Courtesy: Georgia Athletics
ATHENS, Ga. – University of Georgia redshirt senior Luca Urlando led a group of Bulldogs named to the 2025 All-Southeastern Conference Team, as announced by the conference office in Birmingham Thursday morning.
For the All-SEC Teams, the First Team consists of the top finisher in each event at the SEC Championships, and the Second Team consists of the second- and third-place finishers in each event. The All-Freshman Teams consist of any redshirt or true freshman who finished either in the top eight or is the highest scoring freshman of each event at the SEC Championships, excluding relay events.
Urlando received his third career All-SEC First Team honor after winning the conference title in the 200-yard butterfly. Urlando earned five First Team All-America citations at the NCAA Championships, highlighted by an American Record time of 1:36.43 in his national title-winning 200y fly final. He also set school records in the 100y butterfly, 400y freestyle relay, 200y medley relay, and 400y medley relay at NCAAs. At the SEC Championships in Athens, he also earned the silver medal in the 100y butterfly and bronze medal in the 800y freestyle relay.
Graduate Jake Magahey, seniors Reese Branzell, Abby McCulloh, and Rachel Stege, and sophomore Tomas Koski were named to the All-SEC Second Team. Magahey, Branzell, and Koski joined Urlando on the third-place 800y freestyle relay at SECs, followed by another third-place finish at NCAAs. Magahey reached three championship finals at NCAAs and earned three bronze medals at SEC, while Koski picked up three First Team All-America honors and an SEC silver medal in the 500y freestyle. Branzell earned First Team AA honors as the anchor of the 800y freestyle and 400y medley relays.
McCulloh and Stege each earned silver medals in the 1,650y freestyle and 500y freestyle respectively. McCulloh went on to place fourth in the mile and 12th in the 500y freestyle at NCAAs, while Stege finished eighth in the 500y free at nationals. Stege was also part of the fourth-place 800y freestyle relay for the Bulldogs at SECs.
Junior Renato Calderaro was named SEC Male Newcomer Diver of the Year after a successful first season in Athens following a transfer from NC State. Calderaro qualified for both springboards at the NCAA Championships, finishing 32nd on 1-meter and 46th on 3-meter. The Rome, Italy native finished sixth on 3-meter and 14th on 1-meter at SECs, while earning four dual meet wins during the season.
Freshmen Drew Hitchcock and Marie Landreneau were both named to the SEC All-Freshman Team after strong rookie campaigns. Hitchcock finished 18th in the 200y butterfly and 32nd in the 200y IM at NCAAs, while also qualifying for the 400y IM consolation final. At SECs, he finished sixth in the 400y IM, eighth in the 200y butterfly, and 11th in the 200y IM, entering the program top 10 in all three events. Landreneau finished 29th in the 200y freestyle and was a member of the 11th-place 800y freestyle relay at NCAAs, following a sixth-place finish in the 200y freestyle at SECs. In November, she won an all-Bulldog 200y freestyle final with a PB of 1:43.32, becoming the No. 9 performer in program history.
Male Co-Swimmers of the Year: Jordan Crooks, Tennessee and Hubert Kós, Texas
Male Newcomer Swimmer of the Year: Chris Guiliano, Texas
Male Freshmen Swimmer of the Year: Alex Painter, Florida
Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Bob Bowman, Texas
Male Diver of the Year: Carson Paul, LSU
Male Newcomer Diver of the Year: Renato Calderaro, Georgia
Male Freshman Diver of the Year: Jaxson Bowshire, Texas A&M
Men’s Diving Coach of the Year: Matt Scoggin, Texas
Female Swimmer of the Year: Emma Sticklen, Texas
Female Newcomer Swimmer of the Year: Abby Arens, Texas
Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Jillian Cox, Texas
Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year: Carol Capitani, Texas
Female Co-Divers of the Year: Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant, LSU and
Alejandra Estudillo Torres, Texas
Female Newcomer Diver of the Year: Bayleigh Cranford, Texas
Female Freshmen Diver of the Year: Alejandra Estudillo Torres, Texas
Women’s Diving Coach of the Year: Matt Scoggin, Texas
All-SEC First Team
Luca Urlando
All-SEC Second Team
Reese Branzell
Tomas Koski
Jake Magahey
Abby McCulloh
Rachel Stege
SEC All-Freshman Team
Drew Hitchcock
Marie Landreneau
