WATCH: Day 1 Race Videos from 2025 SEC Championships, Including Tennessee’s NCAA Record

2025 SEC Championships

• Dates: Tuesday, February 18–Saturday, February 22
  • Prelims: 9:30 am EST/ Finals 5:30 pm EST (Tuesday-5:00 EST)
• Location: Gabrielsen Natatorium — Athens, GA
• Defending Champions: Florida women (2x); Florida men (12x)
• Live Results
• Live Video: SEC Network+
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide (Men)
• Fan Guide (Women)
• Psych Sheets
• Teams: Alabama, Arkansas (women), Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas*, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt (women)
• Live Recaps
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Prelims: Day 3

The Texas men and women both made a statement on Wednesday, the third day of competition and second day of swimming at their debut SEC Championship meets.

The men pushed ahead by more than 80 points ahead of the 12-time conference champions from Florida, but it was the Longhorn women who were really emphatic, opening up a nearly-300 point lead over a very good Tennessee squad who have eyes on a top 5 finish at the NCAA Championships

Race videos from day 3 are below.

Note: the recaps are the same as the live recaps. If you already read those, you don’t need to read these.

WOMEN’S 200 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63, Virginia – 2024 ACC Championships
• SEC Record: 1:25.41, Auburn – 2020 ACC Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:25.41 Auburn– 2020
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:28.42
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:29.00

Full Results:

1. Texas- 1:25.90 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Alabama- 1:26.35 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Tennessee- 1:26.49 (NCAA A Standard)
4. UGA- 1:27.45 (NCAA A Standard)
5. LSU- 1:28.20 (NCAA A Standard)
6. Missouri- 1:28.22 (NCAA A Standard)
7. Florida- 1:28.24 (NCAA A Standard)
8. Texas A&M- 1:28.48
9. South Carolina- 1:28.59
10. Arkansas- 1:30.08
11. Kentucky- 1:30.89
12. Vanderbilt- 1:31.70
13. Auburn- DQ

Texas started their day off with a win, taking first in the 200 free relay by almost half-a-second. Grace Cooper led off in 21.87, about two tenths off her best time. After the first leg, the Longhorns were in 3rd behind Alabama’s Cadence Vincent (21.65) and Tennessee’s Camille Spink (21.46).

Emma Sticklen swam 2nd for Texas, splitting 21.07. This was the fastest split in the field and it pulled Texas into first, where they stayed through the rest of the race. Abigail Arens went next, splitting 21.77 to just barely hold onto the lead, and Ava Longi went 4th, splitting 21.19.

Alabama finished 2nd, 14 one-hundredths ahead of 3rd place Tennessee. After Vincent, Jada Scott went next, splitting 21.52. Kailyn Winter was 3rd at 21.57, and Charlotte Rosendale went 4th at 21.61.

The fastest lead-off leg went to Tennessee sophomore Camille Spink who swam 21.46 on the first leg of Tennessee’s relay.

Fastest Heat:

MEN’S 200 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:13.35, Florida – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 1:13.35, Florida – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:14.19, Florida – 2023
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:16.80
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:17.13

Full Results:

1. Tennessee- 1:12.80 **NEW NCAA RECORD**
2. Florida- 1:13.29 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Texas- 1:14.94 (NCAA A Standard)
4. Auburn- 1:15.76 (NCAA A Standard)
5. Texas A&M- 1:15.86 (NCAA A Standard)
6. Alabama- 1:16.21 (NCAA A Standard)
7. LSU- 1:16.90
8. Missouri- 1:16.91
9. UGA- 1:17.36
10. South Carolina- 1:17.94
11. Kentucky- 1:18.22

The Tennessee men started the night off with a bang, breaking the NCAA record in the men’s 200 freestyle relay by more than half-a-second. Their final time of 1:12.80 broke Florida’s previous record of 1:13.34 from 2023. They also broke Florida’s SEC meet record of 1:14.18 from 2023 as well.

