Anna Hopkin Splits 21.6 as Arkansas Falls to Auburn Tigers

ARKANSAS VS. AUBURN

• October 26, 2019
• Fayetteville, AR
• SCY
• Results
• SCORES – Auburn 194.5, Arkansas 101.5
  • Auburn exhibitioned some athletes over the final three events.

Anna Hopkin, Arkansas senior, stole the show on Saturday as the Auburn Tigers visited the Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville.

Hopkin, who is expected to vie for NCAA title in the 50 and 100 free come March, was on fire this meet. She kicked off the session with a 21.65 anchor leg on Arkansas’ medley relay, which finished less than three-tenths behind Auburn’s A, 1:41.91 to 1:41.67.

That was the only relay swim for Hopkin, as she competed in three individuals, winning all of them. She first went 22.28 to win the 50 free, just off of her season-best 22.21 from Arkansas’ dual with Stanford. In the 100 free, Hopkin cracked 49 seconds, posting a 48.96 to win by almost 1.5 seconds. That was a season-best for Hopkin by about a tenth, and she maintains the ninth-ranked time in the country this year. Finally, Hopkin was 55.06 in the 100 fly to hold off a charging Jewels Harris of Auburn (55.26).

While Hopkin was excellent, Auburn’s sprint group flexed its depth. Senior Claire Fisch and freshmen Abbey Webb and AJ Kutsch were very strong throughout the meet. Fisch took second in the 50 free (22.80) and 100 free (50.42), with Kutsch taking third in the 50 (22.92) and fourth in the 100 (50.88). Webb, meanwhile, was third in the 100 free (50.68) and won the 200 free (1:49.95). The three split 50’s and joined Robyn Clevenger (51.41) as they won the 400 free relay (3:23.52).

Julie Meynen, one of Auburn’s top sprinters, was out this meet. But, freshmen Webb and Kutsch are showing lots of promise right now. Webb is in her first-ever season in yards, while Kutsch is already very close to her lifetime bests (22.80 in the 50 and 50.08 in the 100). Kutsch actually out-split Fisch’s anchor leg (22.16) with a 22.09 on the B medley relay.

Auburn’s Carly Cummings won thrice, sweeping the breaststroke races (1:02.69/2:16.01) and taking the 200 IM (2:02.91). Sophomore Emily Hetzer dominated the 1000 free (9:57.06) with freshman Averee Preble second (10:04.34), while Preble earned the win in the 500 free (4:55.14) ahead of Arkansas’ Peyton Palsha (4:57.06).

Auburn’s Sonnele Oeztuerk was great in the 200 back, going 1:56.38 to win by a whopping seven-plus seconds. She also posted a 55.72 to take the 100 back.