KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee swims its final dual meet of the season Saturday morning, hosting Florida in a top-15 contest at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center.
The seniors will be honored before the meet at 9:30 a.m. The races hit the water at 10 a.m. Admission is free.
The meet serves as one final dual meet for both teams before the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships next month. As usual, it will be a contest between top-15 teams. For Tennessee, the men (4-4-1, 2-2 SEC) are ranked 12th and the women (5-5, 3-2) are 13th. The Florida men (6-1, 4-1) are third and the women (6-2, 5-1) are ninth.
SENIORS HONORED: There are six SEC champions and eight All-Americans among the senior class, including two-time SEC champion and 2014 SEC Diver of the Year Mauricio Robles, two-time SEC 200-yard backstroke champion and 2015 NCAA silver medalist Sean Lehane and four-time SEC champion and two-time NCAA relay champion Faith Johnson.
The senior class includes: Robles, Lehane, Johnson, Gustav Aberg Lejdstrom, Jimmy Dagley, Trevor Leland, Ben Miller, Chris Sadsad, Timothy Wylie, Harper Bruens, Amanda Carner, Anna DeMonte, Lauren Driscoll, Caroline Finkbeiner, Mary Griffith, Heather Kiger, Samantha Lera, Sarah Chewningand Madison Hahn. Senior managers and meet management assistants will also be honored. It is the first class of Tennessee swimmers and divers to compete all four years as a combined men’s and women’s program.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS AWAIT: After the Florida meet, the championship season is right around the corner. The Vols will compete at the SEC Championships at Missouri from Feb. 16-20.
LAST TIME VS. FLORIDA: The Gators and Vols traditionally face late in the regular season. Last year, Tennessee traveled to Florida for the regular season finale and lost the men’s and women’s meets. UT won nine of the 32 total events with Molly Hannis, Sam McHugh and Liam Stone winning a pair of individual events each.
LAST TIME VS. FLORIDA AT HOME: In the 2014 season finale, Tennessee’s women, ranked No. 12 at the time, beat then-No. 8 Florida in a close meet 152-148. The men lost 179-121. Lindsay Gendron was part of four victories to lead Tennessee, including two individual races. On the men’s side, Mauricio Robles swept the springboard events.
Swimming news courtesy of Tennessee Swimming & Diving.