Avery Wiseman (Alabama) – 2:05.85
4. Gillian Davey (Kentucky) – 2:08.19
5. Alessia Ferraguti (Arkansas) – 2:09.27
6. Cat Wright (Alabama) – 2:09.31
7. Jocelyn Fisher (Alabama) – 2:09.36
8. Bridget Engel (Kentucky) – 2:10.69

Tennessee junior Mona McSharry secured her second title of the week in the 200 breast (2:05.11) following her 100 breast win earlier in the meet. McSharry also earned a runner-up finish earlier this week in the 50 free behind LSU’s Maggie MacNeil.

It was a three-way race for the 200 breast crown between McSharry, Georgia’s Zoie Hartman, and Alabama’s Avery Wiseman, who were all just barely off their best times but still under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 2:06.18.

MEN’S 200 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:47.91, Will Licon (2017)
• SEC Record: 1:50.80, Nic Fink (2015)
• Meet Record: 1:51.53, Dillon Hillis (2023)
• Pool Record: 1:51.09, Alex Sanchez (2022)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:51.54
• 2022 Champion: Derek Maas, Alabama (1:51.56)

Top 8:

1. Aleksas Savickas (Florida) – 1:50.08
2. Dillon Hillis (Florida) – 1:51.14
3. Lyubomir Epitropov (Tennessee) – 1:51.83
4. Andres Puente (Texas A&M) – 1:51.92
5. Derek Maas (Alabama) – 1:52.69
6. Reid Mikuta (Auburn) – 1:53.13
7. Ben Patton (Missouri) – 1:53.35
8. Alex Sanchez (Texas A&M) – 1:54.92

Lithuanian freshman Aleksas Savickas led a Florida 1-2 finish in the 200 breast, clocking a 1:50.08 that broke Nic Fink’s SEC record of 1:50.80 from 2015. Savickas also took down the SEC meet record of 1:51.53 set in this morning’s prelims by Florida fifth year Dillon Hillis, who placed second tonight with a 1:51.14.

“I just like to dream big, and I do it,” Savickas said after his victory, the third win so far tonight by a freshman.

Tennessee fifth year Lyubomir Epitropov snagged third place with a 1:51.83, and Texas A&M’s Andres Puente also went sub-1:52 club with a 1:51.92.

MEN’S PLATFORM – FINALS

• SEC Record: 507.15 – Zhipeng Zeng, Tennessee (2018)
• SEC Meet Record: 496.55 – Juan Celaya Hernandez, LSU (496.55)
• 2022 Champion: Juan Hernandez, LSU (430.55)

Top 8:

1. Bryden Hattie (Tennessee) – 457.10
2. Manny Vasquez Bas (South Carolina) – 432.75
3. Leonard Garcia (Florida) – 418.65
4. Walker Creedon (Auburn) – 381.70
5. Rhett Hensley (Texas) – 373
6. Nick Stone (Tennessee) – 351.80
7. Carlo Lopez (Missouri) – 315.95
8. Whit Andrus (Auburn) – 252.40

Tennessee junior Bryden Hattie won his second SEC title of the week in the men’s platform following Thursday’s 3-meter victory.

“I think it’s all about breathing before every dive,” Hattie said after the win.

South Carolina’s Manny Vasquez Bas (432.74) and Florida’s Leonard Garcia (418.65) also cleared the 400-point mark, rounding out the podium in second and third place, respectively.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

• NCAA Record: Virginia, 3:06.91
• SEC Record: Georgia, 2:08.97
• SEC Meet Record: Georgia, 3:09.18
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:14.10
• 2022 Champion: Alabama (3:10.86)

Top 8:

1. LSU – 3:10.57
2. Florida – 3:10.83
3. Arkansas – 3:13.60
4. Alabama – 3:13.88
5. Tennessee – 3:13.92
6. Georgia – 3:14.19
7. Texas A&M – 3:14.88
8. Auburn – 3:15.22

Maggie MacNeil blazed one of the fastest 100 free splits ever (45.26) to help LSU edge Florida by just .26 seconds in a thrilling women’s 400 free relay showdown.

LSU senior Katarina Milutinovich led off the Tigers’ winning relay team with a 48.59 split before MacNeil’s historic 45.26 split put them ahead of Florida by more than two seconds. LSU’s back half of Miaela De Villiers (48.74) and Megan Barnes (47.98) helped the Tigers hang on by a hair. They finished in a time of 3:10.57, just barely out-touching Florida’s 3:10.83.

Florida sophomore Ekaterina Nikonova (47.86), Talia Bates (48.02), Katie Mack (48.15), and Micayla Cronk (46.80) made up the Gators’ silver medal squad. All four of Florida’s swimmers made the 100 free A-final earlier in the session. Arkansas’ quartet of Bella Cothern (48.95), Kobie Melton (47.61), Andrea Sansores (47.91), and Alessia Ferraguti (49.13) took third place in a total time of 3:13.60, beating Alabama and Tennessee by just a few tenths of a second.

MEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

• NCAA Record: NC State: 2:44.31
• SEC Record: Florida: 2:45.73
• SEC Meet Record: Florida: 2:46.03
• NCAA A Standard: 2:50.52
• 2022 Champion: Florida (2:46.91)

Top 8:

1. Tennessee – 2:46.25
2. Florida – 2:46.42
3. Georgia – 2:49.06
4. Alabama – 2:49.64
5. Missouri – 2:50.29
6. Auburn – 2:50.75
7. Texas A&M – 2:51.70
8. LSU – 2:52.33

Make that back-to-back upsets of Florida in the 400 free relay — although the Gators didn’t really need the wins considering they had already wrapped up team victories on both the men’s and women’s side. Nonetheless, this final was a fitting conclusion to a fun meet as Tennessee (2:46.25) snuck past Florida (2:46.42) by just .17 seconds.

Gui Caribe (41.43), Jordan Crooks (40.59), Bjoern Kammann (42.06), and Aleksey Tarasenko (42.17) combined for the Volunteer victory. In the process, Tennessee also took down the previous pool record of 2:46.67 set by Auburn back in 2009.

Florida’s runner-up squad was comprised of sophomore Maguire McDuff (43.44), freshman Josh Liendo (40.74), Adam Chaney (41.18), and Julian Smith (41.06). Like the women’s race, all four Gators made the A-final earlier in the session.

Team Scores

Women

1. Florida – 1,255
2. Tennessee – 950.5
3. Kentucky – 946
4. Alabama – 791
5. LSU – 775
6. Georgia – 756
7. Auburn – 688
8. South Carolina – 587
9. Texas A&M – 583.5
10. Arkansas – 530
11. Missouri – 418
12. Vanderbilt – 169

Men

1. Florida – 1,488.5
2. Auburn – 1,089.5
3. Tennessee – 1,035.5
4. Texas A&M – 1,018
5. Georgia – 828.5
6. Missouri – 725.5
7. Alabama – 667
8. Kentucky – 514
9. South Carolina – 458.5
10. LSU – 337

Florida pulled off the team sweep, stretching its winning streak to 11 SEC titles in a row on the men’s side while capturing its first conference crown on the women’s side since 2009. LSU grad transfer Maggie MacNeil won Swimmer of the Meet honors as she lifted the Tigers past Georgia for fifth place in the women’s team standings. On the men’s side, Jordan Crooks earned Swimmer of the Meet honors for winning the 50 free and 100 free while also placing second behind Josh Liendo in the 100 fly. His Tennessee squad finished third behind Florida and Auburn, edging Texas A&M by just 17.5 points.