University of Georgia Athletics
Saturday, March 20
Greensboro, N.C.
10:00 AM (Prelims) | 6:00 PM (Finals)
University of Georgia
vs
NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships
Photo by: Tony Walsh
Georgia Finishes Eighth at NCAA Women’s Championships
March 20, 2021 | Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Highlighted by junior Dakota Luther's third-place finish in the 200 butterfly, the University of Georgia swimming and diving team sealed an eighth-place finish Saturday evening at the 2021 NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
With 181 points, Georgia earned its 29th top-10 NCAA finish in program history and the first since placing fourth in 2017. Virginia won its first national title with 491 points, followed by NC State in second with 354 points and Texas in third with 344.5 points. The Bulldogs notched the second-highest finish for an SEC program, with only fifth-place Alabama finishing higher. Overall, the league placed seven programs in the top 20.
"It was not the easiest meet we've ever had, but we never quit fighting," said Tom Cousins Swimming & Diving Head Coach Jack Bauerle. "We closed out tonight with some strong swims and were able to end up with a top-eight finish. It was a tough meet with seven SEC teams in the top 20. We're proud to be top-10. We're proud to be Georgia Bulldogs."
Luther posted Georgia's top finish of the evening, placing third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:53.01, her second-fastest mark of the season. Earlier in prelims, she placed fourth overall with a time of 1:53.43, besting the field in her heat with a furious 29.51 in the final 50 yards.
Sophomore Zoie Hartman wrapped up a strong meet with two First Team All-America citations Saturday evening. In the 200 breaststroke, Hartman finished eighth with a time of 2:07.70, following a fifth-place prelims time of 2:06.42. Senior Danielle Della Torre also picked up All-America honors with a 14th-place time of 2:08.34 in the same event.
Hartman then joined seniors Gabi Fa'amausili and Courtney Harnish and freshman Maxine Parker in the 400 freestyle relay, posting a seventh-place time of 3:13.09. With the relay time, she earned All-America honors in all seven events for the second-consecutive season.
Parker closed out her rookie campaign with six All-America citations, finishing 12th in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.30. Senior Olivia Anderson rounded out the Georgia All-Americans with a 10th-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle, tallying a time of 16:08.22. In other career finales for the Bulldogs, Harnish finished 19th in the 200 butterfly at 1:55.99, while Sammie Burchill turned in a time of 1:57.35 in the 200 backstroke.
"Zoie was probably the star of our meet for us and was very important to our success," said Bauerle. "I was also very happy for Danielle Della Torre tonight, and especially, Dakota. She has become a great team member and helps us in so many ways beyond swimming."
The NCAA Championships crowned seven national champions on the final night of competition, led by Virginia's Paige Madden, who earned her third title of the meet in the 1,650 freestyle. Other winners included Wisconsin's Phoebe Bacon in the 200 backstroke, Michigan's Maggie MacNeil and Olivia Carter in the 100 freestyle and 200 butterfly respectively, NC State's Sophie Hansson in the 200 breaststroke, and Indiana's Tarrin Gilliland on the platform. Finally, Alabama closed the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay.
Georgia will now turn its attention toward the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships, running Wednesday, March 24 through Saturday, March 27 in Greensboro. With a 14-man roster heading to North Carolina, the Bulldogs will look to carry over the momentum from a historic second-place finish at last month's SEC Championships. All action from NCAAs will be available on ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).
STANDINGS
1. Virginia, 491
2. NC State, 354
3. Texas, 344.5
4. California, 224.5
5. Alabama, 266
6. Michigan, 224.5
7. Ohio State, 215.5
8. Georgia, 181
9. Stanford, 159
10. Tennessee, 153
RESULTS
1,650 Freestyle
First: Paige Madden, Virginia
Second: Evie Pfeifer, Texas
Third: Sierra Schmidt, Michigan
Fourth: Kristen Stege, Tennessee
200 Backstroke
First: Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin
Second: Rhyan White, Alabama
Third: Isabelle Stadden, California
Fourth: Emma Atkinson, Virginia Tech
100 Freestyle
First: Maggie MacNeil, Michigan
Second: Kate Douglass, Virginia
Third: Isabel Ivey, California
Fourth: Morgan Scott, Alabama
200 Breaststroke
First: Sophie Hansson, NC State
Second: Ella Nelson, Virginia
Third: Mona McSharry, Tennessee
Fourth: Andrea Podmanikova, NC State
200 Butterfly
First: Olivia Carter, Michigan
Second: Olivia Bray, Texas
Third: Dakota Luther, Georgia
Fourth: Taylor Pike, Texas A&M
Platform Diving
First: Tarrin Gilliland, Indiana
Second: Delaney Schnell, Arizona
Third: Maycey Vieta, Purdue
Fourth: Maggie Merriman, Purdue
400 Freestyle Relay
First: Alabama
Second: Virginia
Third: California
Fourth: NC State
With 181 points, Georgia earned its 29th top-10 NCAA finish in program history and the first since placing fourth in 2017. Virginia won its first national title with 491 points, followed by NC State in second with 354 points and Texas in third with 344.5 points. The Bulldogs notched the second-highest finish for an SEC program, with only fifth-place Alabama finishing higher. Overall, the league placed seven programs in the top 20.
