Tar Heels Swim Teams Dominate Battle of the Carolinas
The University of North Carolina swimming and diving teams finished out a busy weekend of competition with a sweep of South Carolina Saturday. The UNC women bounced back from a tight loss against Auburn Friday to win 187.5 to 112.5 while the men followed up their win against the Tigers with a 184-108 triumph against the Gamecocks.
The North Carolina women started off the meet with an almost-three-second win in the 400 medley relay. Greer Pattison, Skyler Smith, Lillian Sawyer and Georgia Nel combined for a time of 3:33.83.
Lilian Reader topped the 1000 freestyle in 9:48.63, overtaking South Carolina’s Madison Kolessar with a blazing final 50 split of 27.08. Nel won the 200 free (1:45.63) and 100 free (48.81), and Emma Karam took first in the 100 backstroke (52.26) and 200 back (1:54.67). Smith was the winner of the 100 breaststroke (1:00.77), and Pattison topped the 50 free (22.48).
Maren Conze claimed the top spot in the 500 free, clocking 4:50.62 to beat out South Carolina’s Breckin Gormley by 19-hundredths after the two were neck-and-neck most of the race. UNC’s Mary Macaulay topped the 400 IM (4:12.41), and the team of Pattison, Nel, Elizabeth Sowards and Smith closed out the meet with a 200 free relay win, clocking 1:29.56.
South Carolina’s first win came from Greta Pelzek in the 200 butterfly (1:56.16), and Sophie Verzyl took diving wins in 1-meter (336.30) and 3-meter (364.43). Delaney Franklin finished first in the 200 breast (2:11.52), and Pelzek won again in the 100 fly. She beat teammate Aubrey Finn by one hundredth, 52.99 to 53.00.
For the men, the team of Walker Davis, Ben Delmar, Boyd Poelke and Patrick Hussey topped the 400 medley relay for the Tar Heels in 3:08.08, and Hussey and Davis both returned shortly thereafter to win individual events, with Hussey taking the 200 free (1:36.31) and Davis the 100 back (45.86). Delmar also topped an event, leading the 100 breast field in 53.36, and Seb Lunak won the 200 fly (1:43.28).
The sprint events both went to the Tar Heels, with PJ Foy winning the 50 (19.67) and Louis Dramm taking the 100 (43.38). JT Schmid was the winner of the 200 back (1:43.18), and Delmark’s second win came in the 200 breast (1:54.60). Hussey also doubled up, using a blazing final 100 to take first in the 500 free (4:23.62), and Poelke touched first in the 100 fly (45.93). In diving, Rodolfo Vazquez won on 1-meter (340.43).
Dramm finished ahead of the field in the 400 IM (3:46.42), followed by Davis, Foy, Nate Holm and Hussey dominating the 200 free relay (1:18.06).
South Carolina’s Connor Fry took first in the 1000 free (9:02.83), and Max Spencer won 3-meter diving (335.63). South Carolina officially took wins in the 100 fly (Eldor Usmonov), 400 IM (Raymond Prosinski) and 400 free relay, but North Carolina swimmers swimming exhibition touched the wall first in those events.