2025 SEC Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam

Southeastern Conference (SEC) – Men and Women

• Dates: Tuesday, February 18–Saturday, February 22
  • Prelims: 9:30 am EST/ Finals 5:30 pm EST (Tuesday-5:00 EST)
• Location: Gabrielsen Natatorium, Athens, GA
• Defending Champions: Florida women (2x); Florida men (12x)
• Live Results
• Live Video: SEC Network+
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide (Men)
• Fan Guide (Women)
• Psych Sheets
• Teams: Alabama, Arkansas (women), Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas*, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt (women)

The swimming events of the 2025 SEC Championships start this evening at 5 pm Eastern Standard Time, and we will get to see many of the nation’s top swimmers racing tonight. Last year, Florida won all four of the relays, even setting the American record in the medley relay. We also saw a new SEC record in the women’s 800 free relay, and a new meet record in the men’s 800 free relay.

This year, Florida will have to deal with newcomer Texas and last year’s runner-up Tennessee in all four relays, and the titles could realistically go to any of these three teams, especially depending on personnel.

WOMEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:31.51, Virginia – 2023 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record:  1:33.29, Alabama — 2022 SEC Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:33.94, Alabama — 2022
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:36.24
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:36.86

Full Results:

1. Texas- 1:33.84 *NEW SEC RECORD**
2. Tennessee- 1:34.27 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Florida- 1:34.34  (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Alabama- 1:34.36 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. Auburn- 1:34.89 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. Texas A&M- 1:35.43 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
7. Georgia- 1:36.50
8. South Carolina-1:37.08
9. Missouri- 1:37.18
10. LSU- 1:37.97
11. Kentucky- 1:38.16
12. Arkansas- 1:39.32
13. Vanderbilt- 1:39.77

The Texas Longhorns started their first SECs off fast with a new SEC Championship Record in the women’s 200 medley relay. Their 1:33.84 time breaks the former record set by Alabama in 2022.

Texas did not lead the whole race, however, they traded the lead with Tennessee and Florida was hot on their heels. The backstroke legs of Emma Sticklen for Texas (23.38), Josephine Fuller for Tennessee (23.65), and Catie Choate (24.36) started the teams off, and the first leg finished with Texas in first and Tennessee and Florida back in 4th and 6th respectively. Other fast backstroke legs included Alabama’s Emily Jones (23.59) and Auburn’s Lora Komoroczy (23.60).

Tennessee was not in fourth for long with breaststroker McKenzie Siroky swimming a 25.68 split, which ties her for 10th all time with Mona McSharry and Hannah Bach. This was the only sub-26 split in the field. Texas breaststroker Piper Enge went 26.42 to hold onto 2nd for the Longhorns and Anita Bottazzo from Florida went 26.00 to move the Gators into 4th.

Florida started making a move on the fly leg with Olivia Peoples splitting the fastest 50 fly leg at 22.32. Peoples was a breakout swimmer for Florida last year, experiencing significant time drops. Her split at this meet was one one-hundredth faster than the 22.33 she went last year. Abigail Arens split 22.83 for Texas and Sara Stolter went 23.09 for Tennessee. Texas A&M flyer Olivia Theall went the 2nd fastest time at 22.79. After the fly leg, Tennessee was still in first, barely two tenths ahead of Texas in 2nd and Florida in 3rd.

The freestyle legs were the ultimate difference maker as Texas sprinter Grace Cooper went 21.21 to bring her team home in meet record fashion. Olympic breaststroker Mona McSharry swam the freestyle leg for Tennessee in 21.85 instead of top sprinter Camille Spink. Spink’s absence means we can likely expect to see her on the other four relays at the meet. Micayla Cronk went 21.66 to bring Florida to 3rd and Cadence Vincent from Alabama spit 21.27 to come in just two-one-hundredths behind Florida.

Texas’ time tonight would have been 3rd at last year’s NCAAs, a significant improvement from their 6th place finish last year. It is currently the 2nd fastest time in the nation, only behind UVA’s 1:31.53.

Alabama, Auburn, and Texas A&M all swam  NCAA ‘A’ times in the event. Texas A&M was the only team who started the evening without one.

