Luca Urlando Hits 1:39s in 200 Fly/Back As UGA Beats Florida State To Stay Undefeated

Georgia vs. Florida State

• Oct. 19, 2024
• Tallahassee, Florida
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Scores
  • Women: #14 Georgia, 183.5 – NR Florida State, 116.5
  • Men: #10 Georgia, 218 – #19 Florida State, 81
• Full Results

Through two dual meets, Olympian and redshirt senior Luca Urlando is making his presence felt in the NCAA. Last week, he shined at his first NCAA meet since October 2022, Urlando popped a 1:39.87 200 fly, nearing his lifetime best of 1:38.82.

At Georgia’s meet against Florida State, Urlando got even closer, swimming 1:39.03 and coming .21 seconds from his best. It’s the third-fastest time in school history and Urlando now owns the top six entries. He also takes over from reigning NCAA champion Ilya Kharun as the fastest man in the league this year.

Urlando doubled down on the 1:39s at the meet, blasting a 1:39.39 200 backstroke for his second individual event win of the meet as he led a 1-2-3 Georgia sweep. The swim—another top time in the NCAA this season—was a lifetime best for Urlando and his first time breaking 1:40. Even when he was swimming yards regularly, this event was not usually on his program; his lifetime best was a 1:42.11 from 2018 Speedo Juniors and per SwimCloud, he only swam the event officially one other time in these six years.

Urlando returned to familiar territory for his final event of the day, winning the 200 IM. He clocked 1:43.49 in his first time racing the event since 2022 NCAAs.

Urlando also helped the Dawgs to the win in the opening 200 medley relay. Urlando led off in 21.21 as he, Elliot Woodburn (23.74), Ruard Van Renen (20.85), and Reese Branzell (19.40) combined for a final time of 1:25.20, a tenth behind Georgia’s ‘A’ relay from their dual last weekend against South Carolina.

That win got a successful day underway for Georgia, as the men and women both won against the Seminoles to remain undefeated. The mid-distance and distance freestylers were key for both squads. After Florida State won the women’s 200 medley relay, 1650 free NCAA champion Abby McCulloh picked up the first event win for the women in the 1000 freestyle (9:37.23). She led a 1-2-3-4 sweep for the Dawgs as sophomore Shea Furse swam a lifetime-best 9:54.16 for second.

The Georgia women also swept the top four in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Junior transfer Ieva Maluka won the 200 free in 1:45.02, holding off senior Sloane Reinstein by .06 seconds. Rachel Stege did her thing in the 500 free, posting 4:39.46 to win ahead of McCulloh’s 4:42.24.

Both Maluka and senior Eboni McCarty went 3-for-3 in their individual events. After her 200 free win, Maluka won the 200 fly (1:56.32) and the 200 IM (1:56.64). McCarty won the 100 back (51.99), 50 free (22.42), and 100 free (48.94), leading the way in the sprints for Georgia.

Back on the men’s side, redshirt senior Tommy-Lee Camblong won the 1000 free (9:07.86) while Jake Magahey picked up the win in the 500 free with a 4:16.92, securing the distance sweep for the Dawgs.

In his other events, Magahey touched second in the 200 free (1:33.03) behind sophomore Tomas Koski, who won the 100/200 free double in 43.50/1:32.82. Magahey also finished second in the 200 fly, logging 1:41.56. Florida State sophomore Sam Bork prevented the Georgia men from sweeping the freestyle events, winning the 50 freestyle in 20.04.

The 200 breaststroke was a highlight for the hosts Florida State as they won the men’s and women’s editions. Sophomore Tommaso Baravelli outdueled Woodburn to win the men’s race, 1:57.48 to 1:57.64. On the women’s side, Florida State’s star breaststroker Maddy Huggins swam 2:07.98, matching the lifetime best and program record she swam last week against Georgia Tech.

Huggins also won the 100 breaststroke in 59.04 and opened her race with a lifetime best of 27.74 in the 50 breaststroke. Samantha Vear added two event wins for the Florida State women by sweeping the boards.

Up Next

Georgia heads back to Athens for their home opener against SEC rivals Florida on Nov. 1 at 11 am. Florida State faces LSU on Nov. 8 at noon.