Courtesy: Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams close out the fall semester as well as 2020 with a two-day, five-session meet against the Kentucky Wildcats Dec. 17-18 at the Don Gambril Olympic Pool in the Alabama Aquatic Center.
Alabama’s women are 11th and the men are 13th in the latest coaches’ poll, while Kentucky’s women are eighth and the men are 25th. The Crimson Tide last faced off against the Wildcats in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 11, 2014, with Alabama coming out on top in both the men’s and women’s meets.
In accordance with CDC, state and local recommendations, as well as University of Alabama and UA System requirements, and in conjunction with guidelines put forth by the Southeastern Conference, the Crimson Tide’s home swimming and diving contests will be closed to spectators this season.
HEAD COACH COLEY STICKLES SAID
“We’re looking forward to getting out there and competing again before the holidays. This meet comes after exams and as we continue to train hard, so the key for us is to get up and race no matter if we’re feeling our speed or not. This team wants to create an identity of always competing no matter the circumstances and that reputation starts with in-between meets like this. Kentucky is a very good team and this will be a challenge for us up and down the lineup.”
ALABAMA IN THE NATIONAL TOP-10
- Rhyan White is No. 1 nationally in the 200 backstroke, No 2 in the 100 backstroke, No. 3 in the 50 backstroke and No. 4 in the 100 butterfly
- White is No. 1 in the SEC in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke and the 100 butterfly
- White is also tenth nationally in the 200 butterfly after bettering her own school record in Knoxville
- Kensey McMahon is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 1,650 freestyle, second in the 1,000 freestyle and seventh in the 500 freestyle
- Matt King exploded on the national scene, ranked fifth in the men’s 100 freestyle and sixth in the 50 freestyle nationally
- Liam Bell is ranked No. 8 nationally in the 100 breaststroke
- Morgan Scott is ranked fourth nationally in the women’s 100 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle
- Matt Menke is tenth nationally in the men’s 50 backstroke
- Jake Marcum is No. 7 in the 200 backstroke
- The Crimson Tide is ranked in the top-10 nationally in six different relays including the 400 freestyle (3rd), 200 freestyle (5th), 800 freestyle (7th) and 200 medley (7th) as well as the women’s 800 freestyle (4th) and 400 freestyle (5th)
MORE RECORDS IN 2020-21
- After bettering more than 20 school records last season, the Crimson Tide have already broken two this season
- The Crimson Tide quartet of Morgan Scott, Kensey McMahon, Ashley Voelkerding and Gracie Felner combined to drop the school 800 freestyle relay record by more than two seconds
- Rhyan White bettered her own school standard in the 200 butterfly in Knoxville with a 1:55.07, shaving more than a half second off her old mark
- White also broke the Allen Jones Aquatic Center record in Knoxville in the 100 backstroke (50.45) and 200 backstroke (1:49.30)
MEET FORMAT
- The Crimson Tide’s meet against Kentucky will stretch across two days and five different sessions
- There will be two sessions on Thursday, with one at 2 p.m. CT and one at 4 p.m. CT, while Friday will include three sessions – 9 a.m. CT, 1 p.m. CT and 4 p.m. CT
- The first session on Thursday will include the men’s and women’s 1,650 freestyle and the men’s and women 1- and 3-meter springboard events, while the 4 p.m. session will be exclusively swimming events
- Friday’s 1 p.m. CT session will feature men’s and women’s platform diving, while the 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. sessions will include a variety of swimming events.
- The meet will be scored as normal men’s and women’s dual meets
KEEPING UP WITH THE MEET
- The meet will be streamed live on SEC Network+ both Thursday and Friday
- Live results can be found on the Meet Mobile App, as well as via Roll Tide.com (swimming) and DiveMeets.com (diving)
UP NEXT
- The Kentucky meet is the Crimson Tide’s last of the semester and 2020
- The Crimson Tide returns to action on Jan. 15 at home against Auburn with the time TBA
