No. 7/12 Georgia Sweeps No. 10/14 Auburn in First Meet of 2024

Saturday, January 6

Auburn, Ala.

11 a.m.

University of Georgia

186

114

Auburn

Photo by: EmilyCameron

No. 7/12 Georgia Sweeps No. 10/14 Auburn in First Meet of 2024

January 06, 2024 | Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Results

AUBURN, Ala. – Continued dominance from the distance group powered the University of Georgia swimming and diving teams to a sweep of Auburn Saturday at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center.

The seventh-ranked Georgia men (3-4) topped No. 10 Auburn by a 186-114 margin, while the 12^th-ranked Georgia women (6-1) outlasted the No. 14 Tigers in a 157.5-142.5 contest.

Men | No. 7 Georgia 186, No. 10 Auburn 114

Senior Jake Magahey led the day for Georgia with three victories, taking first in the 1,000y freestyle, 200y butterfly, and 500y freestyle. Magahey led the 1,000y with a time of 9:12.87, followed closely in second by sophomore Sam Powe at 9:15.18. In the butterfly, he posted a B-cut time of 1:45.73, followed by a top-three sweep of the 500y with Powe and freshman Tomas Koski.

Koski placed first in the 200y freestyle with a B-cut of 1:35.14, joining teammates Zach Hils and Cooper Cook for a 1-2-3 sweep. Sophomore Ruard van Renen continued his outstanding season with a pair of wins, prevailing in the 100y backstroke with a B-cut rime of 46.94, followed by a winning time of 48.21 in the 100y butterfly.

At the diving well, freshman Matthew Bray took first on 1-meter with a score of 352.95, following a third-place finish on 3-meter. In the 200y backstroke, fifth-year Ian Grum touched first with a B-cut time of 1:42.94, while fellow fifth-year Zach Hils won the 200y IM with a time of 1:46.94. Junior Reese Branzell took the 100y freestyle with a top time of 43.49.

In both relays, the Bulldogs' top squad finished second with graduate Bradley Dunham, sophomore Steven Insixiengmay, senior Wesley Ng, and graduate Dillon Downing posting a time of 1:27.82 in the 200y medley relay. In the closing 400y freestyle relay, Koski and Magahey joined graduate Miles Simon and junior Mitchell Norton for a time of 2:58.32.

Women | No. 12 Georgia 157.5, No. 14 Auburn 142.5

The Bulldogs' distance group once again illustrated their prowess with a pair of top-three sweeps. In the 1,000y freestyle, junior Abby McCulloh led the pack with a time of 9:47.47, followed by fellow juniors Rachel Stege in second at 9:53.86 and Duné Coetzee in third at 9:59.32. Later in the 500y freestyle, Stege touched first with a B-cut time of 4:46.33, followed by McCulloh (4:48.87) and Coetzee (4:52.98). In the 200y freestyle, senior Sloane Reinstein won with a time of 1:46.97 with Coetzee and fifth-year Jillian Barczyk joining her for the sweep.

The sprint freestylers also turned in a strong performance led by freshman Helena Jones. The Portland, Oregon native took first in the 50y freestyle with a time of 22.70 then came out of the break to win the 100y freestyle with a B-cut time of 49.17. Junior Briana Roberson was close behind Jones in both races, placing second in the 100y and third in the 50y.

Fifth-year Zoie Hartman earned three victories on the day, sweeping both breaststroke events before clinching the meet for Georgia with a top time of 2:00.22 in the 200y IM. Jones, Roberson, and Reinstein then joined junior Eboni McCarty for the exclamation point in the 400y freestyle relay, winning with a time of 3:17.38. McCarty was victorious earlier in the meet in the 100y backstroke with a B-cut time of 53.29.

In diving, senior Meghan Wenzel placed second on both springboards with Zone cuts in each event.

Up Next

Georgia returns home for three meets over the next four Saturdays at Gabrielsen Natatorium. The Bulldogs will take on No. 16/23 Florida State, along with the Vanderbilt women's team, next Saturday at 11 a.m. Admission is free for all spectators and live coverage will be available on SEC Network+. Prior to the meet, the natatorium pool will be officially dedicated in honor of legendary head coach Jack Bauerle.

For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).