Jordan Crooks led off in 17.96, which was the 4th fastest 50 freestyle in history. Crooks and Caeleb Dressel are the only people who have ever been under the 18 second marek from a flat start. Gui Caribe swam 2nd, splitting 18.04, which was his fastest split ever. Lamar Taylor split 18.25, and this relay appears to be his first time splitting sub-19 in his career. Nikoli Blackman went 4th, splitting 18.55. this was the slowest leg on the relay, but the sophomore has seen signifiant improvement this season.

Florida came in about half a second behind them, also under the previous NCAA and SEC record, though they had far more consistent splits. Josh Liendo led off in 18.26, just under two tenths off his best of 18.07 from last year’s NCAA Championships. Alex Painter went 2nd, swimming the fastest leg for the Gators at 18.18. Ed Fullum-Huot went 18.49 at 3rd, and Scotty Buff brought them home at 18.36. Overall, they had barely more than three-tenths-of-a-second separating all four swimmers.

Texas finished 3rd with Chris Guiliano (18.61), Kyle Peck (18.81), Hubert Kos (18.70), Will Modglin (18.82).

Heat 1:

Heat 2 (fastest heat):

Women’s 500 Freestyle — Finals

• NCAA Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
• SEC Record: 4:30.68 — Jillian Cox, Texas (2024)
• SEC Championship Record: 4:33.10 — Brittany Maclean, Georgia (2016)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:36.89

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Jillian Cox (TEX)- 4:31.54 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Rachel Stege (UGA)- 4:34.28 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Julie Brousseau (FLOR)- 4:34.59 (NCAA A Standard)
4. Dune Coetzee (UGA)- 4:35.19 (NCAA A Standard)
5. Abby McCulloh (UGA)- 4:36.91
6. Emma Weyant (FLOR)- 4:37.98
7. Erin Gemmell (TEX)- 4:38.29
8. Kate McCarville (TENN)- 4:41.01

Jillian Cox, a freshman, won her first ever conference individual event, swimming the event in 4:31.54. This time was almost a second off the 4:30.68 she went at the Tennessee Invite, which stands as the fastest time in the country this year. She swam an incredibly consistent race with 7 of her 10 50s falling between 27.33 and 27.61. her final 50 of 26.74 was one of the fastest in the field.

Rachel Stege from UGA finished 2nd for the 2nd year in a row. She swam 4:34.28 to out touch Julie Brousseau by just over three tenths. 

Brousseau actually led for the first half of the race, swimming the 250 in 2:14.66 to Cox’s 2:14.92. She fell off the pace, however, dropping into 2nd going into the last 50, but her final 50 time of 27.58 was not enough to hold off Stege’s 26.91.

Last year’s champion Emma Weyant went 4:37.98 in the event, which was more than a two-second add from the 4:25.58 she went in prelims.

Ella Jansen‘s 9th place finishing time of 4:34.27 for Tennessee would have finished 2nd in the A final and was also an NCAA A cut. It was also a full second-and-a-half drop from the 4:35.85 mark she set at the Tennessee Invite.

A Final:

Men’s 500 Freestyle — Finals

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• SEC Record: 4:04.45 — Rex Maurer, Texas (2024)
• SEC Championship Record: 4:06.32 — Kieran Smith, Florida (2020)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.64

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Rex Maurer (TEX)- 4:07.09 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Tomas Koski (UGA)- 4:08.25 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Jake Magahey (UGA)- 4:08.61 (NCAA A Standard)
4. Charlie Hawke (BAMA)- 4:09.75 (NCAA A Standard)
5. Jake Mitchell (FLOR)- 4:10.72
6. David Johnston (TEX)- 4:10.74
7. Mason Mathias (AUB)- 4:15.05
8. Giovanni Linscheer (FLOR)- 4:16.30

American Record Holder Rex Maurer won the men’s 500 freestyle in 4:07.09. This time was an add for him, but it was a four second drop from the 4:11.27 he went to qualify 7th for the final. He swam the race in typical Maurer fashion, even splitting it 2:03.52/2:03.57. His final 50 of 23.51 was over half-a-second faster than the next fastest final 50 in the field. 

