Emma Weyant, Baylor Nelson Repeat in 400 IM

SEC Championships, Night 3: Emma Weyant, Baylor Nelson Repeat in 400 IM

Emma Weyant is now a two-time SEC champion in the 400 individual medley. She got a run for her money Thursday night at Auburn University.

Weyant trailed teammate Zoe Dixon for the first 150 meters before surging to the lead, then pulling away for a 1-2 finish. More important for Florida was taking three of the top four spots in taking a stranglehold on the team standings.

Baylor Nelson also repeated as 400 IM champ, doing the IM double for the second straight year.

All the action on Night 3:

Team Scores

 Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 15                 
 
  1. University of Tennessee           475   2. University of Florida             440
  3. Georgia, University of            363   4. Auburn University               312.5
  5. Texas A&M University            256.5   6. University of Alabama           250.5
  7. Louisiana State University        230   8. South Carolina, University of,    173
  8. University of Kentucky            173  10. Missouri                        168.5
 11. University of Arkansas            132  12. Vanderbilt University              94

Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 17                  
 
  1. University of Florida             622   2. Texas A&M University              468
  3. University of Tennessee           392   4. Georgia, University of            381
  5. Auburn University                 373   6. Louisiana State University        266
  7. University of Kentucky            191   8. University of Alabama             187
  9. South Carolina, University of,    183  10. Missouri                          176

Women’s 400 individual medley

Emma Weyant threw down an NCAA A cut 4:01.20 to win. It’s the second fastest time in the nation this season. Ultimately it put her 2.13 seconds ahead of teammate Zoe Dixon. But Dixon was only .17 back at the midpoint, hitting the front half hard.

Dixon was ninth last year. Her teammate Anna Auld was 10th, but jumped to fourth this season in 4:09.30. That 86 points in just those three for Florida, helping the Gators go from 35 points behind Tennessee to more than 100 ahead when all was tallied up.

Weyant and Dixon booked NCAA A cuts. Texas A&M’s Giulia Georigk medaled in third in 4:06.79. She was third last year. Hannah Ownbey of Auburn went from seventh last year to fifth in 4:10.03. Freshmen Sydney Sanders and Julia Podkoscielny were sixth and seventh.

 Event 18  Women 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 3:54.60  3/16/2018 Ella Eastin, Stanford
          SEC: S 3:58.23  3/22/2022 Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 3:58.35  2012      Elizabeth Beisel, Florida
         Pool: P 3:56.54  3/16/2012 Katinka Hosszu, Southern Cal
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Weyant, Emma J         JR FLOR-FL           4:04.62    4:01.20   32  
    r:+0.76  26.49        56.02 (29.53)
        1:26.46 (30.44)     1:56.64 (30.18)
        2:31.03 (34.39)     3:06.08 (35.05)
        3:33.78 (27.70)     4:01.20 (27.42)
  2 Dixon, Zoe A           SO FLOR-FL           4:08.07    4:03.33   28  
    r:+0.65  25.84        55.59 (29.75)
        1:26.26 (30.67)     1:56.43 (30.17)
        2:31.25 (34.82)     3:06.25 (35.00)
        3:35.23 (28.98)     4:03.33 (28.10)
  3 Goerigk, Giulia        SO Texas A&M-GU      4:10.18    4:06.79   27  
    r:+0.71  26.39        57.16 (30.77)
        1:29.38 (32.22)     2:00.85 (31.47)
        2:35.20 (34.35)     3:10.05 (34.85)
        3:38.65 (28.60)     4:06.79 (28.14)
  4 Auld, Anna R           JR FLOR-FL           4:11.65    4:09.39   26  
    r:+0.65  27.00        57.47 (30.47)
        1:29.88 (32.41)     2:01.45 (31.57)
        2:36.60 (35.15)     3:11.68 (35.08)
        3:41.27 (29.59)     4:09.39 (28.12)
  5 Ownbey, Hannah C       SR Auburn-SE         4:09.79    4:10.03   25  
    r:+0.64  26.55        57.17 (30.62)
        1:29.60 (32.43)     2:01.40 (31.80)
        2:36.77 (35.37)     3:12.29 (35.52)
        3:41.60 (29.31)     4:10.03 (28.43)
  6 Sanders, Sydney M      FR BAMA-SE           4:12.93    4:12.66   24  
    r:+0.75  27.43        58.10 (30.67)
        1:30.81 (32.71)     2:02.89 (32.08)
        2:37.96 (35.07)     3:13.69 (35.73)
        3:43.99 (30.30)     4:12.66 (28.67)
  7 Podkoscielny, Julia P  FR FLOR-FL           4:14.34    4:17.78   23  
    r:+0.66  26.74        58.58 (31.84)
        1:31.27 (32.69)     2:03.08 (31.81)
        2:39.36 (36.28)     3:16.54 (37.18)
        3:47.79 (31.25)     4:17.78 (29.99)
 -- Rice, Anna Havens      SR UK Wildcats-KY    4:14.44         DQ  
      Shoulders past vertical toward breast - back
    r:+0.69  26.30        56.41 (30.11)
        1:28.94 (32.53)     2:01.59 (32.65)
        2:36.85 (35.26)     3:13.55 (36.70)
        3:43.73 (30.18)          DQ (28.60)

