Feb. 16, 2018
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Another day, another school record for Hugo Gonzalez.
Only on Friday, it wasn't just the freshman who etched his name atop Auburn swimming and diving's record board as junior Haley Black did so too.
All in a day's work for the talented Tigers at this year's SEC Swimming and Diving Championships at Texas A&M.
Gonzalez, from Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain, obliterated his school record in winning Auburn's fifth-ever SEC title in the 400 IM.
"Every time I jump into the pool I do whatever I can to touch first," Gonzalez said. "I knew (the guys next to me) were better freestylers than me so I just tried to touch ahead of them in the breaststroke and then hold on."
Hold on he did. The freshman sensation blistered a 3:35.75 to win the race by almost two full seconds and drop his school record by three-and-a-half seconds. He time is the third-fastest time ever recorded in the sport behind only a pair of Chase Kalisz swims.
"That is a big statement for (Hugo) and for us," associate head coach Sergio Lopez said.
One event later it was Black's turn.
After sending the Auburn bench into a frenzy with her prelims swim of 50.99, she bested that at night, finishing second in 50.68. Prior to Friday morning the school mark sat at 51.08, which Black did at last year's NCAA Championships. By Friday night she had sawed .40 seconds off of it.
"The 100 fly for the girls was awesome," Lopez said. "Last year Haley was 51.8 here and then went 51.0 at NCAAs. I really believe she has an opportunity to go under 50.0 at NCAAs."
Black was far from alone in the 100 fly as Aly Tetzloff, who is having one of the finest individual meets anyone could ask for, took third in 51.32, a time that is the fourth-fastest ever swum at Auburn. Bailey Nero finished eighth in 52.37 and Robyn Clevenger 22nd in 53.84.
Auburn also sent three to the blocks in the men's 100 fly. Santiago Grassi led the Tigers with a fourth-place finish in 45.73 out of lane 1, which was the 10th-fastest performance in school history. He just out-touched Liam McCloskey, who matched his personal best from the prelims of 45.75 to finish fifth. Luis Martinez took seventh in 46.28 and Foster Ballard 18th in 46.96.
"The 46-second barrier has been very hard for our kids," Lopez said. "To finally go 45.7 and 45.7 is awesome but I think they have more left."
Erin Falconer finished eighth in the 200 free in 1:47.08. It marks the second straight year she has finished in the top eight at the conference meet after placing fourth a year ago.
In the men's 200 free it was just another day at the office for Zach Apple, who took fourth in 1:33.31. Prior to the start of these championships that would have been a school record. But alas, it is just the third-fastest time Apple has clocked this meet. Peter Holoda was 11th in 1:35.05 after going a personal-best 1:34.79 during prelims, which places him 10th among Auburn performers in the event all-time.
Carly Cummings moved up four spots to 20th with a personal-best 4:11.84 in the 400 IM. That time makes the freshman the ninth-fastest performer in school history and also represented over a three-second drop from her prelims time, which at the time was a personal best by over three seconds.
In the women's 3-meter diving competition, sophomore Alison Maillard picked up a 10th-place finish with a six-dive score of 309.60. In the sophomore's young career, she now has two top-10 finishes on the 3-meter at the conference meet after placing eighth a year ago.
"I missed one of my more consistent dives but most of my list was pretty solid," Maillard said. "It's fun to compete against these seniors. There is a lot of good competition that (graduated) and a lot of good competition that came in."
In the overall team race the Auburn women are in fourth place while the men are in fifth.
"I think overall we had a good night. We are working on our depth because that the biggest thing (at this meet)," Lopez said.
The competition continues on Saturday with prelims and finals of the 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, men's platform and the 400 medley relay. Prelims begin at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.
Livestats are available each session through 12thman.com and each session will air on SECN+.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS -- FRIDAY, FEB. 16
AUBURN RESULTS (PRELIMS/FINALS)
WOMEN'S 400 IM
20. Carly Cummings - 4:14.96 (PR) / 4:11.84
27. Zoe Thatcher -- 4:16.54
35. Jaden Bellina -- 4:21.23
MEN'S 400 IM
1. Hugo Gonzalez -- 3:40.31 / 3:35.76 (PR) SCHOOL RECORD, SEC MEET RECORD
31. Russell Noletto -- 3:50.81
WOMEN'S 100 BUTTERFLY
2. Haley Black -- 50.99 SCHOOL RECORD / 50.68 SCHOOL RECORD
3. Aly Tetzloff -- 51.41 (PR) / 51.32 (PR)
8. Bailey Nero -- 52.27 (PR) / 52.37
22. Robyn Clevenger -- 53.84 (PR) / 53.84
27. Jewels Harris -- 54.17
29. Ashton Ellzey -- 54.54
46. Sarah Margaret Cimino -- 56.46
MEN'S 100 BUTTERFLY
4. Santiago Grassi -- 46.23 / 45.73 (PR)
5. Liam McCloskey -- 45.75 (PR) / 45.75
7. Luis Martinez -- 46.05 / 46.28
18. Foster Ballard -- 47.20 / 46.96
31. David Crossland -- 47.99
T37. Christian Ginieczki -- 48.49 (PR)
DQ. William McKinney
WOMEN'S 3-METER DIVING
10. Alison Maillard -- 309.60
31. Erin Norton -- 224.45
WOMEN'S 200 FREESTYLE
8. Erin Falconer -- 1:45.53 / 1:47.08
25. Julie Meynen -- 1:48.10
29. Jessica Merritt -- 1:48.34
MEN'S 200 FREESTYLE
4. Zach Apple -- 1:33.21 / 1:33.31
11. Peter Holoda -- 1:34.79 (PR) / 1:35.05
34. Owen Upchurch -- 1:38.13
35. Josh Dannhauser -- 1:38.14 (PR)
40. Grant Schenk -- 1:38.96
45. Brody Heck -- 1:40.23
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3
1. Texas A&M 737
2. Tennessee 544.5
3. Georgia 543
4. Auburn 375.5
5. Missouri 355
MEN'S TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 3
1. Florida 595
2. Texas A&M 527
3. Georgia 514
4. Tennessee 506
5. Auburn 438.5