Tomas Koski, a sophomore from UGA went 4:08.25 to finish 2nd. He saw a significant drop this morning in the event, going from 4:11.96 to 4:09.92. Tonight’s swim was another second-and-a-half drop for him.

The 6th, 7th, and 8th place finishers all added from their prelims swims, which were some of the fastest prelims swims ever. Coby Carrozza, the ‘B’ final winner, went 4:10.70, which would have been 5th overall. Luke Hobson was also in the ‘B’ final, and he swam 4;12.24, an add from his prelims swim. 

A Final:

Women’s 200 IM — Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37 — Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• SEC Record: 1:51.62 — Megan Small, Tennessee (2019)
• SEC Championship Record: 1:51.62 — Megan Small, Tennessee (2019)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Emma Sticklen (TEX)- 1:52.42 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Campbell Stoll (TEX)- 1:53.37 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Bella Sims (FLOR)- 1:53.63 (NCAA A Standard)
4. Sara Stolter (TENN)- 1:54.56
5. Josephine Fuller (TENN)- 1:54.91
6. Ieva Maluka (UGA)- 1:55.02
7. Zoe Dixon (FLOR)- 1:55.25
8. Campbell Chase (TEX)- 1:56.22

Emma Sticklen upset the reigning SEC Champion in the women’s 200 IM to bring home the 3rd gold of the session for the Longhorns. Sticklen went 1:52.42, a 3 tenth drop from the 1:52.75 she went in November. She also had the fastest fly and back splits in the field. Her time was also the 2nd fastest time in the country this season, after Alex Walsh’s 1:51.80

• Sticklen’s Splits: 23.65/27.29/33.87/27.61

Fellow Texas swimmer Campbell Stoll finished 2nd, a little under a second back from Sticklen. Her final 50 time of 27.85 was just enough to hold off Bella Sims who split 27.34 for the silver, fnishing in 1:53.37 to Sims’ 1:53.63. Her previous best time was 1:55.33 in the event from November.

Sims saw around a two-second add from the 1:51.86 she went to win this event last year. 

Lainy Kruger, out of the ‘B’ final, went 1:54.08 in the event, which would have been 4th overall. 

A Final:

Men’s 200 IM — Finals

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• SEC Record: 1:38.13 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• SEC Championship Record: 1:38.13 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.75

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Julian Smith (FLOR)- 1:39.38 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Will Modglin (TEX)- 1:40.94 
3. Hubert Kos (TEX)- 1:41.39
4. Danny Schmidt (AUB)- 1:41.42
5. Baylor Nelson (TAMU)- 1:41.43
6. Luca Urlando (UGA)- 1:41.46
7. Camden Taylor (TEX)- 1:41.58
8. Nate Germonprez (TEX)- 1:42.71

Florida breakout swimmer Julian Smith continued his fast meet with a victory in the men’s 200 IM. His 1:39.29 was almost a two second drop from just a few months ago when he went 1:41.01 in the event. Unsurprisingly, Smith had the fastest 50 breaststroke split in the field, swimming 28.49 to move from 3rd into a very clear 1st. The next fastest split was out of the 7th place finisher Camden Taylor, who went 28.89. 

• Smith’s Splits: 21.09/25.41/28.49/24.39

Will Modglin finished 2nd for Florida at 1:40.64. Modglin won the event at last year’s Big 12 Championships in 1:41.01, and he had a previous best time of 1:40.97 from November of this year.

Hubert Kos placed 3rd in 1:41.39. He was the only person in the top-three to add time, adding three seconds from the 1:38.77 he went at the Pac-12 championships last season. He finished 3rd at last year’s NCAA Championships.

A Final:

Women’s 50 Freestyle — Finals

• NCAA Record: 20.37 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• SEC Record: 20.79 — Maggie MacNeil, LSU (2023)
• SEC Championship Record: 20.98 — Maggie MacNeil, LSU (2023)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.58

Top 8 Finishers

1. Camille Spink (TENN)- 21.23 (NCAA A Standard)
2. Cadence Vincent (BAMA)- 21.59 
3. Grace Cooper (TEX)- 21.83
4. Michaela De Villiers (LSU)- 21.87
5. Peyton Curry (SCAR)- 22.01
6. Lexi Mulvihill (AUB)- 22.03
7. Kaitlyn Owens (TAMU)- 22.04
8. Ava Longi (TEX)- 22.15

Tennessee sprinter Camille Spink held onto her top seed in the 50 free, dropping three tenths from her prelims swim to go 21.23. The time was also a tenth drop from the 21.33 she went in November. This time would also have been 2nd in the country before this week, only after Gretchen Walsh.

