Aggies Battle Past Longhorns for Big 12 Relays Title

The Aggies and Longhorns have had some epic battles over the past four seasons and Friday’s Big 12 Relays proved no different.

The University of Texas won five of the first eight events but the Aggies, led by past NCAA runner-ups Alia Atkinson and Julia Wilkinson, reeled the Longhorns in during the back half of the meet. After encountering a three-point deficit in the team race on four separate occasions during the first half of the meet, A&M eventually went on a four race win streak to grab an 86-81 lead with three races to go. After dropping the 3 x 50 breaststroke, the Aggies essentially clinched their fourth Big 12 Relays title in six years thanks to a win in the 200x400x200 individually medley relay.

“It was a great way to compete in the first meet of the year,” said A&M head coach Steve Bultman. “I was happy with the way we stepped up and performed. We had some strong swims and posted some quality early season times, so I’m really pleased with the way we competed.”

A&M got a huge boost from a diving corps that has undergone a tumultuous few weeks with the loss of its long-time coach. With no full-time diving coach in attendance, the Aggie divers drew even with the Texas diving unit for the meet. The trio of Haley Haynes, Jaele Patrick, and Janie Potvin won the three-meter springboard while taking second being the Longhorns on the one-meter.

“It was a tremendous effort from the divers,” Bultman said. “I can’t say enough about the way they got the job done. Their performance was crucial to the team’s victory.”

Texas scored its first win in the 300-yard butterfly relay, where sophomores Karlee Bispo, Leah Gingrich and Kathleen Hersey were victorious in 2 minutes, 44.90 seconds.  The Horns took the next event, the 300 breaststroke relay, as freshman Bethany Adams, junior Carlye Ellis and senior Alexi Spann took first in 3:13.18. 

The Longhorns tacked on their third straight victory in the 300 backstroke relay, where freshman Jessica Guro, Hersey and sophomore Katie Riefenstahl placed first at 2:43.85.  Texas later added a win in the 400 freestyle relay, where Bispo, Riefenstahl, Adams and Hersey finished in 3:21.16.