Fresh off strong performances at the Georgia Fall Invitational this weekend in Athens, Bulldogs seniors Chase Kalisz and Olivia Smoliga were named SEC Swimmers of the Week Tuesday.
Male Swimmer of the Week
Chase Kalisz • Georgia
Senior • Bel Air, Md.
During the UGA Fall Invitational, Kalisz won four events, qualified for the NCAAs in three races, and helped a relay set the school record. He won the 200 and 400 individual medley, the 100 breaststroke and the 200 butterfly. Kalisz had A-cut times of 1:41.26 in the 200 individual medley, 3:36.98 in the 400 individual medley and 1:40.38 in the 200 butterfly. He also helped the 400 medley relay set the school record of 3:04.94 with a second-place finish, and was on the 800 freestyle relay that came in second and set the third-fastest time (6:18.31) in school history. Kalisz helped the 400 freestyle relay place second and establish the sixth-fastest time (2:53.10) in school history.
Male Diver of the Week
Scott Lazeroff • Auburn
Sophomore • Rochester, N.Y.
At the Georgia Invitational, Lazeroff took first place in the 3-meter with a score of 354.05. He also placed second in the platform (359.50) and fifth in the one-meter (296.35).
Male Freshman of the Week
Maxime Rooney • Florida
Livemore, Calif.
Rooney, one of eight Gator swimmers at U.S. Nationals last weekend, made his mark in winning a national championship in the 200 free at 1:33.85. According to USA Swimming’s age group rankings, his time ranks first (as of Nov. 28) among all male swimmers age 18 and under in the event. Rooney is also ranked seventh in the 200 free among all male Division I swimmers.
Female Swimmer of the Week
Olivia Smoliga • Georgia
Senior • Glenview, Ill.
At the UGA Fall Invitational, Smoliga won two individual events, qualified for the NCAAs in three races, was on a victorious relay and helped another relay set the school record. She won the 50 freestyle with an A-cut time of 21.58, and claimed the 100 freestyle with an A-cut time of 46.95. Smoliga garnered an A cut in the 100 backstroke as she placed second in 51.24. She led off the 400 freestyle relay that placed first in 3:11.19 to set the fourth-fastest time in school history, and led off the 200 freestyle relay that set the school record and came in second in 1:26.79. Smoliga also led off the 200 medley relay that went 1:35.89 to come in second and set the second-fastest effort in Georgia annals and the 400 medley relay that placed third in 3:30.34 to set the fourth-best time in school history.
Female Diver of the Week
Lizzie Cui • LSU
Sophomore • Auckland, New Zealand
Cui swept both of the springboard events in LSU’s win over Tulane. She posted a personal best score of 312.22 in the one-meter to improve to seventh overall on LSU’s all-time list. Cui recorded a score of 339.45 in the three-meter to claim first place.
Female Freshman of the Week
Veronica Burchill • Georgia
Carmel, Ind.
Burchill was part of a victorious relay, helped another relay set the school record, and put herself into UGA’s Top 10 in two individual events for her efforts at the UGA Fall Invitational. She swam on the 400 freestyle relay that placed first in 3:11.19 to set the fourth-fastest time in school history and on the 200 freestyle relay that set the school record and came in second in 1:26.79. Burchill placed third in the 100 butterfly (51.79), fifth in the 100 freestyle (48.44) and 10th in the 50 freestyle (22.21). All four of her individual times are NCAA B cuts.
Press release courtesy of the SEC.
