2023 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
- Rec Center Natatorium, College Station, TX
- Defending Champions:
- Women: Tennessee (1x)
- Men: Florida (10x)
- Championship Central
- Women’s Fan Guide
- Men’s Fan Guide
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Video
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap
The LSU women pulled off a historic swim in the 200 freestyle relay on night two of the 2023 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships. LSU finished first in the event with a 1:26.70, marking their first-ever SEC title in that event and first victory in any relay event since 1986 when they won the 400 medley relay.
LSU’s winning team consisted of Katarina Milutinovich (22.34), Maggie MacNeil (20.44), Peyton Curry (22.23), and Miaela De Villiers (21.69). MacNeil’s split of 20.44 was the fastest in the field, the second fastest in history, and the only sub-21 as the majority of the other women swam in the 22-second range.
In addition to being their first conference relay win since the 80s, that time for LSU is a new school record as well. Prior to this swim, the record stood at a 1:27.63 from back in November 2022. LSU’s time here was a bit faster than their time at 2022 SECs where the team hit a 1:30.01. Katarina Milutinovich and Peyton Curry both swam faster this year than they did last year and newcomers Maggie MacNeil and Miaela De Villiers were both faster than last year’s Natalie Kuscan and Hannah Bellina.
On day one of the meet, LSU improved upon their performances from 2022 in both relays. They finished 8th in the 200 medley compared to 11th in 2022 and 4th in the 800 freestyle relay compared to 10th in 2022.
The former Michigan swimmer, Maggie MacNeil, is having an immediate impact on the LSU women’s relays, which you can read more about here. She put up a 22.52 backstroke split to open the 200 medley relay, which is the fastest split in history. Hannah Womer, Hannah Bellina, and Miaela De Villiers kept the momentum on that relay going, ending with a 1:36.59 for 8th.
MacNeil wasn’t, however, on the women’s 800 freestyle relay, showing that the improvement being seen here goes beyond just her. LSU will send 5 of 5 relays to the NCAA Championships this year, which is a substantial gain from last year when they sent none.
We’ll get another two looks at LSU’s relay abilities at this year’s SEC Championships on day 4 in the 400 medley relay and day 5 in the 400 freestyle relay.
Again, always going to root for programs that haven’t had success as compared to the “top dogs.” This is absolutely a step in the right direction of LSU and I’m look forward to seeing how they continue.
We might say “Women’s program,” since the men already had the 2022 NCAA winner in both the 50 and 100 Free in American Olympian Brooks Curry.