2021 Women’s SEC Championships: Day 2 Ups/Mids/Downs

SEC – WOMEN SWIMMING & DIVING + MEN’S DIVING

• Wednesday, February 17 – Saturday, February 20, 2021
• W Swimming: Gabrielsen Natatorium – Athens, GA (Eastern Time Zone)
• W&M Diving: Mizzou Aquatics Center – Columbia, MO (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Tennessee (1x) (2020 results)
• Live results
• Live Video – SEC Network
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets (UPDATED)

For those unfamiliar with swimming terminology, the concept of “Ups” and “Downs” is a good way to track which teams performed best at prelims. In prelims, swimmers qualify for one of three finals heats: the top 8 finishers make the A final, places 9 through 16 the B final and places 17 through 24 the C final. In finals, swimmers are locked into their respective final, meaning a swimmer in the B heat (spots 9-16) can only place as high as 9th or as low as 16th, even if they put up the fastest or slowest time of any heat in the final.

With that in mind, we’ll be tracking “Ups,” “Mids” and “Downs” after each prelims session. “Up” refers to swimmers in the A final, “Mid” to swimmers in the B final and “Down” to swimmers in the C final.

After exiting last night’s session in second-last place after DQing their 200 medley relay, the Georgia women rebounded with a monster morning session by putting 13 individual swims into scoring position tonight.

That includes seven ‘A’ finals, including going three up in the 500 free. Courtney Harnish was no surprise, but Jillian Barczyk and Olivia Anderson both did what they had to do to sneak into seventh and eighth (seventh through 10th place was separated by just over three-tenths).

They’re also in position to go 1-2 in the 200 IM, and freshman Maxine Parker had a great 50 free to join senior Gabi Fa’Amausili in the championship heat.

Scoring out prelims, the Bulldog women top second place Florida by 56 points, and third place Tennessee by 85.5.

The Gators sit second by going 4/5/2 for the session, led by a 500 free showing that saw them put two swimmers in each final.

Tennessee (3/5/3), Kentucky (3/3/3) and Alabama (3/3/2) were all tightly bunched this morning, with the Wildcats in particular having a standout showing in the 200 IM – putting three in the ‘A’.

Texas A&M notably puts zero swimmers into an ‘A’ final tonight. Two years after winning their fourth straight SEC title, the team is currently on pace to place eighth.

Day 2 Ups/Mids/Downs

Credit to Andrew Mering for running the numbers.

Scored Prelims

1. Georgia, 249.0
2. Florida, 193.0
3. Tennessee, 163.5
4. Kentucky, 131.0
5. Alabama, 128.0
6. Arkansas, 70.0
7. Missouri, 63.5
8. Auburn, 48.0
9. Texas A&M, 24.5
10. LSU, 9.0
11. South Carolina, 6.5

Despite last night’s relay DQ, Georgia would take over the team lead if they duplicated their prelim performance in tonight’s session (not including tonight’s relay and diving).

Florida sits a close second, and Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama all firmly remain in the team race early as well.

Day 1 + Scored Prelims

1. Georgia, 303.0
2. Florida, 297.0
3. Tennessee, 265.5
4. Kentucky, 249.5
5. Alabama, 244.0
6. Missouri, 161.5
7. Arkansas, 150.0
8. Texas A&M, 122.5
9. LSU, 95.0
10. Auburn, 94.0
11. South Carolina, 82.5
12. Vandy, 64.0

DIVING UPDATE

Arkansas’ Brooke Schultz (335.10) and Maha Amer (334.60) have qualified 1-2 into the final of the women’s 3-meter, while also slotting a third diver into eighth. Two advanced into the top eight from Texas A&M, while Florida, Kentucky and LSU put one through.

Key in the team race, the Gators also add 28 points with 12th and 14th place finishes, while Tennessee adds 22 and Georgia gets a mere three.