No. 8 Texas A&M Set for SEC Championships
Feb 18, 2024 | Men's Swimming and Diving
AUBURN -- The No. 8 Texas A&M men's swimming & diving team is set for a week of competition at SEC Championships, running Feb. 19-24 at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center on Auburn's campus. The Aggies went unbeaten through the dual meet season, taking down five nationally-ranked teams in the process and have seen seven swimmers clock top-30 times in the nation this season.
Baylor Nelson impressed in his SEC Championships debut last season, earning the Commissioner's Trophy for being one of the top point-earners at the meet. Nelson claimed titles in the 200 IM and 400 IM, and added a silver medal in the 200 back. He is the top-seeded swimmer in both IM events entering the week as he boasts the fourth-fastest time in the nation in both the 200 IM (1:41.33) and 400 IM (3:38.33). Nelson, along with teammates Thomas Shomper, Alex Sanchez and Connor Foote, clocked in at 3:04.62 in the 400 medley relay at the Art Adamson Invite to notch the team's first relay A-cut of the year.
Diving was also a highlight for the Aggies at last season's SEC Championships and the group has continued its success this year. Defending 1-meter champion Victor Povzner led a historic performance by the Maroon & White that saw all five divers score in the event to rack up the most points in a single event at the SEC meet in program history. Povzner was joined on the 1-meter podium by Rhett Hensley, who earned bronze in the event, and later in the week Povzner added a silver medal on the 3-meter and was joined again by his teammate, this time Taukto Endo brought home a bronze medal. Povzner began his senior season with a new personal-best score on the 3-meter, 453.68, and has earned SEC Men's Diver of the Week accolades three times. Allen Bottego and Matthew Aigner will also be in action at Auburn this week. Bottego scored on both springboards as well as platform last season, advancing to the final on the 1-meter, and has also earned SEC Men's Diver of the Week honors three times this year.
Sanchez and fellow breaststroker Logan Brown boast the top-two times in the SEC in the 100 and two of the top three in the 200 this season. Sanchez's time of 1:51.13 in the 200 breast is the second-fastest time in the nation this season, while his school-record time of 51.37 in the 100 breast from Invite is the fourth-fastest in the country. Brown's time of 1:53.15 in the 200 ranks 14th nationally while he sits in 21st with a time of 52.14 in the 100. He also holds the second-best time in the SEC and 15th nationally after going 1:43.07 in the 200 IM at Invite.
Shomper has led the way in the backstroke for the Aggies, holding top-15 times among SEC swimmers in both events after clocking in at 46.04 in the 100 at Invite and recently lowering his season-best with a time of 1:42.80 against SMU. Foote came on strong in the postseason a year ago and his time of 45.02 in the 100 fly from Invite is the 10th-fastest nationally and second in the SEC, while he also holds top-15 times in the SEC in the 50 free (19.57) and 100 free (42.69).
The meet will be streamed on SEC Network+. Live results can be found on the Meet Mobile app and results for the diving portion can be found here.
Complete Schedule:
Monday, Feb. 19
Diving Prelims – 11 a.m. - 1-meter
Finals – 4:20 p.m. - 1-meter
Tuesday, Feb. 20
Prelims – 11 a.m. - Diving team event
Finals – 5 p.m. - 200 medley relay, 800 free relay
Wednesday, Feb. 21
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 12 p.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 3-meter
Thursday, Feb. 22
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 12 p.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free
Friday, Feb. 23
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 11:30 a.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, platform, 400 medley relay
Saturday, Feb. 24
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 11:30 a.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 400 free relay
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M men's swimming & diving. Fans can keep up to date with the Aggies Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter/X by following @AggieSwimDive.
Baylor Nelson impressed in his SEC Championships debut last season, earning the Commissioner's Trophy for being one of the top point-earners at the meet. Nelson claimed titles in the 200 IM and 400 IM, and added a silver medal in the 200 back. He is the top-seeded swimmer in both IM events entering the week as he boasts the fourth-fastest time in the nation in both the 200 IM (1:41.33) and 400 IM (3:38.33). Nelson, along with teammates Thomas Shomper, Alex Sanchez and Connor Foote, clocked in at 3:04.62 in the 400 medley relay at the Art Adamson Invite to notch the team's first relay A-cut of the year.
Diving was also a highlight for the Aggies at last season's SEC Championships and the group has continued its success this year. Defending 1-meter champion Victor Povzner led a historic performance by the Maroon & White that saw all five divers score in the event to rack up the most points in a single event at the SEC meet in program history. Povzner was joined on the 1-meter podium by Rhett Hensley, who earned bronze in the event, and later in the week Povzner added a silver medal on the 3-meter and was joined again by his teammate, this time Taukto Endo brought home a bronze medal. Povzner began his senior season with a new personal-best score on the 3-meter, 453.68, and has earned SEC Men's Diver of the Week accolades three times. Allen Bottego and Matthew Aigner will also be in action at Auburn this week. Bottego scored on both springboards as well as platform last season, advancing to the final on the 1-meter, and has also earned SEC Men's Diver of the Week honors three times this year.
Sanchez and fellow breaststroker Logan Brown boast the top-two times in the SEC in the 100 and two of the top three in the 200 this season. Sanchez's time of 1:51.13 in the 200 breast is the second-fastest time in the nation this season, while his school-record time of 51.37 in the 100 breast from Invite is the fourth-fastest in the country. Brown's time of 1:53.15 in the 200 ranks 14th nationally while he sits in 21st with a time of 52.14 in the 100. He also holds the second-best time in the SEC and 15th nationally after going 1:43.07 in the 200 IM at Invite.
Shomper has led the way in the backstroke for the Aggies, holding top-15 times among SEC swimmers in both events after clocking in at 46.04 in the 100 at Invite and recently lowering his season-best with a time of 1:42.80 against SMU. Foote came on strong in the postseason a year ago and his time of 45.02 in the 100 fly from Invite is the 10th-fastest nationally and second in the SEC, while he also holds top-15 times in the SEC in the 50 free (19.57) and 100 free (42.69).
The meet will be streamed on SEC Network+. Live results can be found on the Meet Mobile app and results for the diving portion can be found here.
Complete Schedule:
Monday, Feb. 19
Diving Prelims – 11 a.m. - 1-meter
Finals – 4:20 p.m. - 1-meter
Tuesday, Feb. 20
Prelims – 11 a.m. - Diving team event
Finals – 5 p.m. - 200 medley relay, 800 free relay
Wednesday, Feb. 21
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 12 p.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 3-meter
Thursday, Feb. 22
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 12 p.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free
Friday, Feb. 23
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 11:30 a.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, platform, 400 medley relay
Saturday, Feb. 24
Prelims – 9:30 a.m.
Diving Prelims – 11:30 a.m.
Finals – 5:30 p.m. - 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 400 free relay
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M men's swimming & diving. Fans can keep up to date with the Aggies Facebook, Instagram, and on Twitter/X by following @AggieSwimDive.
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
IM/Back
/ Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Swimming and Diving
Breast/Fly
/ Swimming and Diving
Back/Fly
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