SEC Preview | Gators And Aggies, And Dawgs, Oh My!
SEC Preview | Gators And Aggies, And Dawgs, Oh My!
Preview of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) swimming and diving for the 2017-2018 season with the lead-up to the 2018 Division I NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. Caeleb Dressel is a star swimmer for Florida Gators.
In years past, the Southeastern Conference has received a bit more attention when conference championship time rolls around.
It might be a product of Florida Gator phenom Caeleb Dressel's ability to smash a record any time he races. It might just happen because our own Maclin Simpson is a former Kentucky Wildcat. Whatever the reason, the SEC has a following. It is well deserved, as it is more difficult to finish top-24 than any other conference.
Kentucky head coach Lars Jorgensen simply stated it's a really good conference for swimming.
"Depth makes the SEC good," Jorgensen said. "We have a lot of really competitive teams. Texas A&M is the team to beat for women and Florida for men. Every school has good athletes which makes for a fantastic conference meet."
That championship meet is also unique. It is stretched over a five-day period that starts on a Tuesday and includes both genders. Most conferences have separate gender championships to coordinate with the NCAA Championships format.
There's one commonality with other conferences: swimmers are shooting to acquire their NCAA qualifying time prior to the conference championships. It isn't uncommon for a team to "swim through" the conference championships, held in College Station, Texas, this season.
"Teams will come with differing levels of preparation," Jorgensen said. "Some are looking to qualify and are fully rested."
Florida senior Mark Szaranek emphasized that point as he detailed the Gators' goals.
"The focus is always NCAA's," he said. "SEC's is major meet that we take great pride in but it's also just one of the many steps along the way to the end-of-the-year goal."
This aspect only makes for a more competitive SEC meet. The fully-rested league bottom, for a week, inches closer to the top teams.
Florida, yet again the men's favorite, has the ability to use this strategy -- but in years past has at least given the illusion they are fully engaged. This year, behind Dressel, Florida will have a good opportunity to win their seventh-consecutive conference title.
In addition to swimming's new utility knife, the Gators' skilled freestylers will be crucial to success this season. Maxime Rooney, Ben Lawless, and Blake Manganiello lead the way for Florida in the non-Dressel freestyle events.
At least one swimmer is ranked in the top 16 of each event but the breaststrokes. In those though, Chandler Bray and Ross Palazzo sit just one spot out with last season's times.
Additionally, international stars Szaranek and Jan Switkowski will greatly contribute as seniors in the IM, butterfly, and mid-d freestyle events. Szaranek is the top returner in the 200 IM thanks to a departure from Georgia star Chase Kalisz.
"We have the potential to have a great year," Szaranek said. "If we can put in the special performances we know we are capable of at NCAA's then I believe we can better our team point total from any of the past three years."
Florida's women aren't as highly touted as the men. Only two swimmers are ranked in the preseason top-24. Savanna Faulconer and Kelly Fertel are among the ranked for the 400 IM.
The top women's team, Texas A&M, covers all of their bases with the exception of distance freestyle, where they don't rank nearly as high.
Beryl Gastaldello has the sprints and butterfly, Bethany Galat the 200 breaststroke and IM's, and Lisa Bratton ranks high in the preseason for the backstrokes. Additionally, breaststrokers Jorie Caneta and Esther Gonzalez Medina are primetime studs.
The list isn't complete without Canadian world championship finalist Sydney Pickrem. She is slated to finish top-three in her best events, the 200 and 400 IM and the 200 breaststroke.
The event is still far off in the calender, but it's not a stretch to claim the Aggies will swim the conference championships in their home pool.
The Georgia men and women are both slated to do well in the upcoming year. Both kicked off the season ranked seventh in the national polls. The top 10 is always familiar territory for the Bulldogs.
The women face an uphill battle. Graduation landed a major blow, but they do still have Meaghan Raab and Veronica Burchill. Both are in position to score at year's end. Senior butterflier Chelsea Britt is the Bulldogs highest ranked returner with 100 and 200 butterfly times in the top five.
