Alabama Women’s Swimming and Diving Ends 2018-19 Season on High Note
3/26/2019 9:37:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
In the last race of the Crimson Tide’s season, freshman Kensey McMahon scored in the championship final of the 1,650 freestyle, setting the school record in the process
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama's Kensey McMahon closed out the Crimson Tide women's swimming and diving season by posting its highest finish at the recent NCAA Championships, capping a rookie campaign that started strong and just got better from there with First Team All-America honors.
"Going into NCAAs, I thought a lot about what Coach Denny (Pursley) said about coming into this meet with a performance mindset as opposed to a participation mindset," McMahon said. "I had a race plan for the 500 and I couldn't execute it, so I was more determined than ever to give myself an opportunity in the mile."
In Alabama's last race of the season, McMahon finished seventh in the 1,650 freestyle with a school-record 15:53.18, bettering the mark she set in November by six seconds. She was the only freshman in the top 14 at the NCAA Championships. She also bettered her school record in the 1,000 freestyle on the way out in the mile, going 9:37.62, shaving seven seconds off her previous mark.
"I love to race and had a great race set up in my heat," McMahon said. "I felt strong right from the start and went for it and was really pleased with my time. Placing top eight is beyond exciting and surreal. I'm happy to have put up additional points for our team and showcase that believing in your coaches and putting in the really hard work does pay off."
Head coach Dennis Pursley said, "we're proud of the focus, determination and competitive spirit that Kensey demonstrated all season and especially last week. That's going to hold her and this team in good stead."
While McMahon capped off her first season for the Crimson Tide by earning All-America honors, senior Justine Macfarlane closed her Alabama career in style, by earning her All-America for the third time in her career and the second time in the 100 breaststroke. Macfarlane bettered her career-best mark in the 100 three times over the last month, including twice at the SEC Championships, where she made the championship final in the event, before settling in at 59.54 in the prelims of the NCAA Championships, good for third all-time at Alabama.
"I'm really proud of myself, making it back two years in a row," Macfarlane said. "I'm happy to have scored some points for the team."
Freshman Kalia Antoniou also embodied the "last one, fast one" slogan, leading of the Tide's 400 freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships with a career-best time of 48.86 in her final swim of the meet, which moves her up to third all-time at Alabama in that event.
McMahon started her freshman season halfway around the world at the FINA World Junior Open Water Championships in Eilat, Israel, where she posted a top-10 finish for Team USA in the 10,000-meter race. Upon returning to campus, she set about rewriting Alabama's record book when it comes to the distance events, breaking both the 1,000 and 1,650 freestyle marks in November at the Georgia Tech Invite. Her school mark in the longest collegiate event made her the first UA woman under 16 minutes in the mile, turning in a 15:59.46.
McMahon wasn't the member of the Crimson Tide to start their rookie season in international competition. Freshmen Rhyan White and Kalia Antoniou both swam at the World Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where White earned Team USA's first medal, taking bronze in the 100-meter backstroke.
White and McMahon both had strong showings at the SEC Championships. White broke the school record in the 100 backstroke with a 52.08 in the championship finals, while McMahon posted the UA women's highest individual finish, taking third place in the 1,650 freestyle.
The Tide women also broke the school 400 medley relay mark with White, Macfarlane, sophomore Flora Molnar and Antoniou combining to stop the clock with a 3:32.65. Molnar posted a career-best 48.51 of her own in the 100 freestyle, edging her ever closer to Bailey Scott's 48.38 school mark set in 2018.
The Tide also had a strong showing in the classroom in the fall, posting a 3.67 team grade point average, which ranked fifth among all NCAA Division I schools and first when it comes to SEC programs.
"We are extremely proud of the team's performance in the classroom this fall," Pursley said. "To have this kind of success in the classroom while challenging themselves in the pool on a daily basis really speaks to the commitment our athletes are making to be the best they can be in the pool, in the classroom and in life."
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