Colin Feehery Downs AAC Record with 1:43.87 200 IM at AAC Championships

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)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide

FULL RESULTS THROUGH THURSDAY FINALS

Houston is sitting in the lead through Thursday of the AAC Championships. The Cougars are chasing a seventh-straight AAC women’s title. Meanwhile, SMU is leading in a tight battle with Cincinnati in the men’s standings.

Houston freshman Eden Humphrey won the women’s 500 free in a tough race with Rice’s Lauren McDougall. Humphrey got out a a very big lead on the first half of the race, splitting 2:19.54 on the first 250. McDougall closed on her in the back half, but came up just short. In the end, Humphrey won with a 4:44.84, leading McDougall (4:45.37) by half a second.

Florida International was fantastic in the women’s 200 IM, going 1-2 in the event. Christie Chue, an NCAA ‘B’ finalist in the 200 breast last year, won the event with a 1:58.40. Chue took the race over on breaststroke, where she split 34.36. She led teammate Mia Zahab (1:58.86) into the finish. Cininnati freshman Grace Gavin was also under 2:00, touching third with a 1;59.34.

SMU was next up to shine, going 1-2 in the women’s 50 free. Lucrezia Napoletano won the race with a 22.70, touching just 0.03 seconds ahead of teammate Johanna Gudmundsdottir.

The duo would then go on to help SMU to victory in the women’s 200 free relay to conclude the session. Napoletano (22.82), Luana Alonso (22.66), Tiffanie Ruan (22.83), and Gudmundsdottir (22.53) combined for a 1:30.84.

Cincinnati’s Michael Balcerak took the men’s 500 free in 4:20.65, pulling away from SMU freshman Sage Sungail (4:21.13) on the final 50.

The men’s 200 IM saw SMU star Colin Feehery take down the AAC meet record. Feehery, and NCAA qualifier last year, swam a 1:43.87. He led teammate Cotton Fields, also a 2022 NCAA qualifier, into the finish. Fields touched in 1:44.71.

Lance Butler led a 1-2 punch by the Mustangs in the men’s 50 free as well. Butler won the race in 19.54, with teammate Justin Baker touching second in 19.66.

Butler and Baker would also help SMU down the meet record in the 200 free relay. They went first and second, splitting 19.48 and 19.14 respectively. Cole Bruns then split 19.59 on the third leg and Charlie Kaye anchored in 19.30, bringing the Mustangs into the finish in 1:17.51. They blew away their own meet record of 1:18.19, which they set last year.

TEAM SCORES THROUGH THURSDAY

WOMEN

1. University of Houston – 653
2. Florida International Univ. – 581
3. Southern Methodist University – 473
4. Rice University – 405
5. East Carolina University – 366
6. Florida Atlantic University – 300
7. University of Cincinnati – 285
8. University of North Texas – 241
9. Tulane University – 168

MEN

1. Southern Methodist University – 501
2. University of Cincinnati – 465