The men also must overcome Kalisz graduating. The 400 IM American record holder scored big points during his college career. Teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland will have to pick up where he left off in the IM's.
Bentz is also returning as the second best 200 butterflier.
South Carolina's men, on the backs of their distance group, start the year in the top 10. Junior Fynn Minuth and senior Akaram Mahmoud lead the distance freestyles. Multiple others are ranked among the top 10 with potential to move the Gamecocks up.
"We see a possible sub 14:20 mile from Mahmoud and the potential to be around 4:08 in the 500," South Carolina coach McGee Moody said. "They thrive on expectations. Also, there's only a few guys who have done the 500, 1650, and IM as good as Tom Peribonio."
Peribonio is among the nation's best in all three. In addition to the distance, Nils Wich-Glasen is the second-fastest returning 200 breaststroker.
"We have a really special group," Moody said. "We have the pieces in place plus the additions that strengthen the group."
The top incoming freshman, Brandon Almeida, has potential to make an impact at NCAA's in his first year.
Rounding out the ranked squads from the SEC are Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee between 10th and 20th. The Tide and Tiger men landed just outside the top 10.
The two Alabama schools ride behind their top sprinters, Zach Apple and Peter Holoda for the Tigers and Laurent Bams and Zane Waddell for the Crimson Tide.
Apple jumped on the scene this summer by qualifying for the world championships for Team USA.
The Volunteer men and women have a few swimmers ranked among the nation's best. The top for the men is Sam McHugh in the 400 IM at 3:42. Meghan Small and Maddy Banic carry the load on the women's end.
The Kentucky women backstrokers shined last year and are poised to again. Asia Seidt, Ali Galyer, and Bridgette Alexander all return in the top 16 for the 200 backstroke. Missouri backstroker Hannah Stevens is also set to have a good year coming off a major summer which included a berth on the worlds team for the United States.
As usual, the SEC is loaded from top to bottom and ready to entertain throughout the year.
It might be a product of Florida Gator phenom Caeleb Dressel's ability to smash a record any time he races. It might just happen because our own Maclin Simpson is a former Kentucky Wildcat. Whatever the reason, the SEC has a following. It is well deserved, as it is more difficult to finish top-24 than any other conference.
Kentucky head coach Lars Jorgensen simply stated it's a really good conference for swimming.
"Depth makes the SEC good," Jorgensen said. "We have a lot of really competitive teams. Texas A&M is the team to beat for women and Florida for men. Every school has good athletes which makes for a fantastic conference meet."
That championship meet is also unique. It is stretched over a five-day period that starts on a Tuesday and includes both genders. Most conferences have separate gender championships to coordinate with the NCAA Championships format.
There's one commonality with other conferences: swimmers are shooting to acquire their NCAA qualifying time prior to the conference championships. It isn't uncommon for a team to "swim through" the conference championships, held in College Station, Texas, this season.
"Teams will come with differing levels of preparation," Jorgensen said. "Some are looking to qualify and are fully rested."
It's Great To Be A Florida Gator
Florida senior Mark Szaranek emphasized that point as he detailed the Gators' goals.
"The focus is always NCAA's," he said. "SEC's is major meet that we take great pride in but it's also just one of the many steps along the way to the end-of-the-year goal."
This aspect only makes for a more competitive SEC meet. The fully-rested league bottom, for a week, inches closer to the top teams.
Florida, yet again the men's favorite, has the ability to use this strategy -- but in years past has at least given the illusion they are fully engaged. This year, behind Dressel, Florida will have a good opportunity to win their seventh-consecutive conference title.
In addition to swimming's new utility knife, the Gators' skilled freestylers will be crucial to success this season. Maxime Rooney, Ben Lawless, and Blake Manganiello lead the way for Florida in the non-Dressel freestyle events.
