Georgia Sweeps Arizona State in Opening Meet

Friday, September 30

Athens, Ga.

4 p.m.

University of Georgia

Arizona State

Photo by: Kayla Renie/UGAAA

September 30, 2022 | Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Results

ATHENS, Ga. – In the head coaching debuts of Stefanie Williams Moreno and Neil Versfeld, the University of Georgia men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened up the season with a pair of victories over Arizona State in a modified dual meet Friday afternoon at Gabrielsen Natatorium.

Women – Georgia 62, Arizona State 28

The Georgia women opened the afternoon with a relay victory and never looked back as they cruised to an easy win. In the opening 200 medley relay, graduate Marie Schobel, freshman Elizabeth Isakson, graduate Callie Dickinson, and sophomore Eboni McCarty took first with a time of 1:40.15, with Schobel leading off at 25.22. Schobel made an impressive debut for the Bulldogs, leading off the 200 backstroke-200 breaststroke relay and winning the 150 backstroke individual event with a time of 1:24.36.

"It's kind of emotional," Tom Cousins Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach Stefanie Williams Moreno said following the meet. "This is a dream come true for me to take over and lead the women's program. I could not have done it without (assistant coach) Fernando (Rodriguez) and the girls. They really stepped up. I think that the shift has changed this year. I am excited about the future, and I think it was a great way to start out the 2022-23 season."

In the 600-400-200 freestyle relay, sophomore Abby McCulloh, senior Jillian Barczyk, and junior Sloane Reinstein finished first with a time of 11:26.52, followed by a victory in the 200 butterfly-200 freestyle relay powered by sophomore Lily Gardner, freshman Olivia Della Torre, Reinstein, and McCarty. In the 150 breaststroke, Zoie Hartman placed first at 1:36.44

At the diving well, freshman Hannah Stumpf began her Bulldog career with a win on the 1-meter, nearly earning a Zone cut with a score of 262.95. Junior Meghan Wenzel finished third with a mark of 216.75, while freshman Kyler Dixon debuted at 209.55.

Men – Georgia 46, Arizona State 44

Bolstered by a series of strong individual performances, the Georgia men held on for a two-point victory over the Sun Devils. On the 1-meter springboard, sophomore Nolan Lewis earned a Zone cut with a winning score of 310.20, followed by graduate Kevin Li in third at 281.70 and sophomore Rhett Hopkins in fifth at 255.30.

In the 150 butterfly, junior Luca Urlando (1:14.94) and graduate Andrew Abruzzo (1:17.08) swept the top two spots, as did seniors Ian Grum (1:13.81) and Bradley Dunham (1:14.54) in the 150 backstroke.

In the 600-400-200 freestyle relay, junior Jake Magahey, Abruzzo, and Urlando combined for a dominant win, posting a time of 10:21.08 and prevailing by nearly 13 seconds. Urlando later joined junior Wesley Ng, senior Zach Hils, and Magahey for a winning time of 3:01.36 in the 200 butterfly-200 freestyle relay. Ng picked up a B-cut with an opening 100 backstroke split of 47.55.

"It was a fantastic win," said Men's Swimming & Diving Head Coach Neil Versfeld following the meet. "It was a fun one starting the season that way. No complaints there. It wasn't a normal meet setup as far as format and races, so it was more events that made it more fun."

Up Next
Georgia returns to the water Saturday morning for a tri-meet against Arizona State and SEC foe Missouri. The meet begins at 10 a.m. at Gabrielsen Natatorium and will be streamed on SEC Network+.