Three seniors will be returning to Georgia on the women’s side for the upcoming season as they use their COVID-19 fifth year of eligibility. The team made the announcement on Instagram on Thursday.
Zoie Hartmann leads the way as she was the team’s top scorer at SECs this past season. Hartmann scored 88 individual points. She won the SEC title in the 200 IM (1:53.59) and was second in both the 100 breast (58.65) and 200 breast (2:05.48). Notably, Hartmann has either won or been the runner-up in all three of those events during each of her four years at Georgia.
Hartmann went on to score 12 individual points at 2023 NCAAs. She won the B final of the 200 IM in a 1:54.31 to finish ninth. She also was 14th in the 200 breast in a 2:08.13. She also swam on Georgia’s 200 medley, 400 medley, 400 free, and 800 free relays at NCAAs.
Hartmann is currently a member of the US National Team after swimming a 2:12.04 in the LCM 200 IM at last summer’s National Championships.
Hartmann’s best SCY times are:
- 100 breast: 57.40
- 200 breast: 2:05.05
- 200 IM: 1:53.05
Jillian Barczyk returns for her fifth year after scoring 58 individual points at 2023 SECs. She finished seventh in the 500 free (4:40.63), ninth in the 200 free (1:45.04), and 12th in the 1650 free (16:09.34). All three of those swims were personal best times.
Barczyk went on to swim at NCAAs where she swam in prelims of the 200 free (38th), 500 free (31st), and 1650 free (39th). She also was a member of the team’s 800 free relay.
Barczyk’s best SCY times are:
- 200 free: 1:45.04
- 500 free: 4:40.63
- 1650 free: 16:09.34
Also returning for her fifth year is Millie Sansome. Sansome scored 15.5 points at 2023 SECs after she finished 15th in the 100 back (52.56) and 21st in the 200 back (1:55.69). She also swam a personal best in prelims of the 100 back as she swam a 52.38 then.
Sansome’s SCY best times are:
- 100 back: 52.38
- 200 back: 1:54.68
- 200 IM: 1:59.75
The Georgia women finished sixth out of 12 teams this past season at SECs. The team was originally only expected to return 278 individual points, but now they will return an additional 161.5 to bring the total to 439.5. That makes them the third-highest team in returning individual points only behind Florida and Tennessee, who finished first and second this past season.
In addition to the return of these three seniors, the team will also have fifth year Olivia Smith on the roster as Smith transferred to Georgia after spending four years at Division III Kenyon College.
It must be hard for staff on several fronts:
1. Can they recruit these HS juniors not knowing for sure if they have the money available or not?
2. Will these 5th years be more valuable than some incoming frosh? Many times seniors just aren’t as “inspired”, yet alone a 5th year!
3. Will the athlete and program be better off if athlete was done and just got money for finishing their degree like in normal years for 5th years?
For coaches sake, hope it is over soon!
This wasn’t about UGA, just a general rant. Georgia needs these girls, especially Hartman or they are are in more trouble!
Maybe this will be the year that Hartmann does the individual 200 free at NCAAs
Wish they wouldn’t. Give scholarship money to someone else!