
Photo: David Owens Photography
SEC CHAMPIONS: Florida Men Win Fourth Straight SEC Title
Saturday, February 20, 2016 | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
Caeleb Dressel Named SEC Male Swimmer of the Year
Men's 2016 SEC Championship T-Shirts Available Here | Complete Results
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Florida men's swimming and diving team brought home their fourth consecutive and 37th overall Southeastern Conference Championship on Saturday night behind four individual and four relay crowns throughout the week. The program's 37 SEC Championship titles rank second amongst all sports in the history of the SEC (Kentucky Men's Basketball, 45).
Outlasting second-place Auburn (1,223) and third place Georgia (1010), the Gators registered (1,275) team points. Caeleb Dressel, who shattered UF, SEC, and American records throughout the week, led all scorers with 96 individual points in addition to his 248 as a member of UF's relay teams.
It wasn't only Dressel that got it done this week for the Gators though. Florida was strong in all events, capturing individual victories in the 50 and 500-Yard Freestyle and the 100-Yard Butterfly. In addition, the Orange and Blue won four relay titles this week, taking wins in the 200 and 400-Yard Medley relays, and the 200, and 800-Yard Freestyle relay events.
On the women's side, the Gators ended their conference championship week in sixth place, with a team score of 754 points. UF's women won three SEC titles throughout the week, as Kahlia Warner dove to gold-medal finishes on the one and 3-Meter, and Natalie Hinds swam to a first-place finish in the 100-Yard Freestyle (47.35).
Overall, Florida won 11 SEC championships, broke eight school records and registered 11 NCAA 'A' Cuts as each team will now prepare for next month's NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.
Florida Head Coach Gregg Troy on the Men's Fourth Straight SEC Title:
"I'm really proud of the way our men and women competed this week. They've show tremendous efforts all-season long and they deserve every bit of success we achieved this week.
"I'd also like to give a special thanks to our coaching staff, trainers, and managers. We wouldn't be able to carry on this success without all of their help.
"It feels good to have another SEC Championship Title but now it's time to gear our minds toward the NCAA meet which we're looking forward to."
Quick Cap from Day 5 at the SEC Championships:
Women's 200 Back
Senior Ashlee Linn posted a fifth-place time of 1:52.46 to lead the Orange and Blue while junior Georgia-Mae Hohmann added an 11th-place showing of 1:54.04.
Men's 200-Yard Backstroke:
Senior Corey Main paced the Florida men, swimming to a sixth-place finish (1:41.92) in tonight's 'A" final which brought in 24 points. Junior Jack Blyzinskyj (12th, 1:43.05) and newcomer Bayley Main (14th, 1:44.16) added to the mix, providing a combined 28 points from the 'B' Final.
Women's 100-Yard Freestyle:
Senior Natalie Hinds led the Orange and Blue with a strong 47.44 showing in Saturday's prelims. The Midland, Texas, native bested her time in the finals, touching out with a top time of 47.35. Amelia Maughan (18th, 49.39) and Mollie Pulte (23rd, 49.84) followed up in the 'C' final.
Men's 100-Yard Freestyle:
Caleb Dressel claimed his sixth SEC Championship title with a first-place showing of 41.07 -- a new American and SEC Meet record. Freshman Christopher Margotti also had an impressive finish, touching out at the 43.85 mark in the 'B' final for an overall 14th-place finish.
Women's 1,650 Freestyle:
The Florida women received 81 points off five Top-25 finishes. Senior Jessica Thielmann led the pack with a runner-up showing (16:06.21) while junior Autumn Finke (4th, 16:11.00), newcomers Kahra Williams (14th, 16:27.16) and Hanna Burns (15th, 16:27.67), and junior Taylor Katz (23rd, 16:38.65) followed behind.
Men's 1,650-Yard Freestyle:
The Florida men gathered 107 points off five Top-20 finishes in the 1,650-Yard freestyle. Senior Arthur Frayler finished runner-up with a time of 14.49.22 and juniors Mitch D'Arrigo (4th, 14:52.23), sophomores Austin Manganiello (14:58.57) and Ben Lawless (9th, 15:01.53), and Andrew Brady (17th, 15:17.28) followed behind.
400 Free Relays: The Florida men put together a second-place showing (2:50.30) to finalize their 2016 SEC Championship Title. The time stands as the second-fastest in school history. In addition, the Gator Women picked up a third-place finish and gathered 54 points on an NCAA 'A' cut-time of 3:14.49.
Women's Platform:
Senior Kahlia Warner led the Florida Divers with a 14th-place showing (222.95) off the platform. Abby Howell (16th, 220.05), Delaney Dye (20th, 211.85), and Emily Mosher (24th, 204.55) also took part in Saturday's competition.
