Courtesy: Alabama Athletics
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama senior Robert Howard has been named the Southeastern Conference Swimmer of the Week for the second-consecutive week, the league office announced Tuesday.
The Alexander City, Ala., native remained undefeated, both individually and as part of relays, in conference competition after a four-win performance at Tennessee on Friday.
Howard won the 50 freestyle with an NCAA-best time of 19.65. He was already tied for the top spot in the nation going into Friday’s meet with UT and shaved more than a tenth of a second off his previous season-best mark to take sole possession of first place nationally.
The nine-time All-American remains the only SEC swimmer under 20 seconds in the 50 freestyle. He also posted his third consecutive sub-19 second 50 freestyle relay split with an 18.88 as the anchor in the Tide’s winning 200 medley relay vs. the Vols.
Howard is ranked sixth in the nation in the 200 freestyle after posting a season-best time of 1:36.80, the fastest time in the event last week.
The accounting major closed the meet with a 42.26 as the anchor to the Tide’s winning 400 freestyle relay, which finished with a 2:55.85, more than two seconds ahead of the field.
Howard and the Tide posted the fastest 400 freestyle relay in the nation last week and his 100 freestyle split in anchoring that relay is the fastest in the nation. Howard and the Tide’s 200 medley relay’s time against Tennessee was also the fastest in the nation last week, the third fastest of the season nationally and fastest in the SEC.
The Crimson Tide returns to action on Nov. 15 at the Georgia Tech Invite in Atlanta, Ga.
