TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On the road and in hostile territory, both the men's and women's Swim and Dive Teams rose to the occasion on Friday, toppling in-state foe No. 19/18 Alabama in the final dual meet of the year. The Auburn men have now won four straight over the Crimson Tide.
FINAL SCORES
MEN
Auburn - 184.5
Alabama – 115.5
WOMEN
Auburn – 167
Alabama - 133
HOW IT HAPPENED
MEN
Nate Stoffle, Henry Bethel, Sohib Khaled and Kalle Makinen got the party started in the 200 medley relay. Their 1:24.24 was more than a half second ahead of Alabama to win the opening race.
There aren't many better in the country in the distance events than Mason Mathias. In the 1000, Mathias cracked the nine-minute mark to hit the wall first. Grant Davis was right behind in second and Drew Jordan managed fourth. Mathias would go on to take second in the 500 later in the afternoon.
Sending the Orange and Blue fans into a frenzy in Tuscaloosa, Aidan Stoffle's 46.08 in the 100 back was the fastest time of the day. However, it was Sohib Khaled's 47.31 to finish second that fired up the team to put up big points on the board for the men's side.
Nate Stoffle made to sure keep backstroke U alive with a win in the 200 later in the meet.
Khaled flexed his muscles once more in the 100 fly, hitting the wall 46.69 to pick up the victory.
Bethel, fresh off his win in the relay, settled for a tie for first in the 100 breast. While Jacques Rathle would only grab fifth in the 100, his 1:57.47 was the second-fastest time of the meet in the 200 breast.
German native Danny Schmidt was one of many Tigers who had himself a meet. Schmidt went 1:44.74 to win the 200 fly and 1:45.28 in the 200 IM to secure his second win of the day.
Speaking of stellar performers, Kalle Makinen simply would not be denied from grabbing multiple wins throughout the afternoon. The Finland native put in a 19.39 to win the 50 free and a 43.01 in the 100 to double up the victories minutes later.
Aidan Stoffle, Kalle Makinen, Ryan Husband and Benjamin Chateigner capped off the meet with a second-place finish in the 400 free relay.
Over in the diving well, Whit Andrus brought his A game. His 379.88 on the 1-meter obliterated his personal best. Freshman Talan Blackmon secured second place with a solid 314.18.
When it came to the 3-meter, Andrus was less than a point away from another personal record, scoring a 391.58. Blackmon once again delivered a solid score to take third at 318.08. Kebler would snag fourth.
WOMEN
Meghan Lee, Anastasia Makarova, Lawson Ficken and Lexie Mulvihill kicked off the proceedings with a 1:36.25 in the 200 medley relay to finish second but Wochomurka's Tigers were just getting started.
Distance queen Averee Preble snagged the women their first win of the day with a 9:39.53 in the 1000 free. The graduate student secured second in the 500 with an even 4:44.34.
One event later, Polina Nevmovenko kept the momentum going with a 1:46.08 and a win in the 200 free. Freshman Wyllo Hanson wasn't too far behind, hitting the wall second at 1:47.32.
Backstroke U was alive and well in Tuscaloosa. Kensley Merritt grabbed the win in the 100 on Friday. Ellie Waldrep roared in at second. Following a few disqualifications, freshman Maggie McGuire officially earned the win in the 200.
Makarova took the win in the 100 breast after another Alabama disqualification. Later in the afternoon, it was Brynn Curtis who took third in the 200, followed by Hannah Ownbey to ensure much-needed points.
Meghan Lee was not going to let the 200 fly out of her sight. At 1:56.34, Lee took the win by almost a full second. Avery Bargeron grabbed third.
Lee would follow up with a second-place finish in the 100 fly later in the afternoon with freshmen Lawson Ficken and Morgan Carteaux in third and fourth, respectively.
While the Orange and Blue didn't get a win in the 50 free, Lexie Mulvihill, Emma Steckiel and Elizaveta Klevanovich made sure the Tide didn't gain any ground, finishing in second through fourth.
With a quick turnaround, it was Nevmovenko's second that paced the Tigers in the 100 free with Klevanovich right on her heels in third.
Ownbey nearly ran down Alabama in the 200 IM. Her 1:59.05 was good enough for second with Lee taking fourth.
Ashlynn Sullivan wasn't going to let the winning ways pass her by. The senior diver swept both the 1-meter (283.50) and 3-meter (330.60) events. Kidd took third in the 3-meter while Kayla Walsh rose up to third on the 1-meter with a 267.68.
Solidifying a resounding victory over a top-20 opponent, Ficken, Nevmovenko, Steckiel and Klevanovich produced maybe the race of the year on the women's side with a 3:16.50 in the 400 free relay to edge out Alabama.
UP NEXT
One more meet remains before the Tigers host the 2024 SEC Championships. Auburn will welcome a bevy of competitors for the Auburn Invitational and the First Chance Meet, Feb. 9-10 inside James E. Martin Aquatic Center.
