Alabama Sweeps LSU Despite Three Wins Each From Maggie Mac Neil, Brooks Curry
The SEC showdown between Alabama and Louisiana State University saw the rising Crimson Tide programs sweeping LSU with a handful of nationally-relevant swimmers leading the way. Not to be outdone, LSU’s duo of Olympic gold medalists gave it their best effort, but in the end, it was Alabama winning the women’s meet 182 to 118, while Bama’s men edged out LSU 155 to 139.
The Bama women, fresh off an impressive fourth-place finish at last year’s NCAA Championships, got three individual wins from Kensey McMahon in the 1000 freestyle (9:41.86), 500 free (4:46.15) and 200 butterfly (1:56.97). McMahon will represent the U.S. at Short Course Worlds later this year. Meanwhile, Avery Wiseman won the 100 breaststroke (1:00.81) and 200 breast (2:11.01) and 200 backstroke Worlds bronze medalist Rhyan White took the 200 back (1:55.61) and 100 butterfly (54.39). But the star of the meet overall was Maggie Mac Neil, the 2021 Olympic champion in the 100-meter fly, who clocked 51.41 for the win in the 100 back before taking the 50 free (22.28) and 100 free (48.81).
On the men’s side, Alabama’s Matt Menke swept the 100 back (47.16) and 200 back (1:46.74), tying with Eric Stelmar in the latter event, while Derek Maas won the 100 breast (53.78) and 200 breast (2:00.93). Brooks Curry, a U.S. Olympian in 2021, now one of the premier sprinters in the U.S. and a senior at LSU, was a triple winner as he grabbed first-place efforts in the 200 free (1:35.41), 50 free (19.60) and 100 free (43.56).
Full results are available here, and read the full press release from Alabama below:
The Alabama men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams swept the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, La. Friday afternoon at the LSU Natatorium. The Crimson Tide broke four LSU pool records on the way to the wins.
The No. 6-ranked Alabama women won 182-118 while the No. 15 men outscored the Tigers 155-139. The women won the opening relay and seven individual races, while the men won both relays and eight individual races.
No. 6 Alabama Women Wins
- The Crimson Tide women opened the meet with a 1-2 finish in the 200 medley relay with Rhyan White, Avery Wiseman, Morgan Scott and Kalia Antoniou getting the win with a 1:37.50.
- Kensey McMahon set pool records in the 1000 freestyle (9:41.86) and 500 freestyle (4:46.15) and added a win in the 200 butterfly (1:56.97).
- Wiseman swept the breaststroke events, taking top honors in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.81) and followed that with a win in the 200 breaststroke (2:11.01).
- White picked up wins in the 200 backstroke (1:55.61) and the 100 butterfly (54.39).
- Diana Petkova closed out the Tide’s wins with a top finish in the 200 individual medley (2:01.37).
No. 15 Alabama Men’s Wins
- Matt Menke, Derek Maas, Bernardo Bondra de Almeida and Tim Korstanje opened the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay, going an LSU Natatorium record of 1:26.05.
- Victor Johansson picked up a win in the 1,000 freestyle (9:12.59).
- Menke swept the backstroke events, going 47.16 in the 100 backstroke and tying Eric Stelmar for first place in the 200 backstroke with a 1:46.74.
- Maas went 53.78 in the 100 breaststroke and 2:00.93 in the 200 breaststroke, to complete the breaststroke sweep for the Tide.
- Charlie Hawke touched first in the 200 butterfly (1:47.83), while Linus Kahl won the 200 individual medley (1:49.02).
- Kaique Alves, Hawke, Maas and Menke closed out the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay, touching first in an LSU Natatorium record of 2:54.02.
Record Breakers
- The Crimson Tide set four LSU Natatorium records during its wins against the Tigers.
- McMahon set the pool record in the 500 and 1,000 freestyle, going 4:46.15 and 9:41.86, respectively.
- The Crimson Tide men broke two relay records on the day, bettering the previous marks in the 400 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay.
- Menke, Maas, De Almeida and Korstanje set the pool record in the 200 medley relay with a 1:226.05.
- Alves, Hawke, Maas and Menke set a pool record in the 400 freestyle relay after clocking a 2:54.02.