MEN’S 200 MEDLEY RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 1:20.15, Florida – 2024 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 1:20.15, Florida – 2024 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 1:21.43, Tennessee — 2023
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:23.71
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 1:24.32

Final Results:

1. Tennessee- 1:20.22 **New Meet Record**
2. Florida- 1:20.66 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Texas- 1:20.75 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. LSU- 1:23.05 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. Georgia- 1:23.15 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. Missouri- 1:23.21 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
7. South Carolina- 1:23.77
8. Texas A&M- 1:23.80
9. Alabama- 1:24.99
10. Kentucky- 1:25.38
11. Auburn- DQ

That was exciting! Florida led for most of the race, helped significantly by Julian Smith‘s absolutely blistering 22.15 breaststroke split, which is the fastest 50 breaststroke split in history. His time surpasses the previous number 1 split of 22.25 swam by Liam Bell at last year’s NCAA Championships.

This relay was really a battle between three teams, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas, with 4th place LSU coming in more than two seconds behind them. Will Modglin started Texas off with the top time of the evening, swimming 20.34. Florida’s Jonny Marshall went 20.61 to put them in 2nd, and Lamar Taylor from Tennessee went 22.87 for 3rd. Luca Urlando, an NCAA record holder in the 200 fly went 21.03 in his 50 backstroke leading of Georgia’s relay.

Nobody was able to keep up with Smith’s 22.15 split, but Kevin Houseman went 22.87 for Tennessee and Nate Germonprez went 22.59 for Texas.

The fly leg was where we started to see a shift happening. Gui Caribe went 19.17 on the fly leg for Tennesee, bringing them up closer to Texas, who had Hubert Kos split 19.74, and putting them just over six-tenths back of Florida’s Scotty Buff who went 19.40. There were to other sub-20 swims, South Carolina’s Eldor Usmonov went 19.92 and Texas A&M’s Connor Foote went 19.64.

Jordan Crooks had an absolutely monster freestyle leg for the Vols, splitting 17.42 to move Tennessee into first overall in the event and a new meet record. This time was over half a second faster than anyone else in the field, with Chris Guiliano having the next fastest split at 18.08 for Texas, who finished 3rd. Florida’s Ed Fullum-Huot brought the Gators home in 18.50 which was enough to hold of Texas for 2nd.

Florida superstar Josh Liendo did not appear on this relay, confirming he will be on the other four relays for the Gators.

LSU, Georgia, and Missouri all also went NCAA ‘A’ times, but Missouri was the only school to pick up a new cut.

MEN’S 3-METER DIVING

Top 8 Finishers:

1. Carson Paul (LSU)- 438.30
2. Conor Gesing (FLOR)- 417.25
3. Bennett Greene (TENN)- 416.85
4. Allen Bottego (TAMU)- 406.25
5. Matthew Bray (UGA)- 393.65
6. Rena Calderaro (UGA)- 386.55
7. Luke Forester (TEX)- 338.30
8. Sam Duncan (KENT)- 321.15

LSU’s Carson Paul won the 3-meter event with his score of 438.30. At last year’s NCAAs, Paul placed 12th on this board and 6th on the platform, so we should see his name again later in the meet.

Conor Gesing from Florida took 2nd a little more than 20 points back and just barely ahead of Tennessee’s Bennett Greene in 3rd.

WOMEN’S 800 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:45.91, Stanford – 2017 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 6:48.59, Florida — 2024 SEC Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 6:49.65, Florida — 2024
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 7:00.86
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 7:05.56

Final Results:

1. Tennessee- 6:49.83 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
2. Texas- 6:51.61 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
3. Florida- 6:53.53 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. UGA- 6:57.77 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. LSU- 6:59.66 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. Texas A&M- 7:04.07
7. South Carolina- 7:04.29
8. Auburn- 7:05.27
9. Kentucky- 7:06.85
10. Alabama- 7:07.30
11. Missouri- 7:08.69
12. Arkansas- 7:11.69
13. Vanderbilt- 7:20.53

Tennessee ran away with this relay, coming in two seconds ahead of 2nd place Texas. Brooklyn Douthwright led the relay off in 1:42.94, which is about half-a-second off her lifetime best of 1:42.41 from March of 2023. This was the 2nd fastest first 200 split in the field. Camille Spink made her first relay appearance of this meet, swimming 1:41.28 in the 2nd position. Only one swimmer went faster. Julia Mrozinski went 1:23.48 in 3rd. Finally, Ella Jansen swam 1:42.33 to bring the Vols home to their first title of the meet.

