DALLAS, Texas. – Auburn Swim and Dive kicked off the 2023-24 season on the right foot, starting the SMU classic off strong and setting up an exciting finale on Saturday.
The Tiger Women sit third with 155 points while the Men are in second with 157, just eight points behind first-place Louisville.
WOMEN
Ellie Waldrep, Anastasia Makarova, Meghan Lee and Polina Nevmovenko got the party started in the 400 medley relay. Hitting the wall at 3:32.57, the quartet earned second place and an important haul of points.
In the 400 IM, Hannah Ownbey took home third in the A final with a 4:13.78 but it was Meghan Lee's 4:13.62 that earned second in the B final and impressed the Orange and Blue fans on hand in Dallas.
After the opening relay, Nevmovenko came back to the blocks to swim in the 200 free. A 1:48.64 secured fifth place while graduate Averee Preble took eighth.
Mulvihill madness returned for the Tigers in the sprints as Lexie Mulvihill paced Auburn in the 50 free on Friday. A 22.60 earned her third place.
New diving coach John Fox made his Orange and Blue debut at SMU. Ashlynn Sullivan led the way in the Women's 3-meter, piling up a 296.55.
Back in the pool, Lee returned for the 100 fly, hitting the wall at 52.44 and third place. Meanwhile, Waldrep picked up the Tigers' first win of the year on the women's side with a 52.63 in the 100 back.
Breaststroke specialist Anastasia Makarova dialed up a second-place finish in the 100 breast, clocking in at 57.25.
Rounding out the opening session were Preble, Ownbey, Nevmovenko and Kensley Merritt in the 800 free relay. A 7:11.38 was good enough for eighth place.
The women finished the day in third place with 155 points.
MEN
Auburn relays were a strength of Ryan Wochomurka's squad a season ago. The Tigers opened up 2023 with a solid 3:08.35 in the 400 medley relay from Nate Stoffle, Henry Bethel, Aidan Stoffle and Kalle Makinen.
Jacques Rathle and Danny Schmidt carried the torch in 400 IM. Rathle took fifth at 3:51.59 while Schmidt followed in seventh.
Freshman Benjamin Chateigner impressed in his first showing as a Tiger. The French national dropped a 1:36.25 for third place in the 200 free.
Kalle Makinen kicked off his sophomore campaign with an individual win in the 50 free, hitting the wall at 19.66.
Over in the diving well, Whit Andrus conjured a 303.60 in the 1-meter for fourth place.
Captain Aidan Stoffle narrowly missed on a win in the 100 fly. A 46.68 gave the Lilburn, Georgia product second place.
Henry Bethel jumped on the podium in the 100 breast, hitting the wall third with a 53.93.
Chateigner, Mason Mathias, Schmidt and Aidan Stoffle capped off the evening with a second-place finish in the 800 free relay (6:27.49).
When the dust settled, Auburn owned 157 points, just eight behind first-place Louisville.
FULL DAY 1 SCORES
Women
USC – 175
Louisville – 171
Auburn – 155
Missouri – 123
SMU – 104
Miami – 100
Men
Louisville -165
Auburn – 157
Texas – 143
USC – 138
Missouri – 117
SMU - 117