2020 AAC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, February 19 – Saturday, February 22
- CRCW Natatorium – Houston, TX (Central Standard Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Houston (3x)
- 2019 Results
- Live Results
- Women’s Fan Guide|Men’s Fan Guide
- Championship Central
The defending champion Houston women opened the 2020 AAC Championships with a new Meet Record in the 800 free relay, winning the event in 7:06.29. Mykenzie Leehy led them off in 1:44.90, clearing the 2019 NCAA invite time and breaking 1:45 for the first time. Zarena Brown also put up a sub-1:45 as she anchored in 1:44.98.
Freshman Adela Vavrinova led off in a lifetime best 1:47.14 to help ECU (7:13.52) to silver. Tulane (7:14.30) also had a freshman lead off in a best time as they took bronze. Elizabeth Byrne put up a 1:47.51 on the leadoff.
Houston swept the relays, missing the 200 medley relay record by less than 3 tenths. Laura Laderoute gave them the early lead with a 24.62 back split. Peyton Kondis came through with a 26.96 breast split, while Katie Higgins clocked a 23.95 on the fly. Leehy anchored them to a 1:37.60 win with her 22.07 free split.
SMU was 2nd there in 1:38.34, highlighted by Erin Trahan‘s 22.76 on the fly leg. Cincinnati (1:39.85) took 3rd as Anhelina Kutsko posted a 23.51 fly split to distance them from UConn (1:40.72). Tulane was 5th in 1:41.72 with a 27.28 breast split from Katherine McDonald.
TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1 – WOMEN
1. Houston, University of 135 2. Southern Methodist University 118 3. Cincinnati, University of 80 4. Connecticut, University of 75 5. East Carolina University 67 6. Tulane University 60
The ECU men took down the Meet Record in the 200 medley relay as they won in 1:25.91. They battled closely with UConn and SMU on the front half, but Gustavo Santos‘ 20.35 fly split distanced them from the field. Freshman Pedro Gueiros anchored in 19.72 to secure the win.
Cincinnati freshman Michael Balcerak popped a 20.79 on the fly as the Bearcats took 3rd in 1:27.20. That closed the gap on UConn, but the Huskies’ Kyle Dunlap closed in 19.77 to stay ahead of the Bearcats. UConn earned silver in 1:26.65. SMU was ultimately disqualified.
Cincinnati (6:25.94) and SMU (6:26.98) battled in the 800 free relay, with the Bearcats taking the win. Cincinnati’s Din Selmanovic was just a few tenths shy of a best as he led off in 1:36.25. SMU’s Daniel Forndal then brought the Mustangs into the lead with a 1:35.03 on the 2nd leg. The lead changed hands on the 3rd leg when Cincinnati freshman Balcerak put up a 1:35.26. Alex Fortman anchored for the Bearcats to seal the victory in 1:36.26.
East Carolina’s Blaz Demsar had the fastest split of the field. He anchored in 1:34.73. ECU wound up taking 3rd with a 6:27.14.
TEAM SCORES THROUGH DAY 1 – MEN
1. East Carolina University 119 2. Cincinnati, University of 102 3. Connecticut, University of 88 4. Southern Methodist University 85