Friday, January 27
Mansfield, Texas
6:30 PM
Texas A&M
133
at
95
SMU
Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics
Texas A&M closes out regular season with win over SMU
Jan 27, 2017 | Men's Swimming and Diving
MANSFIELD, Texas – The Texas A&M men's swimming and diving team closed out the regular-season portion of its 2016-17 season with a hard-fought 133-95 win over longtime rival SMU on Friday at the Mansfield ISD Natatorium.
The victory improved Texas A&M's dual meet record to 5-1 as the Aggies logged their fifth straight win over the Mustangs. Next up for the Aggies will be the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championships, which will be contested Feb. 14-18 at the University of Tennessee.
The Aggies were in an early hole after dropping the first three races of the day, but the team rallied to win six of the final eight events of the day, including both springboard dives and the 400 freestyle relay to end the meet.
"It wasn't pretty in places but the guys were able to come through when it counted to win the meet," Aggie head coach Jay Holmes said. "Sprints and diving really made the difference in this meet. SMU swam its best meet of the year and really pushed us. They won the first three races and that put us in a hole. We basically circled the wagons at the first diving break and had a frank discussion on what we were up against. The team didn't blink and never panicked, and I'm proud of the way we found a way to get it done."
Holmes pointed to freshman Anthony Kim's win in the 200-yard backstroke as the decisive moment in the meet. Kim led from start to finish as he touched in a time of 1:47.39, which was nearly a half-second ahead of SMU's Bartosz Krzyzaniak.
"Anthony Kim's win in the 200 back was a real turning point in the meet," Holmes said. "The way that he raced and competed gave the entire team a real confidence boost – just a great job by a freshman."
Junior diver Tyler Henschel was the lone Aggie with multiple individual victories as he swept the one- and three-meter springboard dives. Henschel won the one-meter with a score of 375.52 and the three-meter with a 323.77 point total.
Other Aggies taking individual wins were senior Cory Bolleter in the 50 freestyle (19.98), freshman Adam Koster in the 100 free (44.90) and junior Mauro Castillo in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.63).
Texas A&M closed the meet with a victory in the 400 free relay with the foursome of Koster, senior Jacob Gonzales, freshman Raiz Tjon-A-Joe and Bolleter reaching the wall in 2:59.36.
The victory improved Texas A&M's dual meet record to 5-1 as the Aggies logged their fifth straight win over the Mustangs. Next up for the Aggies will be the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championships, which will be contested Feb. 14-18 at the University of Tennessee.
The Aggies were in an early hole after dropping the first three races of the day, but the team rallied to win six of the final eight events of the day, including both springboard dives and the 400 freestyle relay to end the meet.
"It wasn't pretty in places but the guys were able to come through when it counted to win the meet," Aggie head coach Jay Holmes said. "Sprints and diving really made the difference in this meet. SMU swam its best meet of the year and really pushed us. They won the first three races and that put us in a hole. We basically circled the wagons at the first diving break and had a frank discussion on what we were up against. The team didn't blink and never panicked, and I'm proud of the way we found a way to get it done."
Holmes pointed to freshman Anthony Kim's win in the 200-yard backstroke as the decisive moment in the meet. Kim led from start to finish as he touched in a time of 1:47.39, which was nearly a half-second ahead of SMU's Bartosz Krzyzaniak.
"Anthony Kim's win in the 200 back was a real turning point in the meet," Holmes said. "The way that he raced and competed gave the entire team a real confidence boost – just a great job by a freshman."
Junior diver Tyler Henschel was the lone Aggie with multiple individual victories as he swept the one- and three-meter springboard dives. Henschel won the one-meter with a score of 375.52 and the three-meter with a 323.77 point total.
Other Aggies taking individual wins were senior Cory Bolleter in the 50 freestyle (19.98), freshman Adam Koster in the 100 free (44.90) and junior Mauro Castillo in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.63).
Texas A&M closed the meet with a victory in the 400 free relay with the foursome of Koster, senior Jacob Gonzales, freshman Raiz Tjon-A-Joe and Bolleter reaching the wall in 2:59.36.
Players Mentioned
Free
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Breast/Free
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Sprint
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Back/Fly
/ Men's Swimming and Diving
Free
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