Texas came in 2nd, two seconds behind Tennessee and two seconds ahead of Florida. Erin Gemmell went the fastest leadoff split, swimming 1:42.49, a new best time by three tenths of a second. Lillian Nesty split 1:41.70 in 2nd. Campbell Chase went 1:44.02 in 3rd and Ava Longi anchored in 1:43.40.

Florida had the fastest split of the day with sophomore Bella Sims in the 2nd position. Sims split 1:39.55 in the event, the third fastest split in history. She is only the 4th swimmer in history to split a sub-1:40 200 freestyle on the 800 freestyle relay, joining Mallory Comerford, Taylor Ruck, and Katie Ledecky.

The rest of Florida’s relay consisted of Julie Brousseau (1:44.18), Emma Weyant 1:43.96), and Micayla Cronk (1:45.84), and they finished a little over four seconds ahead of UGA in 4th.

These relays were also new ‘A’ standard times for Texas and LSU.

MEN’S 800 FREE RELAY — FINALS

• NCAA Record: 6:02.26, Cal – 2024 NCAA Championships
• SEC Record: 6:05.59, Georgia — 2022 NCAA Championships
• SEC Championship Record: 6:06.36, Florida — 2024
• 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 6:15.80
• 2024 NCAA ‘B’ Standard: 6:18.42

Final Results

1. Florida- 6:02.50 **New SEC and Meet Record**
2. Texas- 6:03.24 **American Record**
3. UGA- 6:05.43 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
4. Alabama- 6:06.77 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
5. Auburn- 6:11.72 (NCAA ‘A’ Standard)
6. LSU- 6:16.75
7. Kentucky-6:17.34
8. Tennessee- 6:17.91
9. Texas A&M- 6:18.22
10. South Carolina- 6:23.00
11. Missouri- DQ

Florida and Texas both set new records in this race. Florida broke the SEC record, setting a new championship record in the process of swimming the 2nd fastest time in history. Texas, due to Josh Liendo‘s Canadian status, was able to set the American record in 2nd.

The Gators led off with Freshman Alex Painter who went 1:31.21 in the event. This was a new best time by nearly three seconds, improving the 1:34.11 he went in November. This time also exactly tied the NCAA ‘A’ cut in the event, his first ever. Josh Liendo swam his first event, splitting 1:30.19 in the 2nd position. Julian Smith continued his exceptional day, splitting 1:29.67 in the relay to make it under 1:30 for the first time ever. Jake Mitchell brought the Gators home in 1:31.43 to secure the title and the records.

Since Josh Liendo is Canadian, even though Texas finished in 2nd, they were still able to set the American record in the event. The previous record was their own from 2023 at 6:03.42. Luke Hobson led the relay off in 1:30.45, putting the Longhorns in 2nd, where they spent the rest of the race. Rex Maurer split 1:31.70 in 2nd. Chris Guiliano went 1:30.04 in 3rd, and Coby Carrozza anchored in 1:31.05. Their final time was 6:03.24 to break the record by just under two-tenths.

UGA got 3rd, and they also had a swimmer break 1:30 for the first time. Sophomore Tomas Koski went 1:29.64 as the fastest split in the field. Luca Urlando led them off in 1:31.81. Jake Magahey went after Koski, splitting 1:30.84, and Reese Branzell went 1:33.14 in the last position.

Charlie Hawke from Alabama was out the fastest, out touching NCAA record holder Luke Hobson by one-one-hundredth, swimming 1:30.44 to Hobson’s 1:30.45.

Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn all punched NCAA tickets in the event as well.

Team Scores After Day 2:

Women

1. Texas- 238
2. Florida- 140
3. Texas A&M- 130
4. LSU- 126
5. Tennessee- 120
6. South Carolina- 118
7. Auburn-115.5
8. Kentucky- 115
9. Georgia- 104.5
10. Alabama- 86
11. Arkanas- 85
12. Missouri- 84
13. Vanderbilt- 56

Men

1. Texas- 176
2. Georgia- 158
3. Tennessee- 153.5
4. Florida- 152
5. LSU- 132
6. Alabama- 118
7. South Carolina- 110
8. Kentukcy- 102
9. Auburn- 63
10. Missouri- 62.5

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 SEC Championships: Day 2 Finals Live Recap