The Texas women’s butterfly crew is back in business.
Longhorns fifth-year Kelly Pash and senior Olivia Bray both clocked personal-best times in the 200-yard butterfly at the 2024 Sterkel Classic on Saturday in Austin. Only senior teammate Emma Sticklen, the defending NCAA champion in the event, has been faster this season (1:50.31) than Pash’s 1:51.22 and Bray’s 1:51.81.
It was an especially impressive swim for Bray, who hadn’t entered the 200 fly in almost two years since placing 8th at the 2022 NCAA Championships. She dipped under 1:52 for the first time in her career, shaving a couple tenths off her previous-best 1:52.03 from 2021. Last year, Bray switched up her NCAA lineup to include the 500 free (3rd place), 100 back (5th place), and 200 back (7th place).
Pash dropped a couple tenths off her previous-best 1:51.45 from last year’s Sterkel Classic. She couldn’t quite replicate that speed the next month at NCAAs, placing 3rd in 1:51.89.
Pash also triumphed by almost four seconds in the 100 fly with a time of 51.40, the second-fastest of her career and 10th-quickest in program history. She ranks 3rd in the NCAA this season with a 50.37 from the 2023 Texas Invitational last November.
Anna Elendt cruised to victory in the 200 breast with a winning time of 2:06.19, the third-fastest time in the NCAA this season behind Virginia’s Ella Nelson (2:06.10) and Alex Walsh (2:04.22). The German senior has been as fast as 2:03.26 at NCAAs last year, where she placed 2nd behind American record holder Kate Douglass (2:01.29).
One of the most remarkable performances of the afternoon came courtesy of Texas freshman Angie Coe in the 400 IM. She dropped almost seven seconds off her lifetime best to win in 4:07.45, the fifth-fastest time in program history and 13th in the NCAA this season. Her best time heading into the meet was a 4:14.55 from last November and her best time heading into this season was a 4:19.39 from last February.
Texas senior Ava Longi also had a big day for the Longhorns, securing 1st-place finishes in the 50 free (22.01) and 100 free (48.45). She shaved .07 seconds off her lifetime best in the 50 free, moving up to 8th in Texas program history and tied for 13th in the NCAA this season.
Longhorns freshman Emma Kern added a lifetime best in the 100 back (51.52), beating fellow Texas rookie Berit Berglund (52.06) by more than half a second. Kern lowered her previous-best 51.99 from December of 2022, in the process moving up to 13th in the NCAA this season.
The Longhorns also got individual victories from Cal graduate transfer Alicia Wilson in the 200 back (1:54.76), junior Channing Hanley in the 100 breast (1:00.82), Erin Gemmell in the 200 IM (season-best 1:59.44), and Erica Sullivan in the 1650 free (16:08.21, within six seconds of her season-best 16:02.42 that ranks 11th in the NCAA).
TCU’s Tania Quaglieri took the 200 free title in 1:48.92, while Rice’s Ava Hamblett claimed the 500 free crown in 4:59.07.
Men’s Recap
There weren’t quite as many jaw-dropping swims on the men’s side as many swimmer contested “off” events, but Texas freshman Camden Taylor turned heads with wins in the 50 free (19.86) and 500 free (4:24.66) — both in lifetime bests. He dropped .02 seconds off his best 50 free time from last month and more than nine seconds off his best 500 free time from last March.
TCU freshman Kito Camossato was the only other multi-event winner as the Brazilian breaststroker swept the 100 breast (53.82) and 200 breast (1:55.93). His season-best time in the 200 breast (1:54.74) is within a second of the Horned Frogs’ school record (1:54.05) set by Janis Silins in 2021. TCU also picked up victories courtesy of Piotr Sadlowski in the 200 fly (1:47.01), Luke Dimiceli in the 200 IM (1:46.52), Edgar Cicanci in the 200 back (1:46.40), and Geremia Freri in the 200 free (1:37.89).
Texas senior Coby Carrozza added a personal best in the 400 IM (3:47.14), dropping almost three seconds off his previous-best 3:49.90 from January of 2020. Longhorn freshman Nate Germonprez went another best time in the 100 back (47.03) en route to the win, taking almost two-tenths of a second off his previous-best 47.21 from 2022. Texas senior Peter Paulus also won the 100 fly in 49.06, within a second of his personal-best 48.20 from December of 2022.
Angie Coe has Kelly Pash upside. She’s good at everything and has already shown she is responding well to Texas training.
It’s great to look up at your time on the board and see a huge drop. Makes all the hard work feel worth it.