"It was not the easiest meet we've ever had, but we never quit fighting," said Tom Cousins Swimming & Diving Head Coach Jack Bauerle. "We closed out tonight with some strong swims and were able to end up with a top-eight finish. It was a tough meet with seven SEC teams in the top 20. We're proud to be top-10. We're proud to be Georgia Bulldogs."
Luther posted Georgia's top finish of the evening, placing third in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:53.01, her second-fastest mark of the season. Earlier in prelims, she placed fourth overall with a time of 1:53.43, besting the field in her heat with a furious 29.51 in the final 50 yards.
Sophomore Zoie Hartman wrapped up a strong meet with two First Team All-America citations Saturday evening. In the 200 breaststroke, Hartman finished eighth with a time of 2:07.70, following a fifth-place prelims time of 2:06.42. Senior Danielle Della Torre also picked up All-America honors with a 14th-place time of 2:08.34 in the same event.
Hartman then joined seniors Gabi Fa'amausili and Courtney Harnish and freshman Maxine Parker in the 400 freestyle relay, posting a seventh-place time of 3:13.09. With the relay time, she earned All-America honors in all seven events for the second-consecutive season.
Parker closed out her rookie campaign with six All-America citations, finishing 12th in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.30. Senior Olivia Anderson rounded out the Georgia All-Americans with a 10th-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle, tallying a time of 16:08.22. In other career finales for the Bulldogs, Harnish finished 19th in the 200 butterfly at 1:55.99, while Sammie Burchill turned in a time of 1:57.35 in the 200 backstroke.
"Zoie was probably the star of our meet for us and was very important to our success," said Bauerle. "I was also very happy for Danielle Della Torre tonight, and especially, Dakota. She has become a great team member and helps us in so many ways beyond swimming."
The NCAA Championships crowned seven national champions on the final night of competition, led by Virginia's Paige Madden, who earned her third title of the meet in the 1,650 freestyle. Other winners included Wisconsin's Phoebe Bacon in the 200 backstroke, Michigan's Maggie MacNeil and Olivia Carter in the 100 freestyle and 200 butterfly respectively, NC State's Sophie Hansson in the 200 breaststroke, and Indiana's Tarrin Gilliland on the platform. Finally, Alabama closed the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay.
Georgia will now turn its attention toward the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships, running Wednesday, March 24 through Saturday, March 27 in Greensboro. With a 14-man roster heading to North Carolina, the Bulldogs will look to carry over the momentum from a historic second-place finish at last month's SEC Championships. All action from NCAAs will be available on ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).
STANDINGS
1. Virginia, 491
2. NC State, 354
3. Texas, 344.5
4. California, 224.5
5. Alabama, 266
6. Michigan, 224.5
7. Ohio State, 215.5
8. Georgia, 181
9. Stanford, 159
10. Tennessee, 153
RESULTS
1,650 Freestyle
First: Paige Madden, Virginia
Second: Evie Pfeifer, Texas
Third: Sierra Schmidt, Michigan
Fourth: Kristen Stege, Tennessee
200 Backstroke
First: Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin
Second: Rhyan White, Alabama
Third: Isabelle Stadden, California
Fourth: Emma Atkinson, Virginia Tech
100 Freestyle
First: Maggie MacNeil, Michigan
Second: Kate Douglass, Virginia
Third: Isabel Ivey, California
Fourth: Morgan Scott, Alabama
200 Breaststroke
First: Sophie Hansson, NC State
Second: Ella Nelson, Virginia
Third: Mona McSharry, Tennessee
Fourth: Andrea Podmanikova, NC State
200 Butterfly
First: Olivia Carter, Michigan
Second: Olivia Bray, Texas
Third: Dakota Luther, Georgia
Fourth: Taylor Pike, Texas A&M
Platform Diving
First: Tarrin Gilliland, Indiana
Second: Delaney Schnell, Arizona
Third: Maycey Vieta, Purdue
Fourth: Maggie Merriman, Purdue
400 Freestyle Relay
First: Alabama
Second: Virginia
Third: California
Fourth: NC State
Players Mentioned
Free
/ Swimming & Diving
Back / IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast / IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free / Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Free / Fly
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast / IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Fly / IM
/ Swimming & Diving
Free
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