2024 SEC Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2024 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 19 – February 24, 2024
• James E. Martin Aquatic Center — Auburn, AL
• Defending Champions: Florida
• Start Times (Central Time): 9:30 am prelims/5:30 pm finals
  • Day 1 (diving only): 11 am prelims/4:20 pm finals
  • Day 2: 11 am prelims (diving only)/ 5 pm (relays only)
• Championship Central
• 2023 SEC Championships Box Score
• Major Conference Roster Limits and Scoring Rules
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video (SEC+ Network)

The 2024 SEC Championships kick off today in Auburn, Alabama. This initial session of finals features men’s team diving, the 200 medley relay, women’s 3-meter diving, and the 800 freestyle relay.

Last year, three different teams won the four relays on the first night of the competition. The Alabama women scored victory in the women’s 200 medley relay, the Tennessee men touched 1st in the men’s medley relay, and Florida swept the 800 free relays. This year, Florida is seeded 1st in 3 out of the 4.

WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:31.51, Virginia – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record:  1:33.94, Alabama — 2022 SEC Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:33.94, Alabama — 2022
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:36.24
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:37.00

Full Results:

1. Florida – 1:34.25 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
2. Tennessee – 1:34.89 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Auburn – 1:35.25 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Alabama – 1:35.32 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. Georgia – 1:35.43 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. Texas A&M – 1:35.87 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
7. Missouri – 1:36.96
8. South Carolina – 1:37.35
9. Kentucky – 1:37.43
10. Arkansas – 1:38.16
11. LSU – 1:38.63
12. Vanderbilt – 1:39.01

The University of Florida women kicked off the 2024 SEC Championships with a win in the 200 medley relay, stopping the clock in 1:34.25. Their time was just 0.07 off the 1:34.18 they posted at the UGA Invite earlier in the season, but tonight’s line-up looked a bit different compared to that meet. Their 1:38.18 swim still ranks them 4th in the NCAA for the 2023-24 season.

Today, Aris Runnels (23.90) led them off instead of Bella Sims, while Molly Mayne (26.48), Olivia Peoples (22.33), and Micayla Cronk (21.54) rounded out the victorious quartet. Besides Runnels replacing Sims on the backstroke leg, Cronk featured instead of Isabel Ivey on the freestyle leg today. Presumably, Sims and Ivey will feature on Florida’s 800 free relay later in the night.

Both Mayne and Peoples, who returned from the UGA midseason meet, were faster tonight compared to that meet. See a full split comparison between those two relay swims below, in addition to their 2nd place performance from last year:

The University of Tennessee dropped 0.95 from their entry time to secure runner-up status tonight, touching in 1:34.89. Josephine Fuller (24.04), Mona McSharry (25.80), Sara Stotler (23.33), and Katie Mack (21.72) comprised their relay. McSharry recently competed for Ireland at the Doha World Championships (LCM) last week, so this is a quick turnaround for her.

The hometown team, Auburn, grabbed 3rd place. Their final time of 1:35.25 was enough to out-touch Alabama by 0.07, with Meghan Lee (23.90), Stasya Makarova (26.74), Lawson Ficken (22.84), and Lexie Mulvihill (21.77) representing the Tigers.

Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M finished 4th through 6th, but clocked NCAA ‘A’-cuts in the process.

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:20.67, NC State – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 1:21.13, Florida – 2022 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:21.43, Tennessee — 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:23.71
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:24.32

Full Results:

1. Florida – 1:21.66 *NEW AMERICAN RECORD*
2. Tennessee – 1:21.82 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Auburn – 1:22.74 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Georgia – 1:23.12 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. Missouri – 1:23.40 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. Texas A&M – 1:23.91
7. Alabama – 1:24.25
8. South Carolina – 1:24.62
9. LSU – 1:24.97
10. Kentucky – 1:26.59

Even without Josh Liendo, the University of Florida swam 1:21.66 to win the men’s 200 medley relay. Their final time of 1:21.66 is the fastest time in the nation this year, undercutting the 1:21.67 produced by the Cal Bears at a dual meet versus ASU.