Men’s 400 individual medley

Baylor Nelson is the double IM champ for the second time, going 3:38.05 for an NCAA A cut and the title. Nelson made the move on backstroke with a pair of 30-points (30.40, 30.68) to launch ahead of Ian Grum and into the lead. The Georgia grad student, who was third last year, got the silver medal in 3:39.48.

Third was Giovanni Lindscheer of Florida in 3:39.61. He edged out Florida teammate Mason Laur by .04 and Georgia’s Jake Magahey by .06. Linscheer was fourth last year, Laur sixth.

Event 19  Men 400 Yard IM
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 3:28.82  3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona State
          SEC: S 3:33.42  3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
     SEC Meet: M 3:35.76  2018      Hugo Gonzalez, Auburn
         Pool: P 3:37.31  2/20/2020 Kieran Smith, Florida
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Nelson, Baylor M       SO Texas A&M-GU      3:41.65    3:38.05   32  
    r:+0.66  23.35        50.00 (26.65)
        1:18.04 (28.04)     1:45.21 (27.17)
        2:15.61 (30.40)     2:46.29 (30.68)
        3:12.39 (26.10)     3:38.05 (25.66)
  2 Grum, Ian P            GS UGA-GA            3:40.48    3:39.48   28  
    r:+0.67  22.29        48.21 (25.92)
        1:15.60 (27.39)     1:42.46 (26.86)
        2:14.32 (31.86)     2:47.53 (33.21)
        3:13.59 (26.06)     3:39.48 (25.89)
  3 Linscheer, Giovanni R  SO FLOR-FL           3:40.63    3:39.61   27  
    r:+0.71  24.07        50.87 (26.80)
        1:19.58 (28.71)     1:47.11 (27.53)
        2:17.96 (30.85)     2:48.85 (30.89)
        3:14.71 (25.86)     3:39.61 (24.90)
  4 Laur, Mason A          JR FLOR-FL           3:42.07    3:39.65   26  
    r:+0.65  23.06        49.69 (26.63)
        1:18.11 (28.42)     1:45.77 (27.66)
        2:16.60 (30.83)     2:48.42 (31.82)
        3:14.47 (26.05)     3:39.65 (25.18)
  5 Magahey, Jake M        SR UGA-GA            3:41.59    3:39.67   25  
    r:+0.66  23.08        49.53 (26.45)
        1:18.06 (28.53)     1:45.86 (27.80)
        2:16.86 (31.00)     2:48.84 (31.98)
        3:14.67 (25.83)     3:39.67 (25.00)
  6 Rathle, Jacques L      JR Auburn-SE         3:42.30    3:41.52   24  
    r:+0.62  23.25        50.01 (26.76)
        1:18.85 (28.84)     1:47.21 (28.36)
        2:17.80 (30.59)     2:49.33 (31.53)
        3:15.76 (26.43)     3:41.52 (25.76)
  7 Driggers, Landon       SO Tennessee-SE      3:42.03    3:42.68   23  
    r:+0.71  24.19        51.71 (27.52)
        1:19.75 (28.04)     1:47.20 (27.45)
        2:18.79 (31.59)     2:50.64 (31.85)
        3:17.18 (26.54)     3:42.68 (25.50)
  8 Schmidt, Danny         SO Auburn-SE         3:44.12    3:48.57   22  
    r:+0.66  23.50        50.61 (27.11)
        1:19.09 (28.48)     1:47.09 (28.00)
        2:19.41 (32.32)     2:53.22 (33.81)
        3:21.17 (27.95)     3:48.57 (27.40)

Women’s 100 butterfly

Olivia Peoples made it two wins in two for Florida, riding a strong front half to hold off Auburn’s Meghan Lee for the win in 50.47 seconds. Both Peoples and Lee, who went 50.66, notched A cuts.

Lee was second last year when Maggie MacNeil set the meet record. Peoples finished sixth.

Texas A&M freshman Miranda Grana grabbed a silver medal in 51.32 seconds with a  strong second half of the race. She edged fellow rookie Gaby Van Brunt of Alabama. South Carolina’s Greta Pelzek finished fifth in 51.77.

