2020 AUBURN FALL INVITATIONAL
- Wednesday, November 18th- Friday, November 20th
- James E. Martin Aquatic Center, Auburn, AL
- Short Course Yards (SCY)
- Prelims/Finals
- Teams: Auburn, Florida
- Live Results
The 2020 Auburn Fall Invitational continues as the Florida Gators and host Auburn Tigers participated in the prelims of the men’s and women’s 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 back, and 100 breast.
Florida freshman Cecilia Porter leads the women’s 100 breast this morning by a full second with a lifetime best of 1:00.02. Her high school best stood at 1:00.58, which she set at the 2019 NCSA Spring Championship. Her swim currently ranks 4th in Florida program history, with Hilda Luthersdottir‘s 2013 school record standing at 59.55. Auburn senior Carly Cummings swam the second-fastest time of the event at 1:01.05.
Florida sprinter Talia Bates swam two lifetime bests this morning in the 200 free and 100 back. She first crushed her lifetime best to lead the women’s 200 free with a 1:46.13. Her former career best of 1:47.11 was set at the 2018 NCSA Spring Championships. Trailing behind Bates by over a second and a half were Nikki Miller and Elise Bauer, both touching in personal bests at 1:47.78.
Bates also swam the top time in the women’s 100 back, clocking in another personal best of 53.37. Her previous lifetime best of 53.62 came from winter 2018. Bates’ swim was just 0.01s outside of the top-10 times in Florida program history. Freshman teammate Katie Mack (54.11) leads over Auburn freshman Kensley Merritt (54.32) in the top three.
Florida junior Kieran Smith, who topped the men’s 200 IM yesterday in a 1:41.72, leads the men’s 400 IM with a 3:51.65. Smith has been as fast as 3:37.31 from the 2020 SEC Championships. Two seasons ago at the 2018 Georgia Tech Fall Invitational, Smith swam a mid-season time of 3:47.09. Clocking in the second-fastest time this morning was distance ace Bobby Finke, swimming a 3:52.87. His career best lies at 3:40.94 and also went a mid-season 3:49.66 at the 2018 Georgia Tech invite.
More Day 2 Prelims Highlights:
- The session started off with the women’s 400 IM, led by Florida junior Vanessa Pearl, clocking in a 4:11.82. Teammates Madison Kolessar (4:14.09) and Kathleen Golding (4:15.16) were the next fastest swimmers from this morning. For newcomer Kolessar, her swim just neared her 2018 career best of 4:12.83.
- Auburn senior Jewels Harris leads the women’s 100 fly with a 53.51, which is just off her 2019-2020 mid-season best of 53.22 from the 2019 NC State Fall Invitational. Florida freshman Kenady Beil was within striking distance of her 2018 career best of 53.79, going the only other sub-54 swim with a 53.93. Fellow rookie teammate Amanda Ray swam the third-fastest time with a 54.19, just off her high school best of 53.86.
- Leading the men’s 100 fly by over a second and a half was Florida sophomore Eric Friese, touching in at 46.33. At the 2019 Georgia Tech Fall Invitational last season, Friese was 46.39 in this event. Taking the next two spots in this event were Florida teammates Isaac Davis (47.91) and Dillon Hillis (47.94).
- Florida’s Trey Freeman continues his season comeback as he leads the men’s 200 free with a 1:36.11, ahead of Auburn teammates Christian Sztolcman (1:36.42) and Mikkel Gadgaard (1:36.65).
- Auburn freshmen Reid Mikuta (53.91) and Alejandro Flores (54.37) lead the men’s 100 breast over Florida junior Dillon Hillis (54.40).
- Auburn sophomore Lleyton Smith (48.00) and Florida freshman Adam Chaney (48.11) lead the men’s 100 back with only a tenth separating the pair.
