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Alec Connolly Wins Trio of Events, Splits 19.4 as Tennessee Beats Georgia Tech

GEORGIA TECH V. TENNESSEE (MEN)

  • Saturday, November 9, 2019
  • Knoxville, TN
  • SCY
  • Results
  • Scores
    • Tennessee 181, Georgia Tech 119

The Volunteer men hosted Georgia Tech Saturday, with the home team coming out on top in a competitive meet.

Alec Connolly flexed his sprint speed, claiming wins in the 50 free (20.21), 100 free (44.16), and 200 free (1:37.28). In the 200 free, Connolly met a tough opponent in Georgia Tech star Caio Pumputis. The Brazilian Pumputis led at 150, but Connolly put together a 24.56 final 50, quicker than both of his middle 50’s, to slide past him at the wall. Pumputis placed second in 1:37.34.

On the other end of the distance spectrum was Taylor Abbott, who kicked off the meet with a big swim in the mile. Abbott’s time of 15:01.36 hit a ‘B’ cut and moves him to the #5 time in the nation this year. He also won the 500 free in a 4:29.55. For Abbott, his time in the mile was less than six seconds off of his lifetime best, and he outperforms all of his performances last season.

Matthew Garcia swept the backstrokes and Michael Houlie the breaststrokes for Tennessee. Garcia was 48.51 in the 100 back, winning by a second, and then 1:47.77 in the 200. Houlie dropped a 53.21 in the 100 breast, and he broke two minutes in the 200, going 1:58.43 with a 29.62 final 50. That’s just three-tenths off of his lifetime best from the 2019 SEC Championships.

Georgia Tech made its moves at the hands of Pumputis and butterflier Christian Ferraro. Pumputis took the 200 IM by over three seconds, going 1:48.93, while Ferraro went 48.48 in the 100 fly (winning by two-hundredths over Tennessee’s Braga Verhage) and 1:47.63 in the 200 fly.

Tennessee closed the meet out with a win in the 200 free relay (1:20.10), as Connolly posted a 19.47 anchor leg.

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Shortswims
4 years ago

Congrats to Tennessee on their great fall dual meet season!

Shawn
4 years ago

Abbott won three events against Purdue the day before, added to the two he won the next day against Georgia tech, 5 for 5 in 2 days.

JuSwimmer
Reply to  Shawn
4 years ago

Impressive. The senior Vols are on a tear.

Bambi
4 years ago

Vols boys looking tough! Hope they can put it together at SECs! Could there be 2 SEC TEAM trophies coming to Knoxville in 2020???

Reality
Reply to  Bambi
4 years ago

No lol. Alec Connolly isn’t very good post season. Spending too much time flexing at dual meets

John
Reply to  Reality
4 years ago

What a horrible thing to say about a kid. We have no idea what he’s doing in practice or how he’ll do this year.

Bambi
Reply to  Reality
4 years ago

Just because he has never been good at the end of a season compared to dual meets DOES NOT mean this senior year will be the same. I say give him the benefit of the doubt. Is looks like he will be around 19.1, 41.5 and 1:33.3 at the SEC meet flat start. If so it will be an amazing turn around for him. GO BOY VOLS!!!!

formerswimmom
Reply to  Reality
4 years ago

He has accomplished so much, he has earned the right to do that a bit. He didn’t swim year round in high school!

Bambi
Reply to  formerswimmom
4 years ago

I agree totally with you on this one. Alex is showing impressive results. One gets the sense this year will be markedly different from the previous three seasons during championship period! He is certainly one of the dual meet kings for the 2019/2020 season! I would call him a potential SEC Champion and NCAA All-American in individual events – let’s keep our fingers and toes crossed for this athlete!

JuSwimmer
Reply to  Reality
4 years ago

This year will different. He’s been swimming faster than ever.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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