At least one swimmer is ranked in the top 16 of each event but the breaststrokes. In those though, Chandler Bray and Ross Palazzo sit just one spot out with last season's times.
Additionally, international stars Szaranek and Jan Switkowski will greatly contribute as seniors in the IM, butterfly, and mid-d freestyle events. Szaranek is the top returner in the 200 IM thanks to a departure from Georgia star Chase Kalisz.
"We have the potential to have a great year," Szaranek said. "If we can put in the special performances we know we are capable of at NCAA's then I believe we can better our team point total from any of the past three years."
Florida's women aren't as highly touted as the men. Only two swimmers are ranked in the preseason top-24. Savanna Faulconer and Kelly Fertel are among the ranked for the 400 IM.
Gig'Em
The top women's team, Texas A&M, covers all of their bases with the exception of distance freestyle, where they don't rank nearly as high.
Beryl Gastaldello has the sprints and butterfly, Bethany Galat the 200 breaststroke and IM's, and Lisa Bratton ranks high in the preseason for the backstrokes. Additionally, breaststrokers Jorie Caneta and Esther Gonzalez Medina are primetime studs.
The list isn't complete without Canadian world championship finalist Sydney Pickrem. She is slated to finish top-three in her best events, the 200 and 400 IM and the 200 breaststroke.
The event is still far off in the calender, but it's not a stretch to claim the Aggies will swim the conference championships in their home pool.
Dawgs On Top
The Georgia men and women are both slated to do well in the upcoming year. Both kicked off the season ranked seventh in the national polls. The top 10 is always familiar territory for the Bulldogs.
The women face an uphill battle. Graduation landed a major blow, but they do still have Meaghan Raab and Veronica Burchill. Both are in position to score at year's end. Senior butterflier Chelsea Britt is the Bulldogs highest ranked returner with 100 and 200 butterfly times in the top five.
The men also must overcome Kalisz graduating. The 400 IM American record holder scored big points during his college career. Teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jay Litherland will have to pick up where he left off in the IM's.
Bentz is also returning as the second best 200 butterflier.
Gamecocks On The Rise
South Carolina's men, on the backs of their distance group, start the year in the top 10. Junior Fynn Minuth and senior Akaram Mahmoud lead the distance freestyles. Multiple others are ranked among the top 10 with potential to move the Gamecocks up.
"We see a possible sub 14:20 mile from Mahmoud and the potential to be around 4:08 in the 500," South Carolina coach McGee Moody said. "They thrive on expectations. Also, there's only a few guys who have done the 500, 1650, and IM as good as Tom Peribonio."
Peribonio is among the nation's best in all three. In addition to the distance, Nils Wich-Glasen is the second-fastest returning 200 breaststroker.
"We have a really special group," Moody said. "We have the pieces in place plus the additions that strengthen the group."
The top incoming freshman, Brandon Almeida, has potential to make an impact at NCAA's in his first year.
The Rest Of The Pack
Rounding out the ranked squads from the SEC are Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee between 10th and 20th. The Tide and Tiger men landed just outside the top 10.
The two Alabama schools ride behind their top sprinters, Zach Apple and Peter Holoda for the Tigers and Laurent Bams and Zane Waddell for the Crimson Tide.
Apple jumped on the scene this summer by qualifying for the world championships for Team USA.
The Volunteer men and women have a few swimmers ranked among the nation's best. The top for the men is Sam McHugh in the 400 IM at 3:42. Meghan Small and Maddy Banic carry the load on the women's end.
The Kentucky women backstrokers shined last year and are poised to again. Asia Seidt, Ali Galyer, and Bridgette Alexander all return in the top 16 for the 200 backstroke. Missouri backstroker Hannah Stevens is also set to have a good year coming off a major summer which included a berth on the worlds team for the United States.
As usual, the SEC is loaded from top to bottom and ready to entertain throughout the year.