Event 20  Women 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 48.46  3/14/2023 Kate Douglass, Virginia
          SEC: S 48.51  3/18/2023 Maggie MacNeil, LSU
     SEC Meet: M 48.99  2023      Maggie MacNeil, LSU
         Pool: P 49.38  2/20/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Peoples, Olivia G      JR FLOR-FL             51.38      50.47   32  
    r:+0.61  10.65        23.74 (13.09)
          36.73 (12.99)       50.47 (13.74)
  2 Lee, Meghan R          SR Auburn-SE           51.24      50.66   28  
    r:+0.63  10.99        23.94 (12.95)
          37.04 (13.10)       50.66 (13.62)
  3 Grana, Miranda P       FR Texas A&M-GU        52.21      51.32   27  
    r:+0.67  11.16        24.30 (13.14)
          37.60 (13.30)       51.32 (13.72)
  4 Van Brunt, Gaby M      FR BAMA-SE             52.06      51.68   26  
    r:+0.72  10.91        23.98 (13.07)
          37.59 (13.61)       51.68 (14.09)
  5 Pelzek, Greta J        JR South Carolina-S    51.93      51.77   25  
    r:+0.52  11.29        24.44 (13.15)
          37.95 (13.51)       51.77 (13.82)
  6 Stotler, Sara B        SO Tennessee-SE        52.35      52.21   24  
    r:+0.65  11.01        24.29 (13.28)
          37.85 (13.56)       52.21 (14.36)
  7 Toh, Nicholle          SR South Carolina-S    52.24      52.34   23  
    r:+0.62  11.16        24.48 (13.32)
          38.12 (13.64)       52.34 (14.22)
  8 Waldrep, Ellie G       JR Auburn-SE           52.29      53.13   22  
    r:+0.58  11.26        24.59 (13.33)
          38.60 (14.01)       53.13 (14.53)

Men’s 100 butterfly

Two male swimmers have been under 44 seconds this season in the NCAA. Both are named Josh Liendo.

After a meet record 43.89 in the morning, Liendo reversed those last two digits to go 43.98 at night, winning gold for the second straight year. He got a push from teammate Scotty Buff, who delivered a sensational swim in 44.38 to get an NCAA A cut. Buff was right on Liendo’s tail, but the Canadian swam away from his teammate as the final wall approached.

Texas A&M sophomore Connor Foote grabbed the bronze medal in 44.76. Harrison Lierz of Tennessee was fourth in 45.40. Both finaled last year, Foote sixth and Lierz eighth. Sohib Khaled of Auburn was fifth, .01 upon Tennessee’s Bjorn Kammann.

Event 21  Men 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
          SEC: S 42.80  3/23/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 43.89  2024      Josh Liendo, Florida
         Pool: P 43.89  2/22/2024 Josh Liendo, Florida
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Liendo, Josh           SO FLOR-FL             43.89      43.98   32  
     r:+0.62  9.24        20.38 (11.14)
          32.05 (11.67)       43.98 (11.93)
  2 Buff, Scotty           FR FLOR-FL             45.00      44.38   28  
     r:+0.64  9.39        20.65 (11.26)
          32.13 (11.48)       44.38 (12.25)
  3 Foote, Connor          SO Texas A&M-GU        45.12      44.76   27  
     r:+0.63  9.54        20.66 (11.12)
          32.32 (11.66)       44.76 (12.44)
  4 Lierz, Harrison M      JR Tennessee-SE        45.63      45.40   26  
     r:+0.65  9.70        21.29 (11.59)
          33.14 (11.85)       45.40 (12.26)
  5 Khaled, Sohib          SO Auburn-SE           45.38      45.41   25  
     r:+0.61  9.42        21.09 (11.67)
          33.06 (11.97)       45.41 (12.35)
  6 Kammann, Bjoern        SO Tennessee-SE        45.72      45.52   24  
     r:+0.68  9.38        20.92 (11.54)
          33.06 (12.14)       45.52 (12.46)
  7 Stoffle, Nathaniel L   JR Auburn-SE           46.00      45.98   23  
     r:+0.60  9.52        21.06 (11.54)
          33.33 (12.27)       45.98 (12.65)
  8 Van Renen, Ruard       SO UGA-GA              45.84      46.20   22  
     r:+0.63  9.49        21.18 (11.69)
          33.35 (12.17)       46.20 (12.85)

Women’s 200 freestyle

Isabel Ivey navigated a daunting 200 free final to win in 1:41.85. Her final margin was a half-second over a trio of swimmers who also notched A cuts, but it was much faster in the moment. She was second after 150 yards and didn’t lead at any wall until the final touch.

Camille Spink ended up second for Tennessee, in 1:42.37. She was .04 ahead of Chloe Stepanek, last year’s runner-up. Reigning champion Brooklyn Douthwright led after 150 yards but slipped to fourth in 1:42.61.

