LSU vs. Texas A&M
- Jan. 20, 2023
- TAMU Rec Center Natatorium
- College Station, Texas
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results on MeetMobile: “Texas A&M v LSU 2023”
- PDF Results
- Final Scores
- Men: No. 10 Texas A&M 171, LSU 129
- Women: No. 19 Texas A&M 177, LSU 123
LSU fifth-year senior Maggie MacNeil kept her undefeated streak alive in the final dual meet of the season at Texas A&M, but it wasn’t enough to lift her No. 22 Tigers past the No. 19 Aggie women on Saturday afternoon.
The Texas A&M women won, 177-123, while the 10th-ranked men also beat LSU, 171-129, to give the Aggies a sweep on Senior Day.
MacNeil kicked off the contest with a season-best 23.80 backstroke split to lead the Tigers’ 200 medley relay team to victory in 1:39.55. She then triumphed individually in the 50 freestyle (22.36) and 100 butterfly (51.91) before helping LSU’s 400 free relay squad secure an NCAA A-cut time of 3:13.93.
ICYMI: Gretchen Walsh and Maggie MacNeil both completed perfect pre-championship seasons today, meaning that they didn't suffer a single individual loss in dual meets or at midseasons.
Only one of them can come out undefeated after NCAAs though, which is the most exciting part. pic.twitter.com/S7sQ5hYpX1
— Yanyan Li (@yyli35) January 21, 2023
Not only did they earn an NCAA A-cut, but the Tigers’ 400 free relay team also broke the previous LSU school record of 3:15.56 that had stood since 2009. Katarina Milutinovich led off with a 49.05 split, MacNeil followed in 46.68, and a pair of freshmen brought it home as Michaela de Villiers split 48.89 and Megan Barnes anchored in 49.31. It’s the second relay that the Tigers are set to compete in during the 2023 NCAA Championships in March.
Interestingly, LSU freshman Ella Varga posted her first official 200 back swim since 2019 and won the event in 1:56.68, which ranks eighth in program history.
The Texas A&M women got key contributions from juniors Abby Grottle and Bobbi Kennett, who tallied two wins apiece. Grottle placed first in the 500 free (4:53.01) and 1000 free (9:58.59) while also clocking a season-best 1:49.08 en route to a runner-up finish in the 200 free. Kennett picked up victories in the 100 breast (1:01.41) and 200 IM (2:01.98).
On the men’s side, Brooks Curry got the day started on a good note in the 200 medley relay with an 18.71 anchor to carry the Tigers (1:27.59) to a comeback win against the Aggies (1:28.13). In the 50 and 100 free, Curry was off his season bests from the Art Adamson Invitational but he still cruised to first-place finishes 19.54 and 43.43, respectively. He completed his afternoon with a win in the 400 free relay, where he split 41.50 on the second leg of the race.
Texas A&M senior Anze Ferz Erzen led all swimmers with three individual victories in the 200 fly (1:48.92), 200 back (1:46.41), and 200 IM (1:48.64). Aggies sophomore Trey Dickey earned a pair of wins in the 500 free (4:31.08) and 1000 free (9:15.39), the latter coming in a season-best time.
Texas A&M freshman standout Baylor Nelson won the 200 free in 1:37.65 while also placing second behind Curry in the 100 free with a new personal-best time of 44.62. His previous best was a 44.94 from February of 2021.
Both teams, you could tell, were not primed for this,” Texas A&M men’s coach Jay Holmes said. “But SEC [Championships] are what both of these teams are getting ready for. We are doing everything we can, at this point in the season, to get to SECs primed and rested.”
Holmes credited junior diver Victor Povzner for playing a big role in the win. Povzner placed first on both the 1-meter (385.95) and 3-meter (421.65) springboards.
“The big difference in the meet, after they won both relays and that can be hard to come back from, was winning both diving boards,” Holmes said. “Victor [Povzner] probably dove the best he has all year. He is starting to come around at the right time. Victor winning 1-meter and 3-meter, I thought, was pretty awesome. It’s great seeing him dive like that.”
Dude…. 46.6? Wow. NCAA should be nuts. I hope she swims thru SECs.