Transfers Highlight Meet as Tennessee defeats Vanderbilt; Faith Knelson Debuts

Tennessee Volunteers Def. Vanderbilt Commodores (Women’s Only)

• Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee
• January 20, 2022
• Results PDF 

The Vanderbilt women hosted the Tennessee women on Thursday, January 20th at home. Neither team suited up for the meet. 

This was Vanderbilt’s first and Tennessee’s second meet of 2022. Vanderbilt’s double dual on January 8th against Bellarmine and South Carolina was canceled due to weather. 

Tennessee was dominant throughout the meet winning in a score of 204-58. The team won all 14 events of the day. They also swept 5 of the 12 individual events. 

Graduate student Alex Gebel led the way for the Vols. She won all three of her individual events. Those wins included the 100 breaststroke (1:01.65), the 200 breaststroke (2:11.98), and the 200 IM (2:06.76). Her 200 breaststroke was a season best by almost two seconds as she went a time of 2:13.83 at midseason. She was just off of her midseason time of 1:01.09 in the 100 breaststroke. This was her first time swimming the 200 IM this season. 

Senior Emma Carlton picked up two individual wins. She won the 100 butterfly (54.40) and 100 backstroke (53.67). Her 100 backstroke time was a season best. Carlton transferred to Tennessee this school year after spending two and a half with Texas A&M before returning home to train for the Olympic Trials.

Junior Claire Nguyen also picked up two individual wins. She won both the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:01.63 and the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:50.33. Nguyen, like Carlton, is also a transfer to Tennessee. Nguyen spent her first year at Arizona State. This was Nguyen’s second time swimming the 200 butterfly this season. She went a time of 2:06.43 in October 2021. Her 500 freestyle was not far off of her season best of 4:47.23 which she swam at midseason.

Vanderbilt was led by senior Tonner DeBeer who finished second in the 100 butterfly. She swam a time of 56.73. Her best time in the 100 butterfly this season is a 54.50 from midseason. DeBeer also finished fourth and was Vanderbilt’s highest finisher in the backstroke with a time of 56.97. Her season best is a time of 56.30. DeBeer is the school record holder in the 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly, and 100 backstroke. 

Vanderbilt’s 200 medley relay was strong earning a second place finish. Senior Abby Burke led off in a 26.15 and was followed by sophomore Faith Knelson who swam a 29.00 on the breaststroke leg. Knelson is a transfer from Arizona, and this was her first meet with Vanderbilt. DeBeer swam the fly leg in a 24.48 and sophomore Eleanor Beers anchored in a time of 23.81. 

Other first-place finishes:

• 200 medley relay: Tennessee (1:41.69)
• 1000 freestyle: Lauren Wetherell, Tennessee (10:00.47)
• 200 freestyle: Elle Caldow, Tennessee (1:48.03, 0.77 faster than she was at midseason)
• 50 freestyle: Natalie Ungaretti, Tennessee (23.21)
• 100 freestyle: Annie Rimmer, Tennessee (51.26, 0.06 off what she was at midseason)
• 200 backstroke: Olivia Harper, Tennessee (1:57.97, first time under 2:00 this season)
• 400 freestyle relay: Tennessee (3:25.47)

Tennessee has their next meet scheduled for January 29th at Georgia. Vanderbilt’s next scheduled meet is January 29th at Arkansas-Little Rock.