Courtesy: SEC Sports
Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Luca Urlando, Georgia
Georgia’s Luca Urlando, a sophomore from Sacramento, Calif., posted three winning B-cut times against North Carolina and South Carolina. Against the Gamecocks, Urlando dropped the nation’s fastest 100 backstroke time this season at 46.32. Against the Tar Heels, he swept the butterfly events with times of 46.43 and 1:43.37, respectively. The 200 fly time currently ranks fifth nationally and 100 fly times ranks sixth. In both meets, Urlando also helped lead victorious teams in the 200 medley relay, swimming the butterfly split against UNC and the leadoff backstroke split against USC. Urlando’s 50 backstroke split of 21.85 against the Gamecocks is the 10th fastest time in the nation this season.
Men’s Diver of the Week: Juan Celaya-Hernandez, LSU
LSU’s Juan Celaya-Hernandez, a fifth-year senior from San Nicholas de los Garza, Mexico, won both springboard events at the Rocky Mountain Invitational. Celaya-Hernandez finished the meet against Air Force, Denver and Wyoming with a score of 437.05 on the 1-meter and 434.25 on the 3-meter.
Men’s Freshman of the Week: Kaique Alves, Alabama
Alabama’s Kaique Alves, a freshman from San Paulo, Brazil, won the 100 butterfly (49.60) and 200 freestyle (1:37.79) in his first collegiate road meet. Alves also anchored the Tide’s winning 200 medley relay and the second leg of the winning 400 freestyle relay against Birmingham Southern.
Women’s Co-Swimmers of the Week: Abby McCulloh, Georgia and Mona McSharry, Tennessee
Georgia’s Abby McCulloh, a freshman from Lilburn, Ga., earned four podium finishes against North Carolina and South Carolina. Against the Tar Heels, McCulloh finished first in the 1,000 freestyle with a time of 9:44.84, the second-fastest time in the nation this season. She followed that up with a winning time of 4:47.25 in the 500 freestyle, the ninth-fastest mark in the nation. Against the Gamecocks, McCulloh earned her third win of the weekend as she again took the 1,000 freestyle, followed by a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle.
Tennessee’s Mona McSharry, a sophomore from Dublin, Ireland, was the top points scorer (20) in Tennessee’s win against 13th-ranked Louisville. McSharry swept both breaststroke events against the Cardinals, posting season-best times in the 100 (59.77) and the 200 (2:10.19). Her time in the 200 breaststroke ranks fourth nationally. McSharry was also a member of the 200 medley squad that ranks 10th overall after recording a time of 1:38.78 against Louisville.
Women’s Co-Divers of the Week: Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant, LSU and Sarah Rousseau, Missouri
LSU’s Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant, a sophomore from Tijuana, Mexico, earned a first-place finish in the 1-meter springboard at the Rocky Mountain Invitational with a score of 312.40. Gutierrez Lavenant was runner-up in the 3-meter, finishing with a score of 316.55.
Missouri’s Sarah Rousseau, a senior from Melbourne, Fla., swept the springboard events in the win over Arkansas. Rousseau posted a final score of 282.90 in the 1-meter and 330.38 in the 3-meter. She was also runner-up on platform with a score of 234.60.
Women’s Freshman of the Week: Duné Coetzee, Georgia
Georgia’s Duné Coetzee, a freshman from Pretoria, South Africa, opened her Georgia career with strong performances against North Carolina and South Carolina. Against the Tar Heels, Coetzee took first in the 200 freestyle (1:47.52), followed by a third-place time of 55.07 in the 100 butterfly. On Saturday against South Carolina, she posted the ninth-fastest 500 freestyle time in the nation this season (4:47.21) to win the event and placed second in the 200 butterfly (2:00.46).
I keep pulling for Luca. In 2019, at 17, he was our best 200 fly guy, the only one with genuine Olympic Podium potential. 1:53.84 was awesome at that age. Then came the shoulder injury. That had to be really tough. One moment, you’ve got Michael Phelps calling you and Kristof Malik, looking over his shoulder, keeping an eye on your progress. The next moment, your finishing 4th in both the 100 and 200 fly at the Tokyo Olympic trials.He seems like a great young guy, with a good head on his shoulders. I wish him the best.