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For the eighth year in a row, the SEC Men’s Swimming and Diving Champions helm from Gainesville, Florida. It’s also the 41st title for the Gators, the most in the conference.
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The tournament took place at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Alabama. Over five days of competition, Florida finished with with 1,194 points. Texas A&M finished in second place with 975.5 points, while Georgia finished in third place with 953.5 points.
Overall, the Gators won 15 medals ― including five gold medals ― and five event titles.
The weekend was huge for individual Gators as well. Sophomore Robert Finke set an American record for the fastest mile swim ever on Saturday night. His time of 14:12:08 was six seconds faster than the previous record.
After his impressive feat, Finke was interviewed by former Gator Elizabeth Beisel, who competed for the U.S. Olympic teams and won nine medals.
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Sophomore Kieran Smith also set an American record in the 500 Free with a time of 4:06:32. He earned three medals and was subsequently named the Swimmer of the Meet.
Women’s Team Places 2nd
The women’s team also put on a good showing, though they ultimately finished in second place. Tennessee finished 28.5 points ahead of Florida.
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It’s the second consecutive year where the team was the runner-up. In 2019, they also finished in second-place, though they were behind Texas A&M instead of Tennessee.
As a team, the Gators secured seven medals. Junior Emma Whitner even earned her first career conference podium stop. Whitner finished in second place with a career-high 285.45 points.
What’s Next for the Gators
Next up, the women’s team will compete in the NCAA Diving Zones on Mar. 9-11 and the NCAA Championships on Mar. 18-21 in Athens, Georgia.
As for the men’s team, they’ll compete in the NCAA Diving Zones, too. They’ll have a bit more time off until their NCAA Championships, which will be on Mar. 25-28 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
