2023 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Swimming: Wednesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
- Diving: Monday, February 13 – Wednesday, February 15, 2023
- Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr McMillion Natatorium, Dallas, TX
- Defending Champions:
- Women: Houston (6x)
- Men: SMU (2x)
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The Houston Cougars are holding a slim lead through Friday’s action at the 2023 AAC Swimming and Diving Championships. The six-time defending champion Cougars will enter the final day of the meet holding the lead by 15 points over FIU. Meanwhile, SMU is still leading the men’s meet over Cincinnati.
Perhaps the top swim of the day came in the women’s 100 breast, where Cincinnati freshman Joleigh Crye stormed to a huge new lifetime best of 59.07. Not only was the swim a personal best for Crye, it marks a new AAC championship record, as well as a Cincinnati program record. She beat out FIU’s Christie Chue (59.28), who was an NCAA ‘B’ finalist in the 200 breast last year. Speaking of NCAAs, Crye’s performance will surely be enough for her to earn an invite to the big meet next month.
SMU senior Colin Feehery also had a huge swim in the men’s 400 IM, shattering the meet record with a 3:42.99. Feehery was fantastic on the back half of the race, splitting 1:01.60 on breast and 53.05 on free, for a 1:54.65 on the final 200. Teammate Cotton Fields came in second with a 3:45.60.
In the women’s 400 IM, FIU freshman Nicole Frank clocked a 4:14.53 to win the race handily. She swam a well-balanced race, splitting 56.82 on fly, 1:04.74 on back, 1:12.32 on breast, and 1:00.67 on free.
Rice’s Arielle Hayon took the women’s 100 fly in an incredibly close race with SMU’s Luana Alonso. Alonso got out to the early lead, splitting 24.51 on the first 50, which led Hayon by 0.53 seconds. Hayon came back faster, however, splitting 26.97 on the second 50 to Alonso’s 27.57. At the touch, Hayon was 52.01, 0.07 seconds ahead of Alonso’s 52.08.
The men’s 100 fly was also a very tight race, seeing Cincinnati’s Michael Balcerak win in 46.72. He got out to a slim early lead, splitting 21.69 on the first 50, just ahead of SMU’s Russell Exum (21.83). That lead was essentially maintained on the back half, where Exum split 24.99 to Balcerak’s 25.03. Exum touched second in 46.82.
In yet another great race, SMU freshman Lucrezia Napoletano won the women’s 200 free in 1:46.19. She was locked in a battle with Rice senior Lauren McDougall the whole way. At the 100 mark, Napoletano flipped in 51.69, just ahead of McDougall’s 51.84. McDougall then took the lead on the third 50, splitting 27.21 to Napoletano’s 27.65. Napoletano tore home in 26.85 on the final 50, passing McDougall back and earning the win. McDougall finished in 1:46.55.
SMU freshman Sage Sungail clocked a 1:36.18 to win the men’s 200 free. He swam a tightly-split race, going 47.28 on the first 100 then coming home in 48.90 on the second 100.
In a dominant performance, SMU went 1-2-3 in the men’s 100 breast. Lance Butler won the race in 53.15, leading teammates Joe Rusnock (53.48) and Evan McCormick (53.62) into the finish.
Rice senior Zoe Spitz won the women’s 100 back decisively, swimming a 52.80. She was out in 25.87 on the first 50 and came home in 26.93, which were the fastest splits in the field on each 50 respectively.
Cincinnati junior Hunter Gubeno won the men’s 100 back in 47.64. SMU’s Riley Hill was right with Gubeno the whole time, finishing second in 47.80.
FIU’s Kelsie Campbell (54.17), Christie Chue (58.78), Oumy Diop (53.38), and Harliai Curthoyvies (49.54) teamed up to win the women’s 400 medley relay in 3:35.87. Rice made the race close at the end, thanks to a 52.23 fly split from Arielle Hayon and a 48.75 anchor from Lauren McDougall. The Owls touched second in 3:36.50.
SMU closed out the session with a win in the men’s 400 medley relay. Riley Hill (47.56), Colin Feehery (52.32), Russell Exum (46.46), and Lance Butler (42.60) teamed up for a 3:08.94.
TEAM STANDINGS THROUGH FRIDAY
WOMEN
- Houston – 972
- FIU – 957
- SMU – 863
- Rice – 789
- Cincinnati – 586
- East Carolina – 505
- FAU – 417
- North Texas – 364
- Tulane – 283
MEN
- SMU – 899
- Cincinnati – 772