By KramerNew teams and faces graced the pool at the 2013 Men’s SEC Swimming and Diving Championships, but the biggest change of all was the name on the trophy. The Florida Gators blistered the field by over 200 points and put an end to Auburn’s long run of conference dominance. Can the Gators defend their crown? Can Auburn reclaim what most Tiger supporters believe is their birthright? Is there another team ready to pounce if either or both of those squads falter? All eyes will be focused on the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the University of Georgia campus for the answers to these and many more questions.
Florida
Head Coach: Gregg Troy 2013 Finish: 1st
Florida appears ready willing and able to repeat as conference champions. The Gators return a cavalcade of versatile stars that piled up points in 2013 and give the Florida coaching staff a myriad of lineup options. Martin Cieslak returns off wins in both butterfly events last year and as the top seed in the 200 IM. Sebastian Rousseau has a top five conference rank in four events and tops Cieslak in the 200 fly entering the meet. Dan Wallace is a strong IMer and mid-distance freestyler, while Matt Elliot and Bradley Deborde are the key to medley relay supremacy . The Gator distance squad is as formidable as always with sophomore Arthur Frayler and freshman Andrea D’Arrigo leading the way.
Auburn
Head Coach: Brett Hawke 2013 Finish: 2nd
The Tigers hope some of the magic on display at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2013 rubs off on them as they have their work cut out to start a new SEC title streak. All eyes will be on just how fast senior Marcelo Chierighini can go after he produced a series of blazing times and splits last year. Fellow senior James Disney-May is right behind Chierighini in the sprint freestyle events and provides great relay strength. Super freshman Joe Patching is a threat to win both backstroke events and Zane Grothe provides distance freestyle power. Another freshman, Michael Duderstadt, hasn’t missed a beat as the primary breaststroker. Diver John Santeiu returns off his 3 ‘A’ final performances, which included a win on the tower.
Georgia
Head Coach: Jack Bauerle 2013 Finish: 3rd
Home pool advantage coupled with distance and IM power are the keys to a Bulldog move up the standings. Chase Kalisz continues to show he is a big time talent, and may look to add the 200 fly crown to his IM sweep as a freshman last season. Nic Fink tops the breaststroke favorites and will push his teammate in the 200 IM. Once again, Georgia enters the championship season loaded in the distance events with Will Freeman, Matias Koski and Andrew Gemmell poised to score big points. Ty Stewart is the top 200 back seed and another name to watch in the 200 IM showdown. Michael Trice will be counted on to anchor relays and score much needed sprint freestyle points.
Tennessee
Head Coach: Matt Kredich 2013 Finish: 4th
The Volunteer men took a huge jump up from seeded projections in 2013, and appear poised for a similar move in 2014. Australian import Luke Percy has speed to burn and will challenge the big boys in the sprint events. Senior Sam Rairden returns from a brilliant performance that saw him finish in the runner-up position in all his individual events. Sean Lehane was a backstroke and relay mainstay as a freshman and will be called upon to be even better in year two. Renato Prono’s breaststroke sprint skills are crucial for relay success, while Mauricio Robles leads the Tennessee diving crew.
Missouri
Head Coach: Greg Rhodenbaugh 2013 Finish: 5th
The Tigers are on the rise and have their sights set on improving their fifth-place finish. Diver David Bonuchi just missed out on a sweep of all three boards in College Station a year ago and is one of the best in the country. Sam Tierney and Igor Kozlovski are again in a position to pile up massive individual medley and breaststroke points. Logan Mosely tops the 100 back rankings and sits fourth in the 100 fly entering the meet. Michael Chadwick has a freestyle spot on four of Missouri’s ranked relay times, and Mack Darragh will also contribute to the IM points haul and is a top 200 fly contender.
LSU
Head Coach: Dave Geyer 2013 Finish: 6th
Once again, junior Frank Greeff will be called upon to do yeoman’s duty in both individual events and on relays. Greeff has identical sixth place rankings in both butterfly events. Backstroker Michael Young brings individual scoring along with medley relay leadoff punch. Sean McKinney is another diver returning to the meet off an ‘A’ final finish last year. Gabriel Rooker’s breaststroke could prove instrumental in improved medley relay finishes, and expect Michael Saco or Marco Gonzalez to get the call on the freestyle anchor for the Tigers’ relays.
Texas A&M
Head Coach: Jay Holmes 2013 Finish: 7th
Senior power is the key to success for Texas A&M in 2014. Henrik Lindau is the top ranked Aggie in an individual event, currently ranking second in the 100 fly. Kyle Troskot has the third fastest 50 freestyle so far on the season. Another senior, Paul-Marc Schweitzer is the Aggies top dog in the 200 free and combines with Lindau, Troskot, and Sophomore Cory Bolleter for the SEC’s second-ranked 200 free relay time. Ford McLiney returns in hopes of bettering his total of 71.5 diving points from last year.
South Carolina
Head Coach: McGee Moody 2013 Finish: 8th
Michael Flach returns having contributed to more than 20 percent of the Gamecocks points last year. Flach remains the keg cog for Carolina success, but he has help in fellow senior Jay Warner. Warner produced a fifth-place finish in the 100 back along with ‘C’ final points in his other individual events and valuable relay points. Kevin Leithold is in position to challenge for ‘A’ final spots in the 100 and 200 free and 100 breast. Cole Miller looks to improve on a fifth-place three-meter springboard finish.
Kentucky
Head Coach: Lars Jorgensen 2013 Finish: 9th
Wildcat senior Greg Ferrucci has designs on an SEC diving title after finishing runner-up on both springboards and leading the platform after prelims a year ago. Eric Bruck is Kentucky’s main man in freestyle, leading off the free relays and anchoring the medleys. Just a freshman, Brandon Flynn is capable of multiple finals appearances if he can improve on his early season times. Lucas Gerrotto can score in the back and fly, finishing sixth and 14th, respectively in 2013.
Alabama
Head Coach: Dennis Pursley 2013 Finish: 10th
Another senior looking to break through with an event win in his last conference meet, BJ Hornikel is a threat in the 50 through 200 freestyles. Brett Walsh will also be counted on by the Crimson Tide to score points in freestyle and butterfly. Sophomore Brian Westlake was eighth in the 500 and 11th in the mile in his SEC debut. Freshman Anton McKee enters the competition seeded top eight in both breaststroke events.
