University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Tony Walsh
Bulldogs Earn Three SEC Honors in First Week of Action
October 26, 2021 | Swimming & Diving
ATHENS, Ga. – Following a doubleheader sweep of North and South Carolina, the University of Georgia swimming and diving team received three Southeastern Conference weekly honors, as announced by the league office in Birmingham Tuesday afternoon.
Sophomore Luca Urlando was named Men's Swimmer of the Week, while freshman Abby McCulloh shared Women's Co-Swimmer of the Week honors with Tennessee's Mona McSharry. Finally, freshman Duné Coetzee received Women's Freshman of the Week honors.
For Urlando, this is his third SEC honor after previous being named Freshman of the Week twice last season. The Sacramento, California native opened his second season in Athens with three winning B-cut times against the Tar Heels and Gamecocks. In the South Carolina meet, Urlando dropped the nation's fastest 100 backstroke time this season at 46.32 as he prevailed in the event.
One day earlier against North Carolina, Urlando swept the butterfly events with times of 46.43 and 1:43.37 respectively. The 200 fly time currently ranks fifth nationally and 100 fly times ranks sixth. In both meets, he also helped lead victorious teams in the 200 medley relay, swimming the butterfly split against UNC and the leadoff backstroke split against USC. Urlando's 50 backstroke split of 21.85 against the Gamecocks is the 10th-fastest time in the nation this season.
On the women's side, McCulloh began her Georgia career with a pair of terrific outings. In her debut race against the Tar Heels, the Lilburn product finished first with a 1,000 freestyle time of 9:44.84, the second-fastest time in the nation this season. She followed that up with a winning time of 4:47.25 in the 500 freestyle, the ninth-fastest mark in the nation. The following day against the Gamecocks, she earned her third win of the weekend as she again took the 1,000 freestyle, followed by a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle. McCulloh is the first Georgia freshman woman to be named SEC Swimmer of the Week since Zoie Hartman received the accolade twice in October 2019.
Also making her Bulldog debut, Coetzee took first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:47.52, followed by a third-place time of 55.07 in the 100 butterfly. On Saturday against South Carolina, the Pretoria, South Africa native posted the ninth-fastest 500 freestyle time in the nation this season, 4:47.21, as she finished first in the event. Later, in the 200 butterfly, she placed second with a time of 2:00.46.
In other awards, Juan Celaya-Hernandez and Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant of LSU and Sarah Rousseau of Missouri won the diver of the week honors, while Alabama's Kaique Alves was named Men's Freshman of the Week.
Georgia now heads on the road for the remainder of the fall, beginning with a dual meet next week at rival Florida. The meet opens with a diving session on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m., followed by the full meet on Friday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m.
For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).
Sophomore Luca Urlando was named Men's Swimmer of the Week, while freshman Abby McCulloh shared Women's Co-Swimmer of the Week honors with Tennessee's Mona McSharry. Finally, freshman Duné Coetzee received Women's Freshman of the Week honors.
For Urlando, this is his third SEC honor after previous being named Freshman of the Week twice last season. The Sacramento, California native opened his second season in Athens with three winning B-cut times against the Tar Heels and Gamecocks. In the South Carolina meet, Urlando dropped the nation's fastest 100 backstroke time this season at 46.32 as he prevailed in the event.
One day earlier against North Carolina, Urlando swept the butterfly events with times of 46.43 and 1:43.37 respectively. The 200 fly time currently ranks fifth nationally and 100 fly times ranks sixth. In both meets, he also helped lead victorious teams in the 200 medley relay, swimming the butterfly split against UNC and the leadoff backstroke split against USC. Urlando's 50 backstroke split of 21.85 against the Gamecocks is the 10th-fastest time in the nation this season.
On the women's side, McCulloh began her Georgia career with a pair of terrific outings. In her debut race against the Tar Heels, the Lilburn product finished first with a 1,000 freestyle time of 9:44.84, the second-fastest time in the nation this season. She followed that up with a winning time of 4:47.25 in the 500 freestyle, the ninth-fastest mark in the nation. The following day against the Gamecocks, she earned her third win of the weekend as she again took the 1,000 freestyle, followed by a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle. McCulloh is the first Georgia freshman woman to be named SEC Swimmer of the Week since Zoie Hartman received the accolade twice in October 2019.
Also making her Bulldog debut, Coetzee took first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:47.52, followed by a third-place time of 55.07 in the 100 butterfly. On Saturday against South Carolina, the Pretoria, South Africa native posted the ninth-fastest 500 freestyle time in the nation this season, 4:47.21, as she finished first in the event. Later, in the 200 butterfly, she placed second with a time of 2:00.46.
In other awards, Juan Celaya-Hernandez and Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant of LSU and Sarah Rousseau of Missouri won the diver of the week honors, while Alabama's Kaique Alves was named Men's Freshman of the Week.
Georgia now heads on the road for the remainder of the fall, beginning with a dual meet next week at rival Florida. The meet opens with a diving session on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m., followed by the full meet on Friday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m.
For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).
Players Mentioned
Breast / IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Free / Fly / IM
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