Florida’s time is also a NEW AMERICAN RECORD in the event, and their record-breaking squad consisted of Adam Chaney (20.78), Julian Smith (22.88), Scotty Buff (19.75), and Macguire McDuff (18.25). NC State notably broke the American record about 30-minutes prior (1:21.86) until the Gators just erased that mark.

See a full split comparison between Florida’s American record relay from today, Tennessee’s SEC meet record relay from a year ago, and Florida’s overall SEC record from 2023:

The defending champions, Tennessee, clocked 1:21.82 en route to 2nd place tonight. Bjoern Kammann (21.21), Flynn Crisci (23.00), Jordan Crooks (19.43), and Guilherme Santos (18.18) appeared on their relay, with 3 of the 4 swimmers returning from last year’s winning relay.

Auburn checked-in for 3rd tonight, with Nathaniel Stoffle (21.17), Henry Bethel (22.59), Sohib Khaled (20.03), and Kalle Makinen (18.95) representing the Tigers today. The 22.59 split from Bethel was particularly impressive, and it was only one of two splits under the 23-second barrier tonight (Smith of Florida was the other).

Georgia and Missouri posted NCAA automatic qualifying times to place 4th and 5th, respectively.

LSU was 9th in 1:24.97, but time-trialed the relay at the end of the session. There, they stopped the clock in 1:23.37 to smash the ‘A’-cut time.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:45.91, Stanford – 2017 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 6:51.80, Georgia — 2016 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 6:52.54, Georgia — 2013
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 7:00.86
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 7:05.88

Full Results:

1. Florida – 6:49.65 *NEW SEC RECORD* 
2. Tennessee – 6:53.43 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Georgia – 6:57.10 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Texas A&M – 6:59.96 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. LSU – 7:01.57
6. Auburn – 7:02.26
7. South Carolina – 7:03.05
8. Arkansas – 7:09.29
9. Kentucky – 7:13.21
10. Missouri – 7:14.60
11. Alabama – 7:14.78
12. Vanderbilt – 7:16.48

The Florida women got off to a fast start with freshman Bella Sims. She secured an early lead on the first leg, flipping in 23.14 through the first 50 and 48.52 at the halfway turn. She finished her opening leg in 1:40.90, a new SEC record for the individual 200 freestyle, taking down Megan Romano‘s 1:41.21 marker from 2012. Sims has been as quick as 1:40.78 in the event prior to college and came with 0.13 of that today.

Florida would never relinquish their lead, as Isabel Ivey (1:42.19), Emma Weyant (1:43.33), and Micayla Cronk (1:43.23) helped lead the Gators to an SEC record in the relay, destroying the previous mark by over two seconds. Florida touched in a final time of 6:49.65, taking down Georgia’s 2016 record of 6:51.80.

Tennessee had a very strong showing, taking a comfortable 2nd place. Brooklyn Douthwright led them off in 1:43.06 before freshman Camille Spink popped a swift 1:41.56 on the 2nd leg. Julia Mrozinski (1:45.14) and Josephine Fuller (1:43.67) rounded out their relay, as they touched over three seconds ahead of Georgia.

Georgia’s 3rd place quartet consisted of Helena Jones (1:45.12), Sloane Reinstein (1:43.84), Shea Furse (1:44.58), and Zoie Hartman (1:43.58). They touched in 6:57.10, with Texas A&M (6:59.96) also dipping under 7-minutes to represent the only four teams to achieve the NCAA ‘A’-cut time. Chloe Stepanek led off Texas A&M’s relay with a quick 1:42.87 split, just off her 1:42.40 best time.

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:03.42, Texas – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 6:05.59, Georgia — 2022 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 6:08.00, Florida — 2022
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 6:16.02
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 6:18.94

Full Results:

1. Florida – 6:06.36 *MEET RECORD*
2. Georgia – 6:06.79 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Auburn – 6:11.03 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Alabama – 6:11.27 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. LSU – 6:17.53
6. Texas A&M – 6:19.01
7. Tennessee – 6:19.04
8. Kentucky – 6:19.80
9. South Carolina – 6:24.19
10. Missouri – 6:28.05

Florida continued their record-breaking day with a sweep of the relays. Their men’s 800 free relay of Macguire McDuff (1:31.62), Josh Liendo (1:31.45), Julian Smith (1:32.10), and Jake Mitchell (1:31.19) touched in 6:06.36 to eclipse the previous meet record of 6:08.00 from 2022. Their time checks-in as a new school record and was also less than a second shy of the overall SEC record, which Georgia set at the 2022 NCAA Championships.

