Courtesy: Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama swimming and diving is back on the road on Friday, traveling to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Tennessee Volunteers at 9 a.m. CT at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center.
Alabama’s men are 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Southeastern Conference competition after a win over then-No. 10 Texas A&M last Saturday, while the women are 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the SEC. Tennessee opens its season Thursday against Louisville.
Overall, Alabama has 21 individual swims ranked in the top 25 in the NCAA this season between the men and women, with four swimmers ranked in the top-five nationally in their specialties.
Crimson Tide senior Robert Howard is ranked No. 1 nationally in the 50 freestyle with his winning time of 19.77 against Texas A&M Saturday. Howard is also ranked in the top-25 nationally in the 200 freestyle (11th/1:37.38) as well as the 100 and 200 backstrokes (23rd/48.50 and 25th/1:47.46, respectively).
Senior Laurent Bams’ 53.67 in the 100 breaststroke against A&M is ranked third nationally, while his 44.04 in the 100 freestyle checks in at 15th in the NCAA.
Junior Zane Waddell is ranked in the top 20 in four events. He is fifth overall and No. 1 in the SEC in the 100 backstroke after turning in a 47.33 against the Aggies. He is also eighth in the 50 freestyle (20.02), 13th in the 100 freestyle (44.02) and 18th in the 100 butterfly (48.10).
The Crimson Tide has four men ranked in the top 20 of the 1,650 freestyle this weekend, including three in the top 10. Freshman Nico Hernandez-Tome is ranked fifth (15:48.27), junior Daniel Kober (15:49.95) is sixth and freshman Ryan Ratliff (15:53.95) is ninth. Sophomore Christian Strycker clocked a 16:07.65 in the mile against the Aggies and is 16th nationally.
Freshman Nicholas Perera is ranked 12th nationally in the 400 individual medley after clocking a 3:54.54 against Texas A&M.
In the relays, Alabama’s men are undefeated this season and posted the nation’s top time in the 200 freestyle relay by more than a second, after stopping the clock at 1:18.31 against A&M. Alabama is also third in the 400 medley relay, fourth in the 400 freestyle relay and seventh in the 200 medley relay in the national rankings. The Tide is No. 1 in the SEC in the 200 freestyle and 200 and 400 medley relays.
On the women’s side of the slate, freshman distance ace Kensey McMahon is ranked fourth in the 1,650 freestyle (16:52.17) and 15th in the 1,000 freestyle (9:58.67). She is the top miler in the SEC this season and is nation’s top-ranked freshman in the event.
Senior Justine Macfarlane is 20th in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.11) and 23rd in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.18), while freshman Rhyan White is 21st in the 100 backstroke (54.32) and 22nd in the 200 backstroke (1:53.54).
The Tide women also have four relays – the 200 and 400 freestyle and 200 and 400 medley relays – ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA this week. The Tide women’s top relay rank of the season comes in the 200 freestyle relay, where they are ninth nationally and second in the SEC after posting a 1:40.92 against the Aggies.