Final Standings from the 2016 SEC Championships:
Men | Score | Women | Score |
Florida | 1,275 | Texas A&M | 1,166.5 |
Auburn | 1,223 | Tennessee | 1,139.5 |
Georgia | 1,010 | Georgia | 1,099.5 |
Alabama | 915 | Auburn | 797 |
Missouri | 902 | Missouri | 764 |
Tennessee | 745 | Florida | 754 |
South Carolina | 574 | LSU | 624 |
Texas A&M | 532 | Kentucky | 619 |
LSU | 530 | Arkansas | 491 |
Kentucky | 526 | Alabama | 486 |
South Carolina | 424.5 | ||
Vanderbilt | 166 |
2016 SEC Titles
Men (8): 200-Yard Medley Relay, 200-Yard Freestyle Relay, 400-Yard Medley Relay, 800-Yard Freestyle Relay, 50-Yard Freestyle, 100-Yard Butterfly, 500-Yard Freestyle, 100-Yard Freestyle.
Women (3): 1-Meter, 3-Meter, 100-Yard Freestyle.
SEC Champions by Individual:
Men:
Jack Blyzinskyj (3): 200-Yard Medley Relay, 200-Yard Freestyle Relay, 400-Yard Medley Relay.
Mitch D'Arrigo (1): 800-Yard Freestyle Relay.
Caeleb Dressel (6): 200-Yard Medley Relay, 50-Yard Freestyle, 200-Yard Freestyle Relay, 100-Yard Butterfly, 400- Yard Medley Relay, 100-Yard Freestyle.
Corey Main (3): 200-Yard Medley Relay, 200-Yard Freestyle Relay, 400-Yard Medley Relay.
Jan Switkowski (3): 200-Yard Medley Relay, 800-Yard Freestyle Relay, 400-Yard Medley Relay.
Mark Szaranek (2): 800-Yard Freestyle Relay, 200-Yard Freestyle Relay.
Pawel Werner (2): 800-Yard Freestyle Relay, 500-Yard Freestyle.
Women:
Kahlia Warner (2): 1-Meter, 3-Meter
Natalie Hinds (1): 100-Yard Freestyle
NCAA 'A' Cuts (11):
Men:
200-Yard Medley Relay: (Blyzinskyj, Dressel, C. Main, Switkowski, 1:23.69)
500-Yard Freestyle: (Pawel Werner, 4:13.31)
50-Yard Freestyle: (Caeleb Dressel, 18.23)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay (C. Main, M. Szaranek, Dressel, Blyzinskyj, 1:16.46)
100-Yard Butterfly (Caeleb Dressel, 44.80)
400-Yard Medley Relay: (Blyzinskyj, Dressel, Switkowski, C. Main, 3:03.86)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay: (Dressel, Szaranek, Switkowski, Main)
800-Yard Freestyle Relay: (Werner, Szaranek, D'Arrigo, Switkowski, 6:13.64)
100-Yard Freestyle: (Caeleb Dressel, 41.07)
Women:
100-Yard Freestyle: (Natalie Hinds: 47.35)
400-Yard Freestyle Relay: (3:14.49)
School Records (8) (Additional records):
Men:
200-Yard Medley Relay (1:23.69): Blyzinskyj, Dressel, C. Main, Switkowski (SEC Meet, Pool)
50-Yard Freestyle (18.23): Caeleb Dressel (SEC Meet, NCAA, U.S. Open, American,)
200-Yard Freestyle Relay (1:16.46): C. Main, M. Szaranek, Dressel, Blyzinskyj (Pool)
100-Yard Butterfly (44.80): Caeleb Dressel (SEC Meet)
400-Yard Medley Relay (3:03.86): Blyzinskyj, Dressel, Switkowski, Main
100-Yard Freestyle (41.07): Caeleb Dressel (SEC Meet, American)
Women:
1-Meter (346.10): Kahlia Warner
3-Meter (383.75): Kahlia Warner
SEC Yearly Awards:
Sophomore Caeleb Dressel was named the 2016 SEC Male Swimmer of the Meet. Dressel gathers the accolade following a remarkable week comprised of six SEC Championship Titles. Marcin Cieslak (2014) was the last Gator to receive the men's SEC Athlete of the Year recognition.
Senior Kahlia Warner was named the 2016 SEC Female Diver of the Meet. The Queensland, Australia, native, dove to first-place finishes on the one and 3-Meter springboards -- where she achieved school records on both boards.
Looking back on the SEC Championships:
Day 1 Recap
Day 2 Recap
Day 3 Recap
Day 4 Recap
Video Archives:
Florida Head Coach Gregg Troy Recaps Day 3 at SEC Championships
Florida Head Coach Gregg Troy Discusses C. Dressel's 50-Yard Free Races
Florida Sprint Coach Steve Jungbluth Recaps Day 3 at 2016 SEC Championships
Dressel Clocks a 41.07 100-Yard Freestyle at 2016 SEC Championships
Dressel sets U.S. Open, American records in 50-Yard finals with a time of 18.23
Dressel sets (former) American record in 50-Yard Prelims with a time of 18.39
Dressel Recaps Day 3 at 2016 SEC Championships
Dressel Sets New UF, SEC Meet Record in 100-Yard Butterfly
Warner Recaps 3-Meter SEC Diving Title
Players Mentioned
2024-25 Season Video
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Men's 400 Medley Relay
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Julian Smith - 100 Breaststroke
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Josh Liendo 100 Butterfly
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