Rhyan White Becomes First Woman To Win 4 Straight 100 Backstroke SEC Titles

2023 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 18, 2023
• Rec Center Natatorium, College Station, TX.
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: Tennessee (1x)
  • Men: Florida (10x)
• Championship Central
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• Men’s Fan Guide
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Day 4 Prelims Heat Sheets

Rhyan White swam a 50.92 to win the women’s 100 backstroke at the 2023 SEC Championships, clinching her 4th-straight title in that event. White is now the first-ever woman to win the 100 backstroke four times at the meet. White’s swim here is actually her slowest out of the four times that she has swum the event in finals at SECs, but it was enough to get her the 4-peat.

White’s first win was in 2020 when she hit a 50.02 for the win, followed by a 50.36 in 2021, and a 50.18 in 2022. She isn’t ‘perfect’ in the event, in spite of the four straight: this is her 5th season of eligibility, afforded by the COVID-19 pandemic waivers, so the distinction of first does come with that benefit not afforded to prior generations of swimmers.

Several women have collected three straight 100 backstroke titles at this meet including Kristen Linehan of Florida (1989-1991), Courtney Shealy of Georgia (1998-2000), Gemma Spofforth of Florida (2008-2010), and Olivia Smoliga of Georgia (2015-2017).

While no one had pulled off this feat in the 100 backstroke before White, a few other women have done it in other events.

Women’s SEC Championships Individual Four-Time Champions

• 50 freestyle
  • Dara Torres, Florida (1986 – 1989)
  • Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia (2004 – 2007)
• 100 Freestyle
  • Courtney Shealy, Georgia (1997 – 2000)
• 200 Freestyle
  • Wendy Trott, Georgia (2009 – 2012)
• 100 Backstroke
  • Rhyan White, Alabama (2020 – 2023)
• 200 Backstroke
  • Keegan Walkley, Georgia (1998 – 2001)
  • Elizabeth Beisel, Florida (2011 – 2014)
• 100 Breaststroke
  • Kristy Kowal, Georgia (1997 – 2000)
• 200 Breaststroke
  • Kristy Kowal, Georgia (1997 – 2000)
  • Anne Poleska, Alabama (2001 – 2003, 2005)
• 100 Butterfly
  • Mimi Bowen, Auburn (1997 – 2000)
  • Mary DeScenza, Georgia (2003 – 2006)
• 200 Butterfly
  • Mary DeScenza, Georgia (2003 – 2006)
• 400 IM
  • Maggie Bowen, Auburn (2000 – 2003)
  • Elizabeth Beisel, Florida (2011 – 2014)

In addition to having now won four 100 backstrokes at the SEC Championships, Rhyan White has won the 200 backstroke three times. She swept the backstrokes in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and will have the chance to add a 4th 200 back title to her collection on Saturday. The only women to sweep a discipline at four straight NCAA Championships before now are Kristy Kowal and Mary DeScenza. Kowal won both breaststrokes from 1997 to 2000 and DeScenza won the butterflies in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.

Over at the ACC Championships, Kate Douglass and Katharine Berkoff joined the 4-peat club in 2023 with their conference titles in the 100 butterfly and backstroke, respectively.