Texas vs Georgia
- December 18, 2024
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results PDF
- All Race Videos On YouTube
- Men’s Recap
- Women’s Score: Texas 190 – Georgia 104
The Texas women hosted fellow SEC team Georgia on Wednesday and earned the win as they scored 190 points, 86 more than Georgia’s 104. Fifth year’s Emma Sticklen, Olivia Bray, and Abby Arens led the way for Texas but Jillian Cox had the highlight swim of the meet.
Cox earned the win in her lone event of the meet, the 1000 freestlyle. Cox battled in the event alongside Georgia’s Abby McCulloh. Cox touched in a 9:24.83 to swim a new personal best. That swim also was the #1 in the NCAA this season. McCulloh touched 2nd in a 9:25.14, the #2 time in the NCAA this season. McCulloh notably won the 1650 free at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Sticklen earned two individual wins on the day, first swimming to a 21.76 in the 50 freestyle. That is her 2nd fastest 50 free of her career as she swam a 21.50 last month at midseason. Sticklen has history with the 50 freestyle at the NCAA level, swimming it in her freshman and sophomore seasons at 2021 and 2022 NCAAs. In more recent years though, Sticklen has instead opted for, and finaled in, the 200 IM. Sticklen also earned a win in the 100 fly, touching in a 50.54.
Fellow fifth year Olivia Bray touched 2nd in the 100 fly swimming a 51.38. Bray was 3rd in the event at 2024 NCAAs, touching one spot behind Sticklen. Bray earned her own individual win, touching in a 51.52 in the 100 back. This was Bray’s first time competing for Texas this season.
Abby Arens showed off her versatility. Arens arrived this fall after spending her undergraduate career at NC State. Arens won the 200 breast in a 2:09.47 and the 200 fly in a 1:54.17. She also swam a lifetime best 48.84 in the 100 free, to become the 5th women sub-49 seconds in the event for Texas this season.
Freshman Lillie Nesty posted two lifetime bests in her wins. Nesty won the 200 back in a 1:52.99 and the 200 free in a 1:43.53. Both were faster than her midseason times of a 1:44.38 in the 200 free and 1:54.78 in the 200 back.
Transfer Ieva Maluka highlighted the day for the Bulldogs. Maluka swam to a win in the 200 IM, notching a season best of a 1:56.02. That was faster than her previous best of a 1:56.43. It also moves her up to #18 in the NCAA this season, up from #22. She also swam a personal best time at the meet, swimming to a 1:55.09 in the 200 butterfly.
Rachel Stege led the way for a 1-2-3 finish in the women’s 500 freestyle. Stege earned the win in a 4:37.83, ahead of teammates McCulloh (4:38.17) and Dune Coetzee (4:42.13). Stege sits at #4 in the NCAA this season after posting a 4:34.27 at midseason while McCulloh sits at #9 with a 4:36.18.
Those are just the men’s videos. Are the W anywhere?
OMG No coverage of the men’s meet??
Freshman Lillie Nesty won 200 free and 200 back with pbs in both.
She just keeps getting better. She’s literally a PB machine. I think the disappointment of her trials and her attitude towards the sport lit a dangerous fire in her, she’s going to be here for years to come. Mark my words.
Why no mention of the men? Looks like Luke Hobson is back competing for Texas.
🤣🤣
Yeah, agreed! After all these years on SwimSwam, I can’t believe they would do an article on the women’s meet and forget about the men.