Alabama Swimming and Diving Breaks Eight School Records at Georgia Tech Invitational
11/26/2019 4:54:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
The Crimson Tide broke three relay marks and five individual records over the course of the three-day meet
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Led by a career performance from sophomore Rhyan White, the Alabama swimming and diving squads enjoyed a strong showing at last weekend's Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta, Ga.
The Crimson Tide broke eight school records on the weekend, including five individual and three relay marks. White broke four of those individual records, besting her own 100 backstroke mark from last season and taking the 200 backstroke and 100 and 200 butterfly as her own.
White became the first woman in UA history to go under 52 seconds in both the 100 backstroke and butterfly, going 51.12 and 51.71, respectively. She also smashed the school 200 backstroke record, shaving nearly four seconds off the previous standard set in 2015, going 1:50.00. Her new school record in the 200 butterfly, 1:55.78, is nearly two seconds better than the previous Tide standard set in 2010.
Flora Molnar snapped the school record in the 100 freestyle, becoming the first Tide woman to go under 48 seconds in the process when she touched the wall at 47.98 to win the race in Atlanta. The junior also swam legs on all three record-breaking relays. She was joined on the 200 medley relay by White, junior Kalia Wong and senior Allie Surrency, the 400 freestyle relay (3:14.26) by Surrency and sophomores Morgan Scott and Julia Wolf, and the 800 freestyle relay (7:08.69) by Scott, senior Alexis Preski and sophomore Kensey McMahon.
Head Coach Coley Stickels Says
"We had a solid meet in Atlanta with some definite high points. Rhyan White had a breakout meet, and not just in her specialties. Pretty much every race she swam was a career-best time and a school record, which was phenomenal. We had some great performances in the sprint freestyle events, including Flora Molnar getting under 48 seconds in the 100 free for a new school record and Zane (Waddell) going the nation's top time in the 50 backstroke. Overall, it was more of a rehearsal for what we'll see at SECs and NCAAs in terms of racing and number of events. We were coming out of hard training and didn't shave or taper so we're definitely looking forward to the championship season. After a meet like that, we need to get back in the pool, continue to work hard and focus on what is moving us forward as a team."
National Top-10
- The Crimson Tide has 12 combined swims that rank in the top-10 nationally following last weekend's meet
- Senior Zane Waddell posted the fastest time in the nation, going 20.91 in the 50 backstroke in Atlanta, making him the only swimmer this season under 21 seconds
- Waddell is also ranked third nationally in the 50 freestyle with a career-best 19.15, fourth in the 100 backstroke with a 45.46 and eighth in the 100 freestyle with a 42.76 in Atlanta
- McMahon is still ranked No. 1 in the 1,000 freestyle with her 9:42.96 from the UA-UGA dual meet at the start of October, while her 16:03.38 in the 1,650 freestyle, the fourth-fastest mile in UA history, ranks her eighth in the nation
- White is ranked No. 2 in the 200 backstroke with her school-record 1:50.00. She is also third in the 100 backstroke (51.12), fifth in the 50 backstroke (23.96) and ninth in the 100 butterfly (51.71). Her school record 1:55.78 in the 200 butterfly is just outside the top-10 nationally at No. 11
- Molnar's school record in the 100 freestyle (47.98) ranks her ninth nationally, while her career-best 51.80 in the 100 butterfly is 10th
Alabama's All Time Top-10
- A total of 11 men and women combined to put 30 swims from this weekend on Alabama's all-time top-10 lists, with White leading the way with five career-best swims
- In addition to her four school records, White added a 1:59.16 in the 200 individual medley, ranking her fifth all-time at UA
- Senior Alexis Preski and sophomore Morgan Scott were next, with four spots on the all-time top-10 each
- Preski tallied four career-best swims, ranking her second all-time in the 500 freestyle (4:40.01) and 200 butterfly (1:57.46), fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:47.03) and 400 individual medley (4:10.99)
- Scott ranks fourth in the 100 backstroke (53.14), sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:47.45), ninth in the 100 freestyle (49.28) and 10th in the 50 freestyle (22.72)
Up Next
- Alabama closes the fall semester with a pair of trips to Auburn, Ala., taking on the Tigers in a dual meet on Dec. 5, before returning Dec. 17-19 for the Auburn Diving Invite
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Players Mentioned