Cadence Vincent redeemed her 11th place finish from last year, finishing 2nd in the event tonight. She also went a new best time, dropping from the 21.73 she went in November. 

‘B’ final winner Kailyn Winter went 21.94 from Alabama, which would have been 5th in the event.

2024 SEC bronze medalist Mona McSharry finished 18th in the event, swimming 22.20. This was about half-a-second off the 21.74 she went at last year’s SECs. McSharry also won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 100 breaststroke, but she took the fall semester off training before returning to Tennessee for her final semester.

A Final:

Men’s 50 Freestyle — Finals

• NCAA Record: 17.63 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• SEC Record: 17.63 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• SEC Championship Record: 17.93 — Jordan Crooks, Tennessee (2023)
• 2025 NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.72

Top 8 Finishers

1. Jordan Crooks (TENN)- 17.85 **New Championship Record**
2. Josh Liendo (FLOR)- 18.35 (NCAA A Standard)
3. Gui Caribe (TENN)- 18.42 (NCAA A Standard)
4. Jere Hribar (LSU)- 18.65 (NCAA A Standard)
5. Connor Foote (TAMU)- 18.67 (NCAA A Standard)
6. Scotty Buff (FLOR)- 18.73
7. Alex Painter (FLOR)- 18.80
8. Chris Guiliano (TEX)- 18.85

Jordan Crooks does it again, setting a new championship record in the men’s 50 freestyle at 17.85. This was a new best time for him, and was the 3rd fastest time in history, only behind Caeleb Dressel‘s 17.63 and 17.81 from the 2018 NCAA championships.

Josh Liendo went 18.35 for 2nd, a three tenth add from the 18.07 mark he set at last year’s NCAA Championships.

Gui Caribe from Tennessee rounded out the podium at 18.42, a 15 one-hundredth drop from the 18.57 he went at NCAAs last year. 

Texas swimmer Chris Guiliano finished 8th in 18.85, which was four tenths off the 18.43 he went last March. 

Women’s 3-Meter Diving

1. Sophie Verzyl (SCAR)- 392.15
2. Aljeandra Estudillo (TEX)- 369.50
3. Hailey Hernandez (TEX)- 335.05
4. Bayleigh Cranford (TEX)- 331.80
5. Montserrat Lavenant (LSU)- 324.80
6. Camyla Monroy (FLOR)- 320.95
7. Else Praasterink (TAMU)- 319.35
8. Caroline Kupka (TEX)- 304.50

 South Carolina Junior Sophie Verzyl scored 392.15 in the women’s 3 meter to win the event. Her score was 22.65 points ahead of Alejandra Estudillo‘s 369.50 for 2nd.

Texas also picked up the 3rd, 4th, and 8th place finishes in the event with Hailey Hernandez (3rd- 335.05), Bayleigh Cranford (4th- 331.80), and Caroline Kupka (8th- 304.50)

Camyla Monroy and Else Praasterink had the closest scores, separated by only 1.6 points.

Updated Team Scores

Women

1. Texas- 677
2. Tennessee- 381
3. Florida- 369
4. Georgia- 322.5
5. South Carolina- 273
6. Texas A&M- 268
7. LSU- 248
8. Alabama- 236
9. Auburn- 180.5
10. Missouri- 177
11. Kentucky- 163
12. Arkansas- 135
13. Vanderbilt- 86

Men

1. Texas- 505
2. Florida- 421.5
3. Tennessee- 327.5
4. Georgia- 309
5. Texas A&M- 264
6. LSU- 237
7. Alabama- 225
8. Auburn- 199
9. Kentucky- 176
10. South Carolina- 152
11. Missouri- 128