Texas Dominates Texas A&M With Eight Swimmers Winning Multiple Events
The Texas Longhorns made the quick trip from Austin to College Station Friday to face off against longtime rival Texas A&M. While the season series between the schools has been suspended while the Longhorns and Aggies have been in the same conference, but the annual swim meet has continued. This year was a wrap for Texas as the women, ranked an impressive fifth nationally in the initial CSCAA dual meet poll, won 108-112, and the men, the consensus top team in the country, won by a margin of 185-107.
Texas was swimming without star sophomore Carson Foster in this one, but the Longhorn men still got off to a strong start when David Johnston won the 1000 free in 8:57.37, and then the team posted a 1-2 finish in the 200 free with U.S. Olympian Drew Kibler just touching out teammate Coby Carrozza by two hundredths, 1:36.09 to 1:36.11, and Peter Larson taking third (1:38.61).
Fifth-year swimmer Alvin Jiang won the 100 back in 48.33, and he later posted a win in the 100 fly (48.43). Teammate Casper Corbeau won the 100 breast (54.28) and 200 breast (1:57.16), and the win in the 200 fly went to Jake Foster in 1:46.60. Foster later beat the field in the 200 IM by more than three seconds with his 1:47.10. Danny Krueger was the sprint king of the day, with wins in the 50 free (20.02) and 100 free (43.07).
Johnston returned later in the day to win the 500 free for Texas in 4:22.50. The Longhorns went 1-2 in the 200 back with Jason Park barely touching out teammate Ethan Harder by six hundredths, 1:47.26 to 1:47.32. Texas A&M, meanwhile, was unable to top a single event and only received first-place points in a swimming race when Texas swam exhibition in the final three events.
In diving, Texas A&M’s Victor Povzner took down Texas Olympian Jordan Windle on 1-meter, 380.70 to 372.53, but Windle won comfortably on 3-meter (423.60).
Relay action saw Texas’ Anthony Grimm, Corbeau, Tim Connery and Krueger win the 200 medley in 1:27.44, while the 400 free relay went to the Longhorns’ Corbeau, Cameron Auchinachie, Carrozza and Krueger in 2:55.64.
In the women’s meet, Olympic silver medalist Erica Sullivan won the 1000 free by 10 seconds over veteran Texas teammate Evie Pfeifer in 9:44.75, while Pfeifer took first in the 500 free (4:45.12) with Sullivan finishing second (4:46.25).
Texas junior Kelly Pash had a huge day, as she won the 100 free in 49.22 and the 200 fly in a quick time of 1:55.14. That actually led a Texas sweep in the 200 fly as Emma Sticklen took second and Olivia Bray was third. Pash finished off her day by blowing away the field by more than four seconds in the 200 IM, finishing at 1:59.60.
At last season’s NCAA championships, Pash tied for fourth in the 200 fly, and she qualified for the Olympic Trials final in the 200-meter fly. Her 200 fly time at A&M would have already been good enough to score in the event at last year’s NCAAs.
Julia Cook was also a double winner in the 100 back (53.44) and 200 back (1:56.63), and Anna Elendt pulled off a double in the 100 breast (1:00.26) and 200 breast (2:12.21). Texas also got a win from Grace Cooper in the 50 free (22.89), and Sticklen touched first in the 100 fly (53.25).
In diving, Hailey Hernandez won both 3-meter (383.70) and 1-meter (328.73) for Texas. The Longhorn women’s group of Cook, Elendt, Pash and Bridget Semenuk took first in the 200 medley relay in 1:38.70, while Bray, Cook, Sticklen and Ava Longi had the top 400 free relay time of 3:21.38.
For the Aggies, Chloe Stepanek took first in the 200 free in 1:47.57, winning the race by more than a second and a half, but that would be the only time all day Texas A&M touched first in an event. The Aggies did get credit for wins in the 100 fly, 200 IM and 400 free relay when Texas swam exhibition.
Results available on Meet Mobile.
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