ATHENS, Ga. – Junior Danny Schmidt swam two of the five fastest times in Auburn history in the 200 IM on Wednesday at the SEC Championships, vaulting the Tigers to eighth (199 points) on the men’s side. The women sit ninth with 180.5 points with three days of swimming and diving left to go inside Gabrielsen Natatorium.
The morning session on Wednesday proved to be profitable for head coach Ryan Wochomurka and the Auburn Tigers.
Freshman Julia Strojnowska kicked things off with a 4:44.57 in the 500 free to earn herself a second swim in the C final during the evening session.
Distance specialist Mason Mathias tied for the second-fastest 500 in school history at 4:11.03 to get himself into the A fina. Meanwhile, Michael Bonson delivered a season-best 4:14.18 to swim the B final and Grant Davis’ 4:18.24 was just enough to squeeze into the C final.
After becoming the No. 2 performer in program history on Tuesday night in the 200 free, Danny Schmidt jumped to No. 2 in the 200 IM with a lightning-fast 1:42.04 in prelims to qualify third overall. Schmidt now sits just behind record holder Hugo Gonzalez (1:40.67).
Freshman Rokas Jazdauskas (1:44.65) and Jacques Rathle (1:44.87) each made the C final.
It was a season-best time of 22.05 for Lexie Mulvihill in the 50 free, earning the senior seventh in the morning session to qualify for the A final. Elizaveta Klevanovich (22.33) also grabbed a second swim in the C final.
Logan Tirheimer dialed up his season-best as well in the 50 free (19.07), securing a spot in the B final. Kalle Makinen would hit the wall in 19.44 to compete in the C final.
Wednesday evening began with a bang as Logan Tirheimer, Kalle Makinen, Nate Stoffle and Ryan Husband combined for a season-best 1:15.76 in the 200 free relay to secure fourth place. The time was also the 10th-fastest in school history.
Strojnowska returned to the blocks for the evening session on a mission. The Freshman vaulted up the leaderboard with a personal-best 4:41.48 to finish 19th overall and jumped to No. 9 all-time at Auburn.
In the men’s 500 free, Mathias wasn’t quite able to match his pace from the morning but his 4:15.05 was good enough to earn the senior seventh place overall. Bonson secured 15th at 4:17.51 and Davis grabbed 24th with a 4:21.25.
Almost unbelievably, Schmidt’s continued to drop time in finals. His 1:41.42 was just 0.03 seconds from a podium and is the second-fastest time in school history. Coupled with his prelims effort, Schmidt swam the second and fifth fastest times ever for the Orange and Blue in the event.
Mulvihill took 0.02 seconds off her prelim time of the 50 free , sliding into sixth during finals with a 22.03. Klevanovich hit the wall 19th overall at 22.25.
Tirheimer didn’t quite match his season-best from prelims but a 19.12 gave the senior 14th place. Makinen would hit the blocks in the C final and drop a 19.59 for 22nd.
For John Fox’s diving group, both Emily Hallifax and Abigail Farrar put up solid efforts. The duo of Tigers reached the consolation finals with solid lists in prelims behind a season-best 315.90 for Farrar and a 300.23 for Hallifax. Hallifax dialed up a season-best of her own with a 308.10 to finish second in consoles and 10th overall. Farrar would go 276.25 to secure 15th.
The women’s 200 free relay was ultimately disqualified due to an early takeoff on the third exchange.
The remaining schedule of events is below:
Thursday, Feb. 20 (400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, Men’s 1-meter)
8:30 a.m. CT – Prelims
11 a.m. CT – Diving Prelims
1:10 p.m. CT – Diving Consolation Finals
4:30 p.m. CT – Finals
Friday, Feb. 21 (200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, Women’s Platform, 400 MR)
8:30 a.m. CT – Prelims
11:30 a.m. CT – Diving Prelims
12:40 p.m. CT – Diving Consolation Finals
4:30 p.m. CT – Finals
Saturday, Feb. 22 (200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 1650 free, Men’s Platform, 400 FR)
8:30 a.m. CT – Prelims
11:30 a.m. CT – Diving Prelims
12:40 p.m. CT – Diving Consolation Finals
2:30 p.m. CT – 1650 heats
4 p.m. CT – Finals