The Florida men and the Georgia women lead the 2014 Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships following the third day of competition, which took place on Thursday in front of 1,232 fans at the Gabrielsen Natatorium on the campus of the University of Georgia.
The Georgia women have won nine of 11 events so far in the event and lead the team standings with 879 total points. Florida is second with 642, while Texas A&M is third with 614.
The Florida men won a pair of events on Thursday night and surged into the team lead with 773.5 points. Auburn is second with 721.5, while Georgia is third with 588.
Florida’s Elizabeth Beisel became just the second athlete in SEC history to win four consecutive women’s 400 individual medley titles, capturing this year’s event in a nation-leading time of 3:59.26. Beisel joins former Auburn swimmer Maggie Bowen (2000-03) as the only other four-time winner of the women’s 400 IM. Georgia’s Melanie Margalis was second in 3:59.85, while Texas A&M’s Sarah Henry was third in 4:03.90.
Georgia’s Chase Kalisz defended his title in the men’s 400 individual medley, clocking an SEC-record time of 3:36.89 en route to the victory. He shattered the previous SEC record of 3:37.75, set by Florida’s Conor Dwyer in 2011 and Kalisz’s time went down as one of the fastest in collegiate history. Florida’s Dan Wallace was second in 3:38.96, while teammate Connor Signorin was third in 3:43.34.
Florida’s Ellese Zalewski took home the women’s 100 butterfly title in a time of 51.58, giving the Gators their second consecutive title in the event after Natalie Hinds won in 2013. Kentucky’s Christina Bechtel was second in 51.69, while Georgia’s Lauren Harrington was third in 52.07.
Florida’s Marcin Cieslak won the men’s 100 butterfly championship for the third time in four years, doing so in a time of 45.69. Georgia’s Doug Reynolds was second in 45.90, while Tennessee’s Sam Rairden was third in 45.92.
Georgia’s Laura Ryan captured the women’s 3-meter diving event for the second consecutive year with a winning score of 413.75. She became the first back-to-back winner in the event since South Carolina’s Michelle Davisson in 1998 and 1999. UGA teammate Ann-Perry Blank was second in 363.80, while LSU’s Cassie Weil was third in 357.45.
Georgia’s Shannon Vreeland claimed the women’s 200 freestyle, clocking an SEC-record time of 1:41.83 and giving UGA four of the last five titles in that event. Vreeland broke the previous SEC record of 1:42.46 set by Georgia’s Morgan Scroggy in 2011. Tennessee’s Lindsay Gendron, the 2013 SEC women’s 200 freestyle champion, was second in 1:43.35, while Georgia’s Brittany MacLean was third in 1:43.88.
Florida’s Sebastien Rousseau won the men’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:33.23. That gave the Gators three consecutive titles in the event, accomplished by three different athletes over the past three years. Teammate Mitch D’Arrigo was second in 1:33.95, while Alabama’s BJ Hornikel was third in 1:34.25.
Day four of the 2014 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships begins on Friday at 10 a.m. ET with the prelims and 6 p.m. ET with the finals. Friday’s final events will be streamed live on ESPN3 (http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/1652061/SEC-Swimming-&-Diving-Championships).
For all of the latest information on SEC Swimming and Diving, please log on to www.SECDigitalNetwork.com.
2014 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships: Day Three (February 20, 2014 – Athens, Ga.)
Thursday Finals Results
Men’s Team Standings (through 11 events): 1. Florida 773.5; 2. Auburn 721.5; 3. Georgia 588; 4. Texas A&M 382; 5. Tennessee 374; 6. Alabama 352; 7. Missouri 343; 8. South Carolina 293; 9. Kentucky 278; 10. LSU 255.
Women’s Team Standings (through 11 events): 1. Georgia 879; 2. Florida 642; 3. Texas A&M 614; 4. Tennessee 439; 5. Auburn 351; 6. Arkansas 286; 7. LSU 285; 8. Missouri 281; 9. Alabama 248; 10. Kentucky 236; 11. South Carolina 150; 12. Vanderbilt 94.
Women’s 400 Individual Medley (A final)
1. Elizabeth Beisel, UF (3:59.26); 2. Melanie Margalis, UG (3:59.85); 3. Sarah Henry, AM (4:03.90); 4. Amber McDermott, UG (4:07.09); 5. Nicole Vernon, UG (4:07.85); 6. Hali Flickinger, UG (4:07.91); 7. Lauren Driscoll, UT (4:12.60); 8. Jessica Thielmann, UF (4:13.44).
Men’s 400 Individual Medley (A final)
1. Chase Kalisz, UG (3:36.89); 2. Dan Wallace, UF (3:38.96); 3. Connor Signorin, UF (3:43.34); 4. Matthew Elliott, UF (3:43.60); 5. Jared Markham, UG (3:44.93); 6. Simon Frank, AM (3:45.86); 7. Carlos Omana, UF (3:45.95); 8. Tristan Slater, UT (3:46.00).
Women’s 100 Butterfly (A final)
1. Ellese Zalewski, UF (51.58); 2. Christina Bechtel, UK (51.69); 3. Lauren Harrington, UG (52.07); 4. Natalie Hinds, UF (52.32); 5. Carol McElhany, AM (52.48); 6. Dani Barbiea, MU (52.49); 7. Kristel Vourna, UA (52.66); 8. Paige Miller, AM (52.99).
Men’s 100 Butterfly (A final)
1. Marcin Cieslak, UF (45.69); 2. Doug Reynolds, UG (45.90); 3. Sam Rairden, UT (45.92); 4. Arthur Mendes, AU (46.24); 5. Cam Jones, AU (46.63); 6. Bradley deBorde, UF (46.67); T7. Marcelo Chierighini, AU (46.83); T7. Frank Greeff, LS (46.83).
Women’s 3-Meter Diving
1. Laura Ryan, UG (413.75); 2. Ann-Perry Blank, UG (363.80); 3. Cassie Weil, LS (357.45); 4. Paige McCleary, UA (348.50); 5. Kahlia Warner, UF (347.30); 6. Tori Lamp, UT (343.05); 7. Shanna Schuelein, AU (341.40); 8. Figgy Figueroa, MU (309.35).
Women’s 200 Freestyle (A final)
1. Shannon Vreeland, UG (1:41.83); 2. Lindsay Gendron, UT (1:43.35); 3. Brittany MacLean, UG (1:43.88); 4. Jordan Mattern, UG (1:44.19); 5. Liliana Ibanez Lopez, AM (1:44.96); 6. Kelli Benjamin, AM (1:45.48); 7. Sinead Russell, UF (1:45.80); 8. Megan Cox, LS (1:47.30).
Men’s 200 Freestyle (A final)
1. Sebastien Rousseau, UF (1:33.23); 2. Mitch D’Arrigo, UF (1:33.95); 3. BJ Hornikel, UA (1:34.25); 4. Pawel Werner, UF (1:34.48); 5. Matias Koski, UG (1:34.54); 6. Sean Lehane, UT (1:34.67); 7. Zane Grothe, AU (1:35.49); 8. Corey Main, UF (1:36.47).
