Swim & Dive: Season Recap

THE FLATS – The 2023-24 season was truly remarkable for the Georgia Tech swim and dive teams, showcasing remarkable talent and determination throughout the season.  Athletes from both squads achieved notable successes at both the conference and national levels. Key highlights include: an NCAA ‘A’ cut time, 11 new team records, five top-30 national ranks and multiple all-conference honors. Freshmen Max Fowler and Sabyne Brisson emerged as key contributors for the Jackets. 

The women for Tech brought the heat this season, setting eight new school records. Both McKenzie Campbell and Brisson broke school records and then improved on those times later in the season. 

In November, Campbell set a new Georgia Tech record in the 200 IM with a time of 1:59.29. At the ACC Championships in March, Campbell improved on her record time to set a new mark at 1:58.56. Campbell’s achievements weren’t limited to the pool, as she also earned all-ACC academic team honors, and at the conclusion of the season, she was recognized as the 2024 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup Award recipient, an award presented to student-athletes who exemplify the highest standards of excellence athletically, academically, and in their community.   

Brisson, a freshman phenom, made an immediate impact, setting new Georgia Tech records in the 100 and 200 breast during her first collegiate season. On November 6, Brisson set the record in the 100 breast with a time of 1:00.11, which she would improve upon just two weeks later (59.08). Brisson also set the school record in the 200 breast with a time of 2:08.34. Making her collegiate NCAA Women’s Championship debut, Brisson competed in both the 100 and 200 breast, and placed No. 27 nationally in the 100 breast.   

Anna Hadjilozou left her mark on the 2024 ACC Championships, setting a new school record in the women’s 50 free (22.35). Additionally, the team showcased their depth of talent with four relay teams setting new records including:   

400 Medley relay- 3:35.07 (Sabyne Brisson, Jillian Ferrari, Anna Hadjilozou, Zora Ripkova)  

 400 Free relay- 3:17.26 (Sophie Murphy, Jillian Ferrari, Anna Hadjilozou, Zora Ripkova)  

200 Free relay- 1:29.74 (Sophie Murphy, Jillian Ferrari, Anna Hadjilozou, Kiah Smith)  

200 Medley relay-1:38.48 (Anna Hadjilozou, Kiah Smith Clarissa Sabin, Vivien Rothwell) 

In her final collegiate season, diver Anna Bradescu earned All-ACC honors and secured a bronze medal at the ACC Championships in the women’s platform dive. She continued her success at the NCAA Women’s Championships, concluding the season with a national ranking of 24th place. 

On the men’s side, the Yellow Jackets were a fixture in the top 25 throughout the season, finishing the campaign with a final team ranking of No. 25 in the CSCAA poll. 

A highlight of the top-25 campaign came at the ACC Championships, where the 400 free relay team comprised of Leandro Odorici, David Gapinski, Ricky Balduccini and Batur Unlu set a set a new school record (with a time of 2:50.18), that earned an NCAA ‘A’ cut time and secured an automatic spot in the NCAA Men’s Championships. 

Individually, Odorici achieved a top 20 time in the 100 breast at the NCAA Men’s Championships.  

Mert Kilavuz’s start to his season displayed a determination that he would carry through the season. In November, Kilavuz set a new school record in the 1000-meter freestyle with a time of 8:49.57. As the season progressed, he would transition to the 1650 free, where he maintained his momentum and achieved notable success, qualifying for the NCAA Men’s Championship in the 1650. At nationals, Kilavuz finished with a top 20 time of 14:48.88, solidifying his position as the 18th- fastest swimmer in the country in the event. 

To begin the 2023-24 season, both Berke Saka and Max Fowler tabbed weekly conference honors with their performances at the FSU Fall Classic. This early recognition would set the tone for excellence that would continue throughout the season.   

Diver Max Fowler had an outstanding freshman campaign, concluding his season with a bronze medal, a school record, a national ranking and three ACC weekly honors. Making his collegiate debut at the FSU Fall Classic, Fowler swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter dive, earning zone qualifying scores in both events in his very first event and, showcasing his potential for the season ahead. 

Fowler’s impressive start carried throughout the season, as he tabbed three ACC Diver of the Week honors. Standout performances came against in-state rivals Emory and Georgia, with victories in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dive at both meets. Against archrival UGA, Fowler posted a score of 413.55 points in the 3-meter dive, which was the third-best score in the nation.   

Fowler proved to be a force at the conference level, securing a bronze medal in the men’s 1-meter dive at the ACC Championships. To further set the stage for success, at the Zone B diving championships, Fowler earned qualifying scores in the men’s 1-meter and 3-meter dives. 

In the season finale at the NCAA Men’s Championship, Fowler showcased his talent on the national stage, finishing 19 th in the country in the 3-meter dive to cap his ultra-successful freshman campaign. 

Alexander-Tharpe Fund         

   

The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.         

   

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