Derek Maas, Rhyan White & Riley Gaines Named SEC Swimmers of the Week

Courtesy: SEC Sports

Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Derek Maas, Alabama
Alabama’s Derek Maas, a junior from Holland, Mich., won three individual events against No. 19 Auburn. Maas swept the breaststroke events, finishing the 100 with a time of 53.44 and the 200 with a time of 1:59.30. He was also took the top spot in the 200 IM (1:47.77) and was a part of the first-place 200 medley relay (1:25.99/23.49).

Men’s Diver of the Week: Conner Pruitt, Auburn
Auburn’s Conner Pruitt, a senior from Opelika, Ala., won the 3-meter competition with a score of 376.43 and placed second on 1-meter (345.53) to help the Tigers earn a road victory at No. 13 Alabama. Both scores were NCAA Zone qualifying scores. It was the third straight dual meet victory on 3-meter for Pruitt, who has now finished first or second in 11 events this season with seven wins.

Men’s Freshman of the Week: Michael Laitarovsky, South Carolina
South Carolina’s Michael Laitarovsky, a freshman from Natanya, Israel, won the 100 backstroke in the dual meet win over UNC Wilmington with a time of 48.20, his fourth win in this event on the season. Laitarovsky also swam the lead leg of the winning 200 medley relay team with a full-team season-best time of 1:29.38 (22.27) and the lead leg of the third place 200 freestyle relay (1:24.47/21.21).

Women’s Co-Swimmers of the Week: Rhyan White, Alabama and Riley Gaines, Kentucky
Alabama’s Rhyan White, a senior from Herriman, Utah, won three individual races in the win over No. 19 Auburn. White swept the backstroke events with a time of 53.09 in the 100 and a time of 1:54.93 in the 200. She also touched the wall first in the 100 fly with a time of 53.86, and was a member of the first-place 200 medley relay that posted the top team time of 1:38.45.

Kentucky’s Riley Gaines, a senior from Gallatin, Tenn., won three individual events and anchored the winning 200 medley relay in UK’s win over Marshall. Gaines captured first place in the 50 free (22.92), the 100 free (49.66) and the 200 free (1:46.68). She also swam the anchor leg in the 200 medley relay that posted the top time of 1:41.47 (22.79 free split).

Women’s Diver of the Week: Sophie Verzyl, South Carolina
South Carolina’s Sophie Verzyl, a freshman from Columbia, S.C., earned 15 points in the dual meet win over UNC Wilmington. Verzyl won the 3-meter springboard with a final score of 340.58. She was also runner-up on the 1-meter springboard with a personal-best score of 317.25. Both scores were NCAA Zone qualifying scores.

Women’s Freshman of the Week: Avery Wiseman, Alabama
Alabama’s Avery Wiseman, a freshman from Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada, swept the breaststroke events in the win over No. 19 Auburn. Wiseman touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke at 1:01.35 and in the 200 breaststroke at 2:11.43. She also finished fourth in the 200 IM (2:03.39) and was a part of the winning 200 medley relay (1:38.45).