SEC – WOMEN SWIMMING & DIVING + MEN DIVING
- Wednesday 17 February – Saturday 20 February 2021
- W Swimming: Gabrielsen Natatorium – Athens, GA (Eastern Time Zone)
- W&M Diving: Mizzou Aquatics Center – Columbia, MO (Central Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Tennessee (1x) (results)
- Live results – Meet mobile
- Live Video – SEC Network
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheets
We reached the post-season after an entire NCAA season amid the pandemic, and tonight is the first final session of the 2021 SEC Women’s Championship. Aside from the COVID-19 precautionary restrictions and a non-spectator rule, this year is different because the men’s and women’s events, which are traditionally combined and over five days of competition, are separated into two different four-day events.
Tonight is the final round for 200 relays and 800 free relays. An extremely competitive conference, this year’s SEC Championship, Georgia will lead the charge against defending champion Tennessee. Georgia has not won since 2015, while Tennessee’s title unleashed a four-year series by Texas A&M in 2020 and was the Lady Vols’ first conference crown ever.
Tennessee won both relays on the first night of the competition last year. Mizzou holds the leading position in the 200 relay tonight (1: 36.00), and Georgia in the 800 (7: 03.94).
200 MEDLEY RELAY – TYDSE END
- SEC Record – 1: 34.26, Tennessee 2019
- NCAA Qualifying Cut – 1: 36.40
- 2020 Champion – Tennessee, 1: 35.38
- Alabama 1: 34.68
- Mizzou 1: 35.61
- Kentucky 1: 35.87
Both the second and third qualifiers ended with unofficial results, with meeting officials checking video review for various disqualifications. After the three heats were completed, it was announced that Auburn and Georgia were DQs. Georgia finished second in 1: 35.49 before asking for their relay for an early takeoff.
Alabama was star in this relay, as Rhyan White a 23.35 lead in heat two of three (teams are spread out in every other lane for the COVID-19 safety protocol), making her the second fastest 50 backstroke in SCY history. Only Maggie MacNeil of Michigan was faster (23.05), and White knocked Rachel Bootsma off the previous No. 2 slot (33.36). Kaila Wong was 27.35 on the sternum, followed by a mighty 22.45 flybone of Morgan Scott and a strong 21.53 anchor of Cora Dupre when they broke their school record by almost two seconds.
Mizzou, who led the SEC with 1: 36.00, finished second in 1: 35.61, while Kentucky was the only other team under 1:36 at 1: 35.87. Mizzou has a 22.42 fly leg of Sarah Thompson, while Kentucky had a lead of 23.92 from Caitlin Brooks and a 21.58 anchor of Riley Gaines. It’s a big leap for Kentucky, who was 11th last year with the same four legs. Kentucky also posted nearly a second of their old record, a 1: 36.75 from earlier this season.
Tennessee finished fourth in 1: 36.41 tonight, just .01 off the automatic qualifying standard in this relay, and got a 26.64 first-year sternum Mona McSharry and an anchor of 21.43 from senior Bailey Grinter, while Texas A&M finished fifth in 1: 37.49, their relay consisted of senior Kara Eisenmann and three freshmen. Star first year Chloe Stepanek anchored the Aggies with a 21.63.
Florida (1: 37.83) and Arkansas (1: 37.92) both break 1:38, as freshmen Cecilia Porter dropped a stern of 26.90 for the Gators.
800 FREE RELAY – TIME FINAL
- SEC Record – 6: 52.54, Georgia 2013
- NCAA Qualifying Cuts – 7: 00.86
- 2020 Champion – Tennessee, 6: 53.27
- Kentucky – 6: 58.58
- Florida – 6: 58.91
- Georgia – 6: 59.42
In the last heat, a four-way battle broke out between Kentucky and Alabama on the outside lanes and Florida and Georgia on the inside lanes.
Kentucky was able to hold on to the end, gaining a lead of 1: 45.22 Izzy Gati, 1: 45.14 of Kaitlynn Wheeler, 1: 45.78 of Sophie Sorenson and a big 1: 42.44 second inning of Riley Gaines.
Florida was 6: 58.91 for the second, with a big front half of Talia Bates (1: 43.38) and Katie Mack (1: 44.85), while Georgia recovered from their medley relay DQ with a 6: 59.42 for third. Courtney Harnish was 1: 42.96, an important lead and a new age best with a few tenths, and Zoie Hartman anchored in a 1: 43.54. Bates, meanwhile, missed Caroline Burckle’s UF record of 1: 43.10 from early 2008.
Alabama was also solid in fourth place, winning 7: 01.36 and taking a lead of 1: 43.69 Morgan Scott who breaks her own school record. Their relay also achieved a school record.
After trailing two by three in heat, Tennessee got a big 1: 42.91 anchor Tjasa Pintar after three 1:46s to push them past Texas A&M, which led to the vast majority of the race. Tennessee finished fourth in 7: 02.41.
Freshmen Chloe Stepanek dropped the best lifetime 1: 43.36 to drive Texas A&M to fifth overall tonight with a 7: 02.93.
1-METER DIVING FINALS
- SEC record – 364.30, Lauren Reedy (Mizzou) 2017
- 2020 Champion – Alison Maillard (Auburn), 364.15
SPANTS
Diving is not included, which has not started yet
- 118. Kentucky
- 116. Alabama
- Florida 104
- Tennessee 102
- Texas A&M 98
- Missouri 96
- LSU 84
- Arkansas 80
- South Carolina 76
- Vanderbilt 64
- Georgia 54
- Rooibruin 46