Isabel Ivey And Bella Sims Log Three Wins Each As Florida Beats Vanderbilt

Florida vs. Vanderbilt

• September 29, 2023
• Centennial Sportsplex, Nashville, TN
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Florida vs Vanderbilt”
• Final Scores:
  • Florida – 180
  • Vanderbilt – 75

The Florida women made the trip to Nashville today to take on Vanderbilt in an SEC matchup. The #6-ranked Gators decisively won the meet with a total of 180 points, out-scoring Vanderbilt by over 100 points.

Leading the way for Florida with three individual victories apiece was newcomers Bella Sims and Isabel Ivey.

Sims, a freshman, opened her meet with the 100 backstroke, where she logged a 52.64 to top the field by nearly a full second. She went on to take the 100 freestyle, where she was the only swimmer to crack 50-seconds with a 49.20. Sims wrapped up her meet with the 100 fly, where she logged a 53.06  

Sims represented the United States at the World Championships this summer. In addition to making the championship final in both the 200 and 400 freestyle, she took home two silver medals as a member of the 4×200 freestyle relay and 4×100 freestyle relay. 

Ivey, a 5th-year transfer from Cal, made her Florida debut with a victory in the 200 freestyle. She got her hand on the wall 1st at 1:47.44, narrowly beating her teammate Emma Weyant by just under a tenth (1:47.53). She then secured 1st in the 50 freestyle (23.34) and closed with a final win in the 200 IM (2:01.64).

Although this is Ivey’s first collegiate meet with Florida, she has been in Gainesville training with Florida’s pro group since December of 2022.

Freshman Grace Rainey and sophomore Caroline Pennington also won multiple events for the Gators. Rainey swept the breaststroke events, clocking a 1:02.54 in the 100 and a 2:14.70 in the 200. 

Pennington kicked things off with a 9:45.27 to win the 1000, while her teammate Anna Auld finished 2nd, also cracking the 10:00 barrier (9:49.12). Pennington went on to record her second win in the 500, hitting a 4:50.19.

Another notable performance came from freshman Catie Choate. Choate secured 1st in the 200 backstroke in 1:55.86, putting her less than a second shy of her personal best time that she set at Winter Juniors last December.

Rounding out Florida’s individual winners was freshman Lainy Kruger, who posted a 1:58.88 to secure the top spot in the 200 fly. 

Among the top performers for Vanderbilt was junior Megan Ciezczak, who secured 3rd in the 50 freestyle (24.19) and 5th in the 100 free (53.19). Sophomore Ellie Taliaferro was another standout for Vanderbilt, as she hit a 1:51.02 for 4th in the 200 free, and a 2:04.48 en route to taking 2nd in the 200 IM.

Florida swept both relay events, as the 200 medley team of Sims (25.39), Molly Mayne (28.22), Olivia Peoples (23.42), and Lilly Daley (23.48) combined for a final time of 1:41.11. 

The 200 freestyle relay came down to the wire with Florida’s A & B teams and Vanderbilt’s A team finishing within two tenths of each other. Florida’s Ekaterina Nikonova (24.12), Aris Runnels (23.75), Peoples (22.90), and Daley (24.52) ultimately took the top spot, clocking a 1:35.29. 

Up next, Florida has a few weeks off before hosting the University of Virginia, while Vanderbilt has nearly a month off before hosting Iowa.