AUBURN, Ala. – Day three of the 2024 SEC Championships brought two more medals for head coach Ryan Wochomurka and the Tigers. With three days of action still to go, the Auburn women sit fourth and the men fifth.
Much like Tuesday night, the Orange and Blue relays gave the Auburn faithful plenty to cheer about. Lexie Mulvihill, Emma Steckiel, Lawson Ficken and Elizaveta Klevanovich combined for a 1:27.46 in the 200 free relay for third place and the fifth-fastest relay in program history.
Moments later, Logan Tirheimer, Kalle Makinen, Aidan Stoffle and Nate Stoffle hit the wall third at 1:15.91 for the 10th fastest time in Auburn history.
Averee Preble and Mason Mathias put the Auburn distance group off to a good start in the 500 free. Preble dropped a 4:44.17 to slide into the B final. Meanwhile, Mathias was the top qualifier on the men's side, putting together a 4:12.26.
Mathias would go on to finish fourth overall, Preble 14th.
Michael Bonson wouldn't be left out of the championship final, hitting the wall at 4:14.84. The Tigers weren't done, though, as Grant Davis jumped up to fifth all-time with a 4:15.75 to make the B final.
Bonson finished sixth, dropping time with a 4:13.50. Davis ended the night at 13th.
No one loves the individual medleys more than Hannah Ownbey. The senior casually made her way into the A final with a 1:56.70. On the men's side, it was Danny Schmidt's 1:43.56, now the seventh fastest performer in Auburn history, leading the Orange and Blue to make the A final.
Jacques Rathle grabbed a spot in the B final and Henry Bethel would also get a second swim in the C final.
Schmidt and Rathle had all the Auburn fans cheering in finals. Schmidt's 1:42.93 moved him up to fifth all-time and sixth overall at the championships. Not to be outdone, Rathle moved up to eighth with a 1:43.42 to win the B final.
Ownbey produced a 1:56.95 in finals to hit the wall seventh.
Wochomurka's sprint group was the strongest it's been in years at the SEC Championships with five women and three men earning second swims.
Lexie Mulvihill paced Auburn on the women's side with a 22.27. Emma Steckiel and Lawson Ficken locked up spots in the B final while Polina Nevmovenko and Elizaveta Klevanovich secured spots in the C final.
Tirheimer led the men's side with a 19.16 in prelims to make the A final. Both Sohib Khaled and Makinen would solidify spots in the B final.
Finishing out the evening in style, Tirheimer dropped an 18.95, becoming just the eighth Tiger ever to go sub-19 seconds. He'd hit the wall fifth.
Over in the diving well, Whit Andrus pieced together a 346.80 in prelims to qualify eighth to make the A final. In the evening the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native posted a 363.10 to move up to seventh.
TEAM STANDINGS
MEN
- Florida - 622
- Texas A&M - 468
- Tennessee - 392
- Georgia – 381
- Auburn - 373
- LSU - 266
- Kentucky -191
- Alabama - 187
- South Carolina - 183
- Missouri - 176
WOMEN
- Tennessee – 475
- Florida – 440
- Georgia – 363
- Auburn – 312.5
- Texas A&M – 256.5
- Alabama – 250.5
- LSU – 230
T8. South Carolina – 173
T8. Kentucky – 173
10.Missouri – 168.5
- Arkansas – 132
- Vanderbilt – 94
REMAINING SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 22 (Women's 1-meter, 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free)
9:30 a.m. CT - Prelims
Noon CT - Diving prelims (Consolation finals immediately after)
5:30 p.m. CT - Finals
Friday, Feb. 23 (Men's Platform, 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, 400 MR)
9:30 a.m. CT - Prelims
11:30 a.m. CT - Diving prelims (Consolation finals immediately after)
5:30 p.m. CT - Finals
Saturday, Feb. 24 (Women's Platform, 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 400 FR)
9:30 a.m. CT - Prelims
11:30 a.m. CT - Diving prelims (Consolation finals immediately after)
2:30 p.m. CT - 1650 heats
5:30 p.m. CT – Finals