Nov. 7, 2017
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech swimming & diving will look to record its third-straight dual meet sweep on Wednesday afternoon, as the Yellow Jackets will take on the nationally ranked Georgia Bulldogs in head-to-head competition at Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga.
“This will be our toughest meet to date,” stated head coach Courtney Shealy Hart. “We know that we will have to be solid in every event on Wednesday. We’ve worked hard over the last two weeks to fine tune some things, as well as getting healthy on both the women’s and the men’s teams. We are really looking forward to competing and pushing ourselves against a nationally ranked program this week.”
The Jackets’ women’s team (3-1) have had a number of individuals record multiple wins this season highlighted by freshmen diver Camryn Hidalgo and her record-setting performances in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives last time out versus Delta State.
The two-time ACC women’s diver of the week, Hidalgo has posted the top scores in both the 1-meter (331.35) and 3-meter (353.63) diving events this season for the Jackets, both of which are new school records.
Fellow Jacket Iris Wang has recorded the top times for Tech this year in the 50 (23.15), 100 (50.05) and 200 free (1:48.69), while Emily Ilgenfritz has dominated the distance free events for GT this season with the fastest times in the 500 (5:01.82), 1000 (10:15.92) and 1650 free (17:26.07) on the year.
Junior Laura Branton has the top team marks in the 100 (55.01) and 200 fly (2:03.34) events, while a trio of freshmen in Allie Paschal (100 back, 55.69), Catriona MacGregor (200 IM, 2:04.44) and Julia Shuford (200 breast, 2:19.15 and 400 IM, 4:31.02) have posted top times for Tech this season.
Florina Ilie (100 breast, 1:03.98) and Caroline Lee (200 back, 2:01.90) have also turned in top marks for the Jackets this season in their top events.
Having won back-to-back duals in dominating fashion, the No. 24 nationally ranked men’s team (3-1) will look to continue its winning ways in the water on Wednesday.
Like Hidaglo on the women’s side, junior diver Matt Casillas has led the men’s squad on the boards this season, posting top times in both the 1-meter (359.40) and 3-meter (404.25) springboard events.
Co-captain Rodrigo Correia has registered the top times for Tech this season in the 100 free (44.49), 100 (47.88) and 200 back (1:46.56) events, while sophomore Joonas Koski has the top-Tech times on the year in the 500 free (4:35.79) and1650 free (16:00.30). Fellow sophomore Brennan Day has the top mark for the Jackets on the season in the 100 free (9:34.70).
However, it has been a trio of freshmen in Franco Reyes, Caio Pumputis and Christian Ferraro that have helped to pace the Yellow Jackets thus far this season. Reyes has recorded the top times on the season for the Jackets in the 50 free (20.66) and the 100 fly, while Ferraro has the fastest time on the team in the 200 fly (1:47.14).
Pumputis has the top times on the team in the 200 free (1:36.81), 100 (54.45) and 200 breast (1:58.16), and in both the 200 (1:48.11) and 400 IM (3:57.36) events in just his first year on The Flats.
Georgia is off to a strong start again in 2017-18, as the women’s team is ranked sixth nationally, while the men’s team is No. 12 overall in the latest CSCAA Division I Poll.
UGA’s Lady Bulldogs (5-0) enters Wednesday’s dual undefeated with wins over Emory, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Florida.
In their win at Florida last time out on Oct. 27, Megan Kingsley, Meaghan Raab, Veronica Burchill and Courtney Harnish each won twice for the Lady Bulldogs. Kingsley swept the butterfly races, winning the 100 in 54.00 and the 200 in 1:57.85. Raab took the 200 breast in 2:15.44 and the 200 IM in 2:00.51. Burchill went 23.19 to win the 50 free and 48.99 to win the 100 free. Harnish claimed the 200 free in 1:46.76 and the 500 free in 4:46.43.
Stephanie Peters won the 1000 free with a time of 9:49.76, Caitlin Casazza touched in 1:03.34 to claim the 100 breast and Kylie Stewart finished first in the 200 back with a time of 1:56.28.
The Bulldogs’ men’s team (4-1) are coming off a 179-121 loss at Florida last time out after opening up the season with four straight wins over Emory, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Northwestern.
At Florida, Charlie Clifton, James Guest and Javier Acevedo were double winners for the Bulldogs. Clifton swept the diving events, winning the 1-meter with 352.58 points and the 3-meter with 335.03 points. Guest claimed wins in both breasts events, taking the 100 in 54.86 and the 200 in 1:59.51, while Acevedo reached the wall in 47.33 to win the 100 back and won the 200 back with a time of 1:44.17.
Live results of the meet can be found HERE. Live video streaming of the meet can be found on the SEC Network+ HERE.
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