McDuff and Smith featured on Florida’s gold medal 200 medley relay earlier in the night, where Smith swam breast and McDuff swam free.

UGA gave the Gators a battle the whole way, with their squad of Tomas Koski (1:32.12), Jake Magahey (1:30.96), Zach Hils (1:32.23), and Bradley Dunham (1:31.48). They also broke the previous SEC record with their final time of 6:06.79, but of course only Florida will get to keep it.

Auburn claimed 3rd place, with their foursome of Michael Bonson (1:33.61), Ryan Husband (1:32.26), Danny Schmidt (1:32.56), and Mason Mathias (1:32.60) posting consist 1:32-1:33 splits. They hit the touchpad in 6:11.03, breaking their school record of 6:11.64 from last year.

Alabama’s Charlie Hawke led-off in a scorching 1:30.75, the fastest lead-off leg in the field. Alabama ultimately touched 4th overall, but were the fourth and final team in the field to secure the NCAA ‘A’ cut. Both Hawke’s swim and the final relay time set new Alabama records, more signs of the program taking hold in Margo Geer’s third year as head coach.

WOMEN’S 3-METER DIVING — FINALS

• SEC Record: 413.75, Laura Ryan (UGA) — 2014 SEC Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 413.75, Laura Ryan (UGA) — 2014 SEC Championships

Top 8 Results:

1. Montserrat Lavenant (LSU) – 359.70 points
2. Camyla Monroy (FLOR) – 357.60 points
3. Kamryn Wong (UMIZ) – 348.85 points
4. Kyleigh Kidd (AUB) – 333.95 points
5. Helle Tuxen (LSU) – 332.65 points
6. Ashlynn Sullivan (AUB) – 307.30 points
7. Mayson Richards (TA&M) – 292.90 points
8. Ryleigh Rogers (BAMA) – 292.35 points

After an 8th place finish in College Station a year ago, LSU’s Montserrat Lavenant scored 359.70 points to secure the 3-meter diving SEC title. She scored 276.10 in last year’s SEC final (327.35 in the prelims), and increased her score by over 80 tonight.

Florida freshman Camyla Monroy took 2nd with 357.60 points, while Missouri’s Kamryn Wong posted a respectable point score of 348.85 for 3rd.

MEN’S TEAM DIVING — FINALS

Top 8 Results:

1. Florida – 353.65 points
2. Texas A&M – 353.30 points
3. LSU – 352.35 points
4. Auburn – 348.90 points
5. Tennessee – 338.55 points
6. Alabama – 327.30 points
7. Georgia – 287.45 points
8. South Carolina – 267.90 points

In a tightly contested team diving event, the Florida men scored victory by just 0.35 points. Texas A&M claimed 2nd place tonight, with LSU and Auburn in very close pursuit for 3rd and 4th.

TEAM STANDINGS (AT THE END OF DAY 1):

*Diving scores from yesterday and today have significantly impacted the team scoring. You can read more about yesterday’s diving results HERE.

Women:

1. Auburn – 167 points
2. Florida – 160 points
3. Tennessee – 147 points
4. LSU – 146 points
5. Georgia – 134 points
6. Texas A&M – 129 points
7. Alabama – 127 points
8. Missouri – 107 points
9. South Carolina – 99 points
10. Kentucky – 98 points
11. Vanderbilt – 62 points
12. Arkansas – 56 points

Men:

1. Texas A&M – 199 points
2. Florida – 180 points
3. Tennessee – 155 points
4. Georgia – 150 points
5. Auburn – 127 points
6. Alabama – 116 points
7. Missouri – 111 points
8. LSU – 106 points
9. Kentucky – 101 points
10. South Carolina – 93 points