Alabama Women, Auburn Men Earn Victories in Split Dual Meet

Alabama Crimson Tide (women) Def. Auburn Tigers and Auburn (men) Def. Alabama 

• Auburn vs. Alabama 
• Alabama Aquatics Center, Tuscaloosa, AL
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Meet Mobile: “Alabama v Auburn”

The University of Alabama hosted Auburn University on Saturday, January 15th for senior day. Neither team suited up. On the women’s side, the Alabama women came out on top with a score of 161-139. The Auburn men came out with a close victory in a score of 152-148. 

Both teams had a scheduled meet for January 8th, but both meets ended up being canceled due to COVID-19. This was both team’s first season since their mid-season invites back at the end of November.

The meeting between the two teams has a long-standing history. The Auburn women lead the all-time series with 30 wins and 10 losses. The Auburn men also lead the series 32-18. Last season, the meet was canceled due to COVID-19. The most recent dual meet between the two teams was back in December 2019 when Auburn won both the men’s (175-125) and the women’s (169-131) meets. 

Women

The Alabama women won 13 out of 16 events. They were led by senior Rhyan White who had individual wins in the 100 backstroke (53.09), the 200 backstroke (1:54.93), and the 100 butterfly (53.86). White currently holds the #2 time in the NCAA this season in the 200 backstroke and the #3 time in the NCAA this season in the 100 backstroke. 

The Alabama senior class continued to make waves as both Kensey McMahon and Morgan Scott won two events. McMahon won both the 1000 freestyle (9:53.75) and the 500 freestyle (4:52.04). Scott won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:47.48 and the 100 freestyle in a time of 49.18. 

Alabama freshman Avery Wiseman won both the 100 (1:01.35) and the 200 (2:11.43) breaststrokes. Wiseman currently holds the #3 times in the NCAA this season in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. 

The Auburn women swept both the 200 butterfly and the 200 IM to keep the meet close. Freshman Avery Bargeron won the 200 butterfly (2:00.24) and was followed by sophomores Hannah Ownbey (2:02.57) and Elysse Pardus (2:02.95). Fifth year Carly Cummings led the way in the 200 IM (2:01.67) and was followed by sophomores Meghan Lee (2:02.12) and Hannah Ownbey (2:02.49). Auburn also got the victory to end the meet in the 400 freestyle relay beating Alabama in a time of 3:19.92 to 3:20.72 respectively. 

Both diving events went to Alabama junior Tanesha Lucoe. She scored a 270.68 in the 1 meter and a 295.43 in the 3 meter. 

Other women’s first place finishes: 

• 200 medley relay: Alabama (1:38.45)
• 50 freestyle: Kalia Antoniou, 22.57

Men

The Alabama men won 9 out of 16 events in what was a close loss to Auburn. The Alabama men swept the 200 IM. 

Alabama was led by junior Derek Maas who had three individual victories. Those victories came in the 100 breaststroke (53.44), the 200 breaststroke (1:59.30), and the 200 IM (1:47.77). Maas currently holds the #7 times in the NCAA this season in both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. 

Junior Matthew Menke, who holds the #6 time in the NCAA this season in the 100 backstroke, won the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:46.26. Alabama also won both the 200 medley relay (1:25.99) and the 400 freestyle relay (2:56.13)

Auburn swept the 1000 and 500 freestyles, helping propel them to the win. Aryan Makhija kicked off the individual events with the win in the 1000 freestyle in a time of 9:14.60. Sophomore Mikkel Gadgaard kept the first-place finishes going as he won the 200 freestyle in a time of 1:37.89. Later in the meet, Gadgaard also took second in the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:28.87 behind fellow teammate Michael Bonson who captured the win in a time of 4:26.90. 

Junior Aidan Stoffle out touched Alabama’s Matthew Menke in the 100 backstroke by 0.01 seconds. Stoffle captured the victory in 47.37 over Menke’s 47.38 respectively.

Diving was split between Alabama and Auburn. Alabama senior Kevin Li won the 1 meter in a score of 346.13, and Auburn senior Conner Pruitt won the 3 meter in a score of 376.43. 

Other men’s first place finishes include:

• 200 butterfly: Mason Mathias, Auburn (1:49.26)
• 50 freestyle: Jonathan Berneburg, Alabama (20.10)
• 100 freestyle: Kaique Alves, Alabama (44.56)
• 100 butterfly: Matthew Yish, Auburn (48.64)

Auburn has their next meet scheduled for January 22nd at Florida. Both teams will then meet again at the Auburn Invitational from February 3rd through the 5th before SEC’s begin February 15th and continue through the 19th.