LSU Sets Six Pool Records as Tigers Sweep Kentucky in Home Opener

LSU v. Kentucky

• October 24, 2025
• LSU Natatorium, Baton Rouge, LA
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Final Scores
  • Women – LSU: 203, Kentucky: 97
  • Men – LSU: 159, Kentucky: 141

LSU took down six pool records on Friday in their home-opening sweep of SEC counterpart Kentucky, with the Tiger women winning 203-97 and the men handling business with a 159-141 victory over the Wildcats.

Women’s Recap

LSU Sophomore Nicole Santuliana opened up the individual scoring with a win in the 1000 freestyle, stopping the clock in 9:45.68, her fastest time of the young season.

Tigers’ senior Megan Barnes notched a pool record in the 200 freestyle, clocking 1:45.18, just over a second off her best from last season’s SEC Championships of 1:43.95. Barnes was followed by runner-up Anastasia Bako in 1:48.11, who,  later in the meet, won the 500 free in 4:43.93.

LSU Sophomore Zoe Carlos-Broc swam to a pair of event wins, clocking 51.84 in the 100 backstroke, and 1:58.90 in the 200 IM.

The Tigers’ trio of junior Sabrina Lyn (1:00.87), freshman Martina Bukovic (1:00.91), and sophomore Grace Palmer (1:01.89) claimed the top three spots for the Tigers in the 100 breaststroke.

LSU Senior Sofia Sartori took the 200 fly win in 1:55.11, just off of her season best that she set two weeks earlier at the SMU Classic in 1:54.73. Sartori was followed by sophomore Giulia Zambelli, who clocked 1:57.10.

Sartoti won her second event of the meet, claiming the 200 backstroke in 1:54.83, and rounded out her day with a third win in the 100 fly, clocking 51.95.

LSU senior Michaela de Villiers earned the 50 free win in 22.33, less than half a second slower than her best from SECs last season. De Villiers would later complete the sprint free sweep, claiming the 100 free win in 48.79. De Villiers has already been as fast as 48.10 this season from the SMU Classic, which was just two hundredths slower than her best time from NCAAs last season in 48.08.

LSU freshman Eve Nelson added to the win total on the 3-meter board, scoring 266.70.

Kentucky was led by their performance on the boards; sophomore Avery Giese won the 1-meter (292.58), while Devynn Bishop finished runner-up on both 1-meter (273.08) and 3-meter (262.80).

In the pool, Kentucky junior Libby Grether finished 2nd in the 1000 free (9:51.34), senior Grace Frericks followed suit, placing 2nd in the 100 back (54.02), while senior Fernanda de Goeij was one spot outside of the win in both the 200 back (1:54.88) and 200 IM (2:00.06).

Men’s Recap

The LSU men opened up the meet in record-setting fashion, producing the fastest 200 medley relay time ever in the LSU Natatorium; the team of Stepan Goncharov (21.05), Volodymyr Lisovets (23.49), Caleb Ellis (20.87), and Jere Hribar (18.66) clocked a combined 1:24.07.

LSU junior Jovan Lekic and freshman Simon Meubry took the top two spots in the 200 free, touching in 1:34.27 and 1:36.23, respectively. Both swims marked their fastest performances of the season.

Lekic mirrored Barnes’ success on the women’s side by claiming the 500 free in 4:14.50.

Goncharov carried the momentum from the 200 medley relay into his individual events, winning both the 100 back (46.92) and 200 back (1:45.00). His 200 back was just under six tenths off of his best time from the SMU Classic in 1:44.41.

Lisovets set his second pool record of the day in the 100 breast, clocking 52.74. Lisovets later won the 200 breast in 1:57.19.

Hribar notched another two pool records in his individual events as well, clocking 19.10 in the 50 free and 42.07 in the 100 free.

The Tiger men also showed out on the boards, with Carson Paul taking the win on both 1-meter (364.80) and 3-meter (383.25).

Kentucky freshman Falemana Tuufui finished just behind Hribar in the 50 free, clocking 19.55, the 7th fastest time in program history.

Wildcats’ sophomore Esteban Nunez Del Prado claimed the 100 fly crown, clocking the 4th fastest time in team history in 46.78.

Senior Ryan Merani doubled up on the wins, taking both the 200 IM (1:46.67) and 200 fly (1:45.21).

Senior Levi Sandidge also earned an event victory in the 1000 free, stopping the clock in 8:57.98.