Florida’s Kieran Smith, Tennessee’s Erika Brown Named SEC Swimmers of the Meet

2020 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 18 – Saturday, February 22, 2020
• Auburn, AL – James E. Martin Aquatic Center
• Prelims/Finals: 9:30 AM/5:30 PM Wed-Sat, 10/4:20PM Tues (Central Standard Time)
• Defending Champion: Florida (7x) (results)
• Live Video – SEC Network+ (prelims), ESPN (finals)
• Men’s Fan Guide|Women’s Fan Guide
• Psych Sheets
• Championship Central
• Estimated NCAA Invite Times|NCAA ‘A’ Cuts
• Live Results

The 2020 SEC Championships concluded on Saturday in Auburn Alabama. The Florida men extended their streak, winning their 8th-straight men’s team title. Tennessee made history as the women won their first ever SEC title.

Florida’s Kieran Smith was awarded the men’s 2020 SEC Swimmer of the Meet honors. On night 1, Smith became the 4th fastest man in history when he split a 1:30.11 on the Gators’ Meet Record-breaking 800 free relay. That took down the SEC Record and the 11-year-old Florida school record formerly set by NCAA Champion Shaune Fraser in 2009. He went on to smash the American and NCAA Records in the 500 free, becoming the first man under 4:07 with his 4:06.32. Smith next won the 400 IM title (3:37.31) and placed 3rd in the 100 free (42.14) with lifetime bests.

The women’s 2020 SEC Swimmer of the Meet was Tennessee’s Erika Brown, who earned her 3rd-straight titles in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly. Brown broke her own SEC Record in the 50 free on night 2, posting a 21.03 to remain the 2nd fastest woman in history. She became the 3rd fastest woman ever in the 100 fly, breakingthe SEC and American Records with a 49.38. On the final night, Brown took down a 3rd SEC Record in the 100 free, becoming the 2nd woman to ever break 46 seconds with a 45.83.

Brown was also awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy, which is given to the swimmer who scored the most points. The men’s award was given to both Alabama’s Zane Waddell and Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas. Bama’s Waddell won titles in the 50 free and 100 back. His 44.10 on the 400 medley relay leadoff broke his own SEC Record set earlier in the session. He’s now the 5th fastest man in history in that event. In his 3rd event, the 100 free, Waddell touched 2nd by a hundredth, breaking 42 for the first time in 41.82. He also posted the 3rd fastest 50 back in history to lead off the 200 medley relay.

Casas took his first title in the 200 IM, breaking 1:40 with a 1:39.91 to become the 7th fastest man in history. He was just off his lifetime best i nthe 100 back, where he placed 2nd to Waddell in 44.68. Casas is the 8th fastest man in history in that event. In what was arguably his most impressive swim of the meet, he took down Ryan Lochte’s 15-year-old SEC Meet Record in the 200 back. Casas won the race in 1:37.20, becoming the 5th fastest man ever.

Auburn’s Alison Maillard and Texas A&M’s Kurtis Matthews were named the SEC Divers of the Meet. Maillard won the 1-meter event for Auburn. She also earned bronze in the 3-meter. Matthews won the 3-meter on Tuesday night. He went on to take the 1-meter title the next day.