THE FLATS – Despite seven gold medals and 22 in the top 2, Georgia Tech swimming and diving was unable to down nationally ranked Auburn on Saturday morning at the McAuley Aquatic Center.
“I’m super proud of the way we competed today,” head coach Courtney Shealy Hart said. “I think we’re better than we were a year ago, which is great. Our freshmen stepped up in a big way, which is always fun to see. From this point forward it’s about sharpening up the little things as we go into championship season.”
Caio Pumputis and Christian Ferraro led the way for the Yellow Jackets, recording two first-place finishes apiece on the day. Pumputis touched the wall first in the 200 free (1:36.85) and 200 back (1:47.75), while Ferraro garnered gold medals in the 200 fly (1:46.79) before he swam a career-best 2:01.63 in the 200 breast.
Tech also got impressive performances out of Miles Corben and freshman Dylan Scott. Corben led the field of swimmers in the 50 free with a time of 20.18, while Scott kicked hard to a 500 free time of 4:28.89.
The men’s relay team in the 200 free also took home the gold to cap the day strong. The squad of Corben, Pumputis, Ferraro and Darren Lim touched first with a time of 1:20.51.
Men’s Highlights
Scott continued his terrific meet, hitting a second-place finish in the 1000 free (9:27.93). Touching the wall second behind him was freshman Atticus Cohen, who PR’d with a 9:30.70 before Cale Russell scored with a fifth-place 9:33.53.
On the boards, freshman Ruben Lechuga recorded a pair of second-place finishes – (321.23 – 1-meter; 375.38 – 3-meter). Also on the 3-meter board, freshman Sam Witcher finished fourth (season-best 310.13) and Jacob Kreider finished fifth (309.68). Witcher and Kreider also finished fourth (273.23) and fifth (272.10) in the 1-meter, respectively.
Also finishing second was Jonathan Yang, who turned in a time of 56.08 in the 100 breast. Behind Yang was Tanner Doan, who swam a fifth-place time of 57.42.
In the first relay of the day, Georgia Tech started with a second-place 400 medley relay time of 3:19.36 by Kyle Barone, Yang, Ferraro and Darren Lim. Individually, Lim also touched second in the 50 free with a time of 20.66.
Pumputis then hauled in a third top-2 time in the 100 fly, swimming a career-best 48.27 before senior Clay Hering finished sixth with a 49.98 time.
Lim also turned in a top-2 time in the 100 free, swimming a 45.18 (second), before Albert Zhi turned in a fifth-place time of 45.36. Zhi also scored for Tech in the 200 free, swimming a 1:38.56 for fourth place.
Georgia Tech then owned the field of finalists in the 200 IM, finishing 2-3-4, respectively – Tanner Doan (1:51.42), Jackson Harvin (1:53.07), Joonas Koski (1:54.53).
In the 100 back, Barone led the way with a time of 49.74 (third), before Leon Warnakulasuriya touched the wall fifth (54.08). Barone was also able to score for Tech in the 200 back, touching fifth with a time of 1:53.08.
Behind Ferraro in the 200 fly, Clay Hering kicked hard to a time of 1:48.53 to finish third. Then behind Ferraro in the 200 breast, Yang finished third with a time of 2:03.63.
Behind Scott in the 500 free, senior Koski finished fourth (4:33.77) before Cohen’s fifth-place finish (4:37.75).
Women’s Highlights
Allie Paschal had a fine day, beginning with a second-place time of 55.33 in the 100 back. On her heels was senior Caroline Lee, who finished third with a time of 56.38. Paschal then captured her second top-2 time of the day with a 1:59.65 (second) performance in the 200 back. On her heels again was Lee (2:04.65), who finished fourth.
On the boards, Camryn Hidalgo dove to back-to-back second-place honors, scoring 312.23 in the 3-meter and 289.28 in the 1-meter. Right behind her on the day was freshman Carmen Woodruff, who finished third in the 1-meter (247.20) and fifth in the 3-meter (266.03).
Georgia Tech then swept the 2-3-4 in the 200 IM, with Kristen Hepler (2:04.31), Catriona MacGregor (2:06.42) and McKenzie Campbell (2:07.82) scoring in the event.
Senior Emily Ilgenfritz’ best individual performance on the day came in the 500 free, where she finished second with a time of 4:55.48. Trailing her was freshman Brooke Switzer, who touched fifth for a PR of 4:59.90. Senior Hepler also scored another second-place finish for Tech, hers coming in the 200 breast where she swam a 2:17.16. Right behind her was Nicole Williams (fourth – 2:21.43).
Three Jackets scored in the 1000 free with Ilgenfritz (third – 10:15.33), Morgan Johnson (fourth – 10:20.00) and Lindsay Wallace (fifth – 10:23.28).
The White and Gold turned in back to back finishes in the 200 fly, as Campbell finished third (2:02.19) and Ilgenfritz finished fourth (2:02.76). Switzer then also led a pair of freshman scorers in the 200 free, touching the wall third with a time of 1:51.78 before Kyrsten Davis finished fifth (1:53.06).
Freshman Campbell then led the way in the 100 fly, finishing third with a time of 56.24 before senior Chloe Miller finished fifth (56.52).
In the 100 breast, Tech finished back-to-back as Hepler (1:04.17) and Williams (1:04.79) finished fourth and fifth place, respectively. The Jackets then recorded another back-to-back finish in the 50 free with MacGregor (23.95) and Amanda Hoejberg (24.35) finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
In the relays, Georgia Tech started the day with a fourth-place 400 medley relay time of 3:48.33 (Paschal, MacGregor, Miller, Switzer). The Jackets’ squad of Davis, Hoejberg, Paschal and MacGregor also turned a third-place time of 1:36.20 in the 200 free relay to cap the day.
Scoring for Tech in the 100 free was Switzer and Davis. Switzer finished sixth with a time of 52.48 while Davis swam a 52.59.
Tech Tidbits
- Atticus Cohen set a new personal record in the men’s 1000 free, swimming a 9:30.70.
- Caio Pumputis set a new personal record in the men’s 100 fly, turning in a 48.27.
- Christian Ferraro swam a personal-best 2:02.63 in the men’s 200 breast
- Ruben Lechuga turned in two more Zone Qualifying Scores on Saturday. His scores in the 1-meter (321.23) and 3-meter (375.38) both qualified.
- Camryn Hidalgo turned in two more Zone Qualifying Scores on Saturday. Her scores in the 1-meter (289.28) and 3-meter (312.23) both qualified.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and Athletics Initiative 2020, Georgia Tech athletics’ ongoing $125 million initiative to allow Tech to recruit the nation’s most elite student-athletes, build a better student-athlete once they arrive on The Flats and, ultimately, win! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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