AUBURN, Ala. – Senior Meghan Lee dialed up a second-straight silver medal in the 100 fly to lead Auburn on day four of the SEC Championships.
Head coach Ryan Wochomurka has his Tigers positioned fourth on the women's side (477.5 points) while the men sit fifth (536 points) with two days of action remaining inside James E. Martin Aquatic Center.
Much like Wednesday, senior Hannah Ownbey wasn't going to let an opportunity slip by in the 400 IM on Thursday. A 4:09.79 qualified the Greer, South Carolina native third overall in the event.
Ownbey clocked a 4:10.03 in finals to finish fifth overall.
Jacques Rathle and Danny Schmidt had nothing on their minds except the A final on the men's side. The medley duo hit the wall with the seventh and eighth fastest times of the morning.
Rathle lowered his personal best in the evening (3:41.52) to remain the third-fastest performer in school history and finish sixth overall. Schmidt hit the wall eighth.
Reigning SEC silver medalist Meghan Lee returned to the 2024 Championships will more to prove. A 51.24 put the senior as the top qualifier after the morning. Meanwhile, Ellie Waldrep dropped an impressive 52.29 to become the 10th fastest performer in school history and earn a spot in the championship final.
Auburn's flyers showed up all morning. Freshmen Morgan Carteaux and Lawson Ficken each locked down spots in the B final while Abigail Gibbons slid into the C final.
In finals, Lee would come 0.05 seconds within the school record. Her 50.66 secured a second-straight silver medal at the SEC Championships for the Maryland native.
Jumping to sixth all-time with a 45.38, Sohib Khaled was one of two Tigers to swim the men's 100 fly A final along with Nate Stoffle. Logan Tirheimer joined Kalle Makinen in the B final while Rusty Jerger earned a second swim in the C final.
Khaled led the Tigers in finals to finish fourth, Stoffle wound up eighth.
Polina Nevmovenko swam nearly a half second faster than at any point this season in the 200 free (1:45.03) to make the B final. Kensley Merrit earned a second opportunity as well in the evening's C final.
Already the third fastest performer on the men's side, Ryan Husband lowered his personal best with a 1:32.90 in the morning to earn the middle lane in the B final. Michael Bonson joined Husband in the heat while Jon Vanzandt qualified 19th overall to make the C final.
Both Kyleigh Kidd and Ashlynn Sullivan put important points on the board for the women on the 1-meter springboard. Kidd went for a 257.35 in prelims to finish 12th while Sullivan was right behind with a 255.90.
In the consolation final, Sullivan conjured a career-high 292.90 to finish ninth overall. Kidd would solidify 14th after a 258.20.
TEAM STANDINGS
MEN
1.Florida - 893
T2.Tennessee - 569
T2.Georgia - 569
4.Texas A&M - 554
5.Auburn - 536
6.LSU - 293
7.Alabama - 254
8.Kentucky - 243
9.South Carolina - 212
10.Missouri - 202
WOMEN
1.Florida – 765.5
2.Tennessee – 477.5
3.Georgia – 498
4.Auburn – 477.5
5.Texas A&M – 453
6.LSU - 337
7.Alabama – 324.5
T8. South Carolina – 309
T8. Kentucky – 211
10.Missouri – 204.5
11.Arkansas – 181
12.Vanderbilt – 110
REMAINING SCHEDULE
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
Lee’s silver leads Tigers on night four of SEC Championships
