Courtesy: Georgia Athletics
ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Georgia swimming and diving teams look to continue an unbeaten January as they host SEC rival Tennessee Saturday morning at Bauerle Pool at Gabrielsen Natatorium.
The meet begins at 11 a.m. EST with free admission for all spectators. Saturday’s meet is the “Party at the Pool,” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the women’s swimming and diving program. Former student-athletes are invited to attend the meet and will be recognized in a pre-meet ceremony. Additionally, Sherry Spurlin, a member of the inaugural team will serve as honorary captain for Georgia.
The first 100 spectators will receive a free Georgia Swimming & Diving long sleeve T-shirt. Live coverage of the meet will stream on SEC Network+ with live swimming results available to paid subscribers on the MeetMobile app and diving results available on DiveMeets.com.
Georgia enters Saturday’s meet following a sweep of Florida State and the Vanderbilt women’s team last Saturday in Athens. In a suited meet, the Bulldogs posted 49 season-best times, including a pool record from junior Abby McCulloh in the 1,000-yard freestyle. McCulloh was named SEC Women’s Swimmer of the Week, while fifth-year senior Ian Grum earned SEC Men’s Co-Swimmer of the Week honors and freshman Tomas Koski was named SEC Men’s Freshman of the Week for the second-consecutive week.
McCulloh later led another top-four sweep in the 500y freestyle with a winning B-cut time of 4:39.58, followed by junior Sloane Reinstein in second with a B-cut of 4:40.76. Reinstein took first in the 200y freestyle with a B-cut time of 1:45.25, leading another top-four sweep for the dominant Bulldog distance group.
The sprint freestyle group also excelled with junior Eboni McCarty taking the 50y freestyle with a season-best B-cut of 22.63 and reigning SEC Freshman of the Week Helena Jones winning the 100y freestyle with a season-best 48.43. McCarty also prevailed in the 100y backstroke with a season-best B-cut of 51.57, followed by Jones in second with a B-cut of 53.75.
Fifth-year Zoie Hartman swept both breaststroke events, posting a season-best 59.18 in the 100. Graduate Millie Sansome won the 200y backstroke with a B-cut of 1:56.40, while senior Meghan Wenzel won on both springboards. In the closing 400y freestyle relay, Jones, McCarty, and Reinstein joined junior Briana Roberson to take first with a B-cut time of 3:16.24.
After winning last week’s SEC Co-Swimmer of the Week, senior Jake Magahey posted another strong outing, turning in his fastest time of the season in the 1,000y freestyle at 8:53.52. Later in the meet, Magahey dropped a personal-best B-cut of 1:41.81 in winning the 200y butterfly, moving into ninth all-time in program history. He also finished second in the 400y IM with a season-best B-cut of 3:42.76, following closely behind Grum’s winning B-cut of 3:42.60. Grum also led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 200y backstroke with a B-cut of 1:40.02.
In the 50y freestyle, graduate Dillon Downing finished first with a time of 19.59, while contributing to two winning relays, including an 18.91 anchor split in the 200y medley relay. Fellow graduate Bradley Dunham led off both relays and earned a win in the 500y freestyle with a season-best time of 4:17.80. In the 200y freestyle, Koski took first with a B-cut of 1:33.34. Sophomore Ruard van Renen continued his dominance in the 100y backstroke with a time of 46.56.
At the diving well, junior Rhett Hopkins placed second on 3-meter and third on 1-meter, while freshman Matthew Bray took third on 3-meter and fourth on 1-meter.
Georgia concludes its home dual season against Emory on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. Prior to the meet, the programs will recognize the Class of 2024 in the annual Senior Day ceremony.
