Alabama
Women's NCAA Championships
Alabama’s Kensey McMahon Wins Swimming and Diving’s First Individual NCAA Title Since 2004
3/16/2023 9:24:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
McMahon bettered her own school record in the 500 freestyle twice in one day en route to the Crimson Tide’s first individual national title since 2004 and first individual NCAA swimming title since 1983
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama super senior Kensey McMahon opened the first full day of competition at the 2023 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships made by becoming the first UA woman to win an individual NCAA title since 2004 and the first swimmer since 1983.
McMahon dropped over a second from her preliminary school-record time to earn the 500 freestyle win (4:36.62) and became the first UA woman to break the 4:37.00 barrier in the event.
2023 NCAA 500 Freestyle Champion Kensey McMahon Said
""I definitely felt a lot of energy. It was really fun walking out with everyone and carrying that excitement into the race. I had a strategy for the last 150 (yards) that I was able to execute. To get the win was unreal. My coach (Reed Fujan) and I have been working for this not just this past season, but for the past several years, so it was really exciting that we were able to do this together."
Crimson Tide Highlights
- Kensey McMahon touched first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:36.62 to claim gold in the event, breaking her own school record, previously set in Thursday morning's prelims
- McMahon's win marks the first time an Alabama woman has won an individual NCAA championship since diver Lane Bassham won off the 3-meter springboard in 2004
- McMahon won Alabama's first NCAA swimming title since Angelika Knipping took top honors in the 50 breaststroke in 1983
- Kalia Antoniou earned an 11th-place finish in the 50 freestyle, clocking a 21.85 to earn Second Team All-America status
- Antoniou, Emily Jones, Diana Petkova and Kailyn Winter closed the night for Alabama with a 14th-place finish (1:28.40) in the 200 freestyle relay, earning Second Team All-America honors along with the way
Up Next
- All sessions of the 2023 Women's NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live results available via the MeetMobile app
- Friday and Saturday will feature a full slate of events with prelims getting underway at 9 a.m. CT and finals starting at 5 p.m.
- Friday's prelims session will feature the 100 butterfly (Rhyan White), 100 breaststroke (Jocelyn Fisher, Diana Petkova, Avery Wiseman and Cat Wright) and the 100 backstroke (Emily Jones and White)
For all the latest information on the Alabama swimming and diving teams, follow AlabamaSwimDive on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
