Alabama
SEC Championships
Alabama Swimming and Diving Breaks Records, Reaches Podium on SEC Championships Day Two
2/15/2017 8:11:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On the second day of the 2017 Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships, Alabama broke three school records and reached the championship podium with a trio of top-three finishes.
"We have some momentum building after today," UA head coach Dennis Pursley said. "We were a little better this morning than last night and we definitely picked it up with our best session so far tonight."
Freshman Zane Waddell led a contingent of five Alabama sprinters in the finals of the men's 50 freestyle, posting a career-best 19.17 in finals to take the silver medal and become the second fastest 50 freestyler in Crimson Tide history.
"Zane swam an extraordinary 50 to move up to second in a very fast race," Pursley said.
Sophomore Robert Howard won the B final in the 50 with a career-best 19.52, which ranks him sixth all-time at UA. Sophomore Laurent Bams (19.63), Luke Kaliszak (19.65) and Alex Gray (19.94) also scored in the 50, taking 11th, 13th and 20th, respectively.
Junior Bailey Scott, who redshirted last season with a shoulder injury, came roaring into the finals of the 50 freestyle, bettering her own school record in prelims with a 22.21 before smashing that mark in finals with a 21.84, becoming the first UA woman under 22 seconds on the way to a third-place finish. Junior Temarie Tomley also scored in the 50 freestyle, taking 20th with a 22.80.
"Bailey has really overcome a lot, coming off a rough year, so to be able to come in here and break the 22-second barrier, it was good to see," Pursley said.
The men's 200 freestyle relay of Waddell, Kaliszak, Howard and Bams earned a spot on the podium, taking third place with a time of 1:16.40. Waddell led off with a 19.26, the third fastest time of his career.
After breaking the school 200 individual medley record in prelims with a 1:44.47, senior Anton McKee came back in finals and posted a 1:44.45 to take sixth place. McKee is the first UA swimmer under 1:45 in the 200 individual medley after bettering the school record of 1:45.54 in 2010 by Riley Boulden.
After coming close in prelims, junior Mia Nonnenberg bettered her own school record in the finals of the 500 freestyle, touching the wall with a 4:43.20 to take third in the B final and 11th overall.
In the men's 500 freestyle, freshman Daniel Kober turned in a season-best 4:21.97 to take 21st place, while seniors Carl Madden (4:25.14) and Jack Hadjiconstantinou (4:30.79) took 23rd and 24th, respectively.
Senior Kara Fredlock scored off the 1-meter board, taking 21st after totaling 269.80 points in prelims.
Alabama's women finished the night with a sixth place finish by the 200 freestyle relay of Scott, sophomore Katie Coughlin, junior Lindsay Morrow and Tomley posted a 1:29.28.
After day two, Alabama's men are in fifth place with 287 points while the women are in 10th with 187 points after two days of competition.
"We need to get more people involved as we go along," Pursley said. "Hopefully those that swam well today will keep getting better and the rest will be inspired. The spirit was high tonight and people are excited and anxious to contribute."
Prelims for day three get underway at 10 a.m. ET, with Alabama competing in the 400 individual medley, the 100 butterfly, the 200 freestyle and the men's 3-meter springboard.
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