University of Missouri
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Mizzou Swimming and Diving Splits SEC Opener Against Florida
10/18/2019 1:08:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming & Diving
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 13/6 Mizzou men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened Southeastern Conference action with a split against No. 7/10 Florida on Friday morning at the Mizzou Aquatic Center. The Tiger men earned a 190.5-109.5 win over the Gators, while the Tiger women fell 186-124.
Overall, the Tiger men won 12 events and the women earned an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 200 medley relay to highlight action.
TOP TIGERS
In the first event of the day, the Mizzou women clocked an NCAA 'A' automatic qualifying time in the 200 medley relay. The quartet of senior Haley Hynes (Lee's Summit, Mo.), freshman Molly Winer (Ames, Iowa), junior Sarah Thompson (Colliersville, Tenn.) and sophomore Megan Keil (Derby, Kan.) erupted for a 1:35.87, easily an A cut and the second-fastest time in program history.
A total of 11 different Tigers claimed wins against the Gators, with seniors Nick Alexander (St. Louis, Mo.) and Micah Slaton (Austin, Texas) and Thompson picking up two wins a each.
Sophomore Ike Khamis (Richmond, Ind.) and freshman Leonardo Garcia Varela (Cali, Colombia) combined to win both springboard for the Tigers. Garcia Varela erupted for a 398.25 to easily win the 3-meter competition and move himself into fifth-place all-time at Mizzou in the event. On 1-meter, Khamis totaled 321.38 for the victory, besting Garcia Varela by less than a point.
Alexander earned top honors in both the 200 back (1:43.25) and 200 IM (1:46.52), both of which stand as nation-leading times.
Slaton swept the butterfly events, with times of 47.29 in the 100 and 1:44.86 in the 200. The 1:44.86 in the 200 fly was the fastest time in the nation this season by almost two seconds.
Mizzou claimed another sweep in the women's sprint free events, as Thompson took first in the 50 (22.22) and 100 (49.65).
Hynes also notched a nation-leading swim, as she clocked a 52.09 in the 100 back, besting Florida's Sherridon Dressel, who owned the previous best time.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Head Coach Andrew Grevers
"We had a lot of fun out there getting the SEC dual meet season started. It was a close meet on the women's side, they competed their hearts out and really followed our process. They stayed positive the whole time and I'm really pleased with their efforts.
"The men did an excellent job. Certainly we had a small advantage with us being tech-suited and them not, but our athletes focused on what they could control and implemented some great performances today. All in all we're really pleased. We had 31 lifetime bests in our first meet and I think we'll be about the same today, which is unprecedented for the dual meet portion of the season."
UP NEXT
The Tigers are idle until Saturday, Nov. 2 when the they travel to Springfield, Mo., to take on Missouri State at 1 p.m. CT.
MIZZOU WINNERS
Women's 200 Medley Relay – Haley Hynes, Molly Winer, Sarah Thompson, Megan Keil (1:35.87)
Men's 200 Medley Relay – Nick Alexander, Caleb Hicks, Daniel Hein, Danny Kovac (1:26.59)
Men's 200 Free – Giovanny Lima (1:35.23)
Women's 100 Back – Haley Hynes (52.09)
Men's 100 Back – Daniel Hein (47.39)
Women's 100 Breast – Molly Winer (1:01.37)
Men's 100 Breast – Nick Staver (54.86)
Men's 200 Fly – Micah Slaton (1:44.86)
Women's 50 Free – Sarah Thompson (22.22)
Men's 50 Free – Danny Kovac (20.15)
Women's 100 Free – Sarah Thompson (49.65)
Men's 200 Back – Nick Alexander (1:43.25)
Men's 1-Meter – Ike Khamis (321.38)
Men's 100 Fly – Micah Slaton (47.29)
Men's 200 IM – Nick Alexander (1:46.52)
Men's 3-Meter – Leonardo Garcia Varela (398.25)
Men's 400 Free Relay – Giovanny Lima, Kyle Leach, Jack Dahlgren, Danny Kovac (2:55.21)
Players Mentioned