Florida gained more points with Micalya Cronk fifth in 1:43.83. South Carolina picked up another scorer with Amy Riordan sixth.

Event 22  Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:39.10  3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
          SEC: S 1:40.90  2/20/2024 Bella Sims, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 1:40.90  2024      Bella Sims, Florida
         Pool: P 1:40.90  2/20/2024 Bella Sims, Florida
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Ivey, Isabel C         5Y FLOR-FL           1:42.85    1:41.85   32  
    r:+0.68  23.71        49.40 (25.69)
        1:15.57 (26.17)     1:41.85 (26.28)
  2 Spink, Camille            Tennessee-SE      1:43.53    1:42.37   28  
    r:+0.69  23.75        49.70 (25.95)
        1:15.96 (26.26)     1:42.37 (26.41)
  3 Stepanek, Chloe M      SR Texas A&M-GU      1:43.25    1:42.41   27  
    r:+0.67  23.74        49.59 (25.85)
        1:15.80 (26.21)     1:42.41 (26.61)
  4 Douthwright, Brooklyn     Tennessee-SE      1:43.47    1:42.61   26  
    r:+0.63  23.99        49.28 (25.29)
        1:15.23 (25.95)     1:42.61 (27.38)
  5 Cronk, Micayla M       JR FLOR-FL           1:44.72    1:43.83   25  
    r:+0.66  23.70        49.62 (25.92)
        1:16.32 (26.70)     1:43.83 (27.51)
  6 Riordan, Amy L         SO South Carolina-S  1:44.13    1:44.08   24  
    r:+0.65  24.38        50.91 (26.53)
        1:17.48 (26.57)     1:44.08 (26.60)
  7 Furse, Shea T          SO UGA-GA            1:45.02    1:44.23   23  
    r:+0.65  24.39        50.54 (26.15)
        1:17.32 (26.78)     1:44.23 (26.91)
  8 Mrozinski, Julia M     SO Tennessee-SE      1:44.94    1:47.37   22  
    r:+0.65  24.41        51.59 (27.18)
        1:19.61 (28.02)     1:47.37 (27.76)

Men’s 200 freestyle

The boys from Florida, they are buzzing. Macguire McDuff came back in 23.08 seconds to unseat reigning champ Charlie Hawke with a time of 1:30.64. That’s one of three NCAA A cuts in the race and improves the junior from the bronze medal last year.

Hawke appeared to have the measure of him through 150 yards, but the junior from Alabama couldn’t keep pace coming home and secured silver in 1:31.03. Jordan Crooks bagged bronze in 1:31.17.

Fourth was Jake Mitchell of Florida in 1:31.84, just a tenth off the A cut but with massive points for the Gators. Tomas Koski’s 1:31.93 led a trio of Georgia swimmers.

Event 23  Men 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:29.15  3/27/2019 Dean Farris, Harvard
          SEC: S 1:29.48  2/23/2021 Kieran Smith, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 1:29.48  2021      Kieran Smith, Florida
         Pool: P 1:30.11  2/18/2020 Kieren Smith, Florida
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 McDuff, Macguire V     JR FLOR-FL           1:31.40    1:30.64   32  
    r:+0.63  20.94        44.01 (23.07)
        1:07.56 (23.55)     1:30.64 (23.08)
  2 Hawke, Charlie J       JR BAMA-SE           1:31.47    1:31.03   28  
    r:+0.69  20.91        43.95 (23.04)
        1:07.40 (23.45)     1:31.03 (23.63)
  3 Crooks, Jordan J       SO Tennessee-SE      1:31.45    1:31.17   27  
    r:+0.60  20.91        44.19 (23.28)
        1:07.92 (23.73)     1:31.17 (23.25)
  4 Mitchell, Jake R       SR FLOR-FL           1:32.23    1:31.84   26  
    r:+0.69  21.30        44.41 (23.11)
        1:08.00 (23.59)     1:31.84 (23.84)
  5 Koski, Tomas S         FR UGA-GA            1:32.80    1:31.93   25  
    r:+0.64  21.31        44.53 (23.22)
        1:08.22 (23.69)     1:31.93 (23.71)
  6 Branzell, Reese        JR UGA-GA            1:32.43    1:32.26   24  
    r:+0.62  21.24        44.65 (23.41)
        1:08.61 (23.96)     1:32.26 (23.65)
  7 Dunham, Bradley        GS UGA-GA            1:32.77    1:32.79   23  
    r:+0.69  21.71        44.95 (23.24)
        1:08.84 (23.89)     1:32.79 (23.95)
  8 Alves, Kaique          JR BAMA-SE           1:32.77    1:33.14   22  
    r:+0.64  21.47        45.05 (23.58)
        1:08.94 (23.89)     1:33.14 (24.20)

Women’s 1-meter diving