SMU Men Take Down Two Meet Records On Day 4 of AAC Championships; Houston Women Lead

2023 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 13-18, 2023
• Dallas, Texas
• SCY (25 yards)
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Results Through Day 4 (PDF)

Courtesy: The American

DALLAS, Texas – SMU set a pair of meet records on the fourth day of the 2023 American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships Thursday, February 16 at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium in Dallas.

After nine events on the women’s side, Houston leads with 653. FIU is second with 581, followed by SMU (473), Rice (405), East Carolina (366), Florida Atlantic (300), Cincinnati (285), North Texas (241) and Tulane (168). On the men’s side, SMU leads Cincinnati, 501-465.

Colin Feehery of SMU broke the Championship record in the men’s individual medley twice on Thursday, claiming gold in 1:43.87 after going 1:44.29 in prelims. The previous record was 1:44.63, set at the 2022 Championship. Cotton Fields of SMU finished second in 1:44.71, while Hunter Gubeno was third in 1:45.16.

The SMU men’s 200 freestyle team of Lance Butler, Justin Baker, Cole Bruns and Charlie Kaye broke the Championship record in 1:17.51, ahead of the previous mark of 1:18.19, set by SMU in 2022. Cincinnati finished second in 1:19.02. Butler also captured the 50 free title in 19.54, with Baker in second at 19.66 and Cincinnati’s Drew Hawthorne placing third in 19.82.

In the women’s 200 freestyle relay, the SMU team of Lucrezia Napoletano, Luana Alonso, Tiffanie Ruan and Johanna Gudmundsdottir finished first in 1:30.84. Rice placed second in 1:31.50 and Cincinnati was third in 1:31.63. Napoletano captured the women’s 50 free in 22.70, with Gudmundsdottir placing second in 22.73 and FIU’s Jessica Shpilko touching third in 22.85.

Cincinnati’s Michael Balcerak became a three-time champion in the men’s 500 free in 4:20.65, holding off a charge from SMU’s Sage Sungail, who finished second in 4:21.13, while Kevin Leibold of Cincinnati was third in 4:23.13.

Eden Humphrey finished first in the women’s 500 free in 4:44.84, ahead of Rice’s Lauren McDougall (4:45.37) and Ella Dyson (4:48.07).

In the women’s 200 IM, FIU went 1-2 with Christie Chue winning in 1:58.40 and Mia Zahab finishing second in 1:58.86. Cincinnati’s Grace Gavin placed third in 1:59.34.

The championship continues Friday, February 17 with the 400 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 400 medley relay. Prelims begin at 11 a.m. Eastern and finals start at 7 p.m. ET.