Texas A&M Sweep SMU; Men Go Undefeated for First Time Since 1955-56
Texas A&M swept SMU on Friday night, the eighth ranked men’s team advancing to 9-0 on the dual meet season for its first undefeated campaign since 1955-56.
The Aggies men’s team beat No. 25 SMU, 190-109. The No. 11 Texas A&M women’s team topped 176-111.
For both teams, it was not just senior day but an farewell for coach Steve Bultman, who this week announced he would retire after 25 seasons.
Texas A&M took control of the men’s meet for good with a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 backstroke. Baylor Nelson led the way with a time of 1:42.44, surging past teammate Thomas Shomper on the final 50. Alex Sanchez followed by winning the 200 breaststroke in 1:55.02, leading another podium sweep.
The Aggies also swept the diving podiums. Victor Povzner scored 396.98 points to win 1-meter diving, then 443.78 in 3-meter. Allen Bottego was second on 1-meter and third in 3-meter.
That wasn’t Nelson’s only win. He went 1:34.07 to win the 200 freestyle and 3:45.40 to claim the 400 individual medley. Nelson was on the winning 200 free relay, with Connor Foote joining from the 200 medley relay win.
Foote won the 50 free in 19.93 seconds. He was second in the 100 butterfly. Shomper won the 100 back in 46.87 ahead of teammate Tyler Hulet. Sanchez also won the 100 breast. Collin Fuchs won the 100 free.
SMU did most of its scoring in the distance events. Jack Hoagland went 14:44.08 in the 1,650 free, obliterating the program record of 15:03.30 set earlier this year by Jack Forrest. Hoagland’s 1,000 split of 8:53.80 also downed a program record. Forrest won the 500 free in 4:23.53. Danny Kovac swept the butterfly events. Sage Sungail was second in the 100 free and 200 free.
Texas A&M’s women’s team set the tone with their distance contingent, going 1-2-3 in both the 1,000 free and 200 free to start the meet. Abby Grottle led the way in both, setting season-best times of 9:40.14 and 1:46.75 to get the wins. The latter came ahead of Chloe Stepanek, who anchored the winning 200 medley relay.
That medley relay set the tone. Miranda Grana led off, then won the 100 back in 52.95. Bobbi Kennett swam breaststroke, then won the 100 breast in 1:01.54. Grana also won the 100 fly in 53.60.
Stepanek won the 200 back. Olivia Theall won the 200 IM; second was 200 breast winner Hannah O’Leary. Hayden Miller was tops in the 500 free. Joslyn Oakley swept diving.
Johanna Gudmundsdottir supplied both of SMU’s wins. She went 22.95 to win the 50 free and 49.50 to beat the field in the 100 free by 1.5 seconds. She led off the 200 free relay in 23.15, the SMU A squad finishing .01 seconds behind Texas A&M.
