AUBURN, Ala. – For the first time since 2016, both the men's and women's Swimming and Diving teams finished in the top four at the SEC Championships.
After six grueling days inside the James E. Martin Aquatic Center, the Auburn men finished second (1104 points) matching its effort from last season and scoring the most points since 2016. For the women, the fourth place (879.5 points) was the highest since 2016 and the most points since 2006.
"Incredibly happy and proud of the performances this week," said head coach Ryan Wochomurka. "This is a hard league, in any sport. To be in the top third puts you in a position to be top 10, and top 25 nationally.
"For the women, this is a goal they set out at the beginning of the year. It's great momentum for the kids and in recruiting.
"For the men, it's been a big shift over the past three years and moved up into second last year. We wanted to be able to sustain that. I'm proud that we were able to grab a few more points than we did last year."
Auburn's distance group kicked off the final session of the championships in the 1650 free. Averee Preble was the lone Tiger in the field, clocking a 16:12.36 to finish seventh.
On the men's side, it was Mason Mathias, Grant Davis and Michael Bonson putting together a trio of solid swims. Mathias led the pack in fourth overall with a 14:46.50. Davis and Bonson weren't far behind in eighth and 12th, respectively.
It was freshman Maggie McGuire leading the way for the women in the 200 back. Her 1:54.31 was a new personal best and qualified McGuire ninth overall. Meghan Lee wasn't too far behind also grabbing a spot in the B final along with Kensley Merritt. Ellie Waldrep snagged a place in the C final.
McGuire led the pack again in finals to finish 10th overall, dropping time to go 1:54.01.
Aidan Stoffle went sub-1:39.00 in the men's 200 back for the second time this season to qualify third overall in the morning. Brother Nate Stoffle was right on his heels to make the A final as well.
Aidan would hit the podium as an individual for the first time this week, dropping a 1:38.78 for bronze. Nate was close behind in fifth.
Junior Polina Nevmovenko closed hard in the 100 free (48.60) to slide into the eighth spot and make sure the Tigers had a representative in the evening's A final. Meanwhile, rookie Lawson Ficken put herself in the B final with a 48.86. Lexie Mulvihill made the C final.
Nevmovenko moved up to sixth in finals with a 48.70 but it was Ficken's 48.49 that jumped the freshman to the No. 9 spot on the all-time performers list and won her the B final.
There weren't many that had a better week than Logan Tirheimer. After a sublime showing in the 50 free, his 42.10 in 100 in prelims now ranks him as the ninth-best performer in school history. The time also solidified a spot in the A final.
Tirheimer touched in at 42.15 in finals to move up to sixth.
Fellow senior Ryan Husband parked himself in the middle of the B final. Kalle Makinen made the C final.
Team captain Hannah Ownbey wasn't going to miss out on finals during the last day of the championships. Her 2:10.99 was the best time for her in the 200 breast this season by almost two seconds and qualified the senior ninth overall. Brynn Curtis also locked in a B final appearance with a 2:11.87. Anastasia Makarova wound up in the C final.
Ownbey led the way in 11th. However, Makarova conjured an impressive 2:09.98 to win the C final to get the crowd going.
For a third time this week, junior Jacques Rathle jumped up the top 10 leaderboard at Auburn. On Saturday morning, it was his 1:55.19 in the 200 breast that now ties teammate Henry Bethel for ninth all-time.
More importantly, the time earned Rathle a spot in the A final along with Alejandro Flores who delivered a massive career-best 1:55.27 to qualify for the eighth and final spot. Henry Bethel broke into the B final.
Rathle would better his time in finals, clocking at 1:54.37 to place fifth and move up to eighth all-time at Auburn.
Abigail Farrar and Ashlynn Sullivan each had massive mornings on the tower. Farrar pieced together a gargantuan personal best, delivering a 281.35 to qualify third overall. Sullivan produced a solid 251.95 for sixth as each earned second lists in the evening's championship final.
Sullivan went for a massive 273.85 for bronze, the first women's diver to medal since 2020.
Sophomore Kyleigh Kidd wound up 18th with a 212.25.
Both the men's and women's 400 free relay squads closed out the meet on a high note, taking fifth in each race.
"We have some things we need to clean up before the NCAA championships," Wochomurka said. "But just excited for what's coming for the kids next month."
TEAM STANDINGS
MEN
1.Florida - 1584
2.Auburn - 1104
3.Georgia - 1042
4.Texas A&M – 1006.5
5.Tennessee - 992
6.LSU - 553
7.Alabama – 527.5
8.Missouri - 513
9.South Carolina - 442
10.Kentucky - 433
WOMEN
1.Florida – 1391.5
2.Tennessee – 1190
3.Texas A&M – 926.5
4.Auburn – 879.5
5.Georgia - 822
6.Alabama - 686
7.South Carolina - 629
8. LSU - 579
9. Kentucky – 446
10.Arkansas - 373
11.Missouri – 332.5
12.Vanderbilt – 194
UP NEXT
Auburn hosts the Last Chance Meet, March 1-2 as the last opportunity to grab NCAA qualifying times this season. For John Fox's diving crew, the NCAA Zones Qualifier begins, March 10-13 in Athens, GA.
Men second, women fourth at 2024 SEC Championships
