Magahey Wins SEC Title on Strong Night for Bulldogs

Wednesday, February 21

Auburn, Ala.

10:30 a.m. (Prelims) | 6:30 p.m. (Finals)

University of Georgia

SEC Swimming & Diving Championships

Photo by: Luke Allen/Auburn Tigers

Magahey Wins SEC Title on Strong Night for Bulldogs

February 21, 2024 | Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Wednesday Finals Results Thursday Prelims Heat Sheet

AUBURN, Ala. – Senior Jake Magahey dominated the field for his first SEC title in the 500-yard freestyle as the University of Georgia swimming and diving teams continued competition Wednesday at the 2024 Southeastern Conference Swimming & Diving Championships inside the James E. Martin Aquatic Center.

Magahey took the lead at the 100-yard mark and never looked back, besting the field with a season-best A-cut time of 4:09.38 despite losing his cap down the stretch. Wednesday's title was the second of the Dacula native's career, following a 200y freestyle win in 2021. He had previously won an NCAA title in the 500y freestyle at the 2021 championships in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Georgia also reached the podium twice in the women's 500y freestyle with juniors Rachel Stege and Abby McCulloh earning silver and bronze medals. Stege placed second with an A-cut of 4:36.15, followed by McCulloh in third with a personal-best A-cut of 4:37.18. McCulloh previously set a PB in prelims with the top qualifying time of 4:37.43.

Elsewhere in the 500y free, fifth-year senior Jillian Barczyk placed seventh with a B-cut of 4:42.73, while senior Sloane Reinstein won the consolation final with a time of 4:41.17 and sophomore Shea Furse finished 12^th with a PB of 4:41.44. On the men's side, freshman Tomas Koski also prevailed in the B final with a PB of 4:12.29, the fifth-fastest mark in program history.

In the 200y IM, fifth-year Zoie Hartman finished fourth with a season-best A-cut of 1:53.65, with sophomore Olivia Della Torre placing 22^nd with a time of 2:00.00. In the men's IM, fifth-year Zach Hils took fifth with a B-cut of 1:42.83. Fellow fifth-year Zach Franklin finished 11^th with a time of 1:44.01 but posted a PB in prelims at 1:43.79, moving into ninth all-time in program history.

On 3-meter, junior Nolan Lewis finished sixth in the championship final with a personal-best score of 376.10, besting the PB of 353.70 he set in prelims. Lewis was the first Georgia male diver to reach a final since Zach Allen placed sixth on 1-meter in 2021. Freshman Matthew Bray overcame an injury on his fourth prelims dive to still score with a 22^nd-place mark of 307.90.

Wednesday also proved to be a notable night for the Bulldog sprinters, led by graduate Dillon Downing, who finished eighth in the 50y freestyle with a B-cut of 19.13. Earlier in the evening, he joined junior Reese Branzell, graduate Miles Simon, and sophomore Ruard van Renen to finish fourth in the 200y freestyle relay with an A-cut of 1:16.18, the third-fastest time in school history. Downing led off the relay with a season-best B-cut of 19.02. Branzell placed 13^th in the 50y free with a PB of 19.38, remaining third in program history, while Simon moved to sixth with a prelims time of 19.52.

On the women's side, junior Eboni McCarty and freshman Helena Jones took the top two spots in the 50y freestyle consolation final, with McCarty dropping a season-best B-cut of 22.10. The pair joined senior Julianna Stephens and junior Briana Roberson to finish fifth in the 200y free relay, posting an A-cut time of 1:28.31.

Following three days of competition, the Georgia women stand third with 363 points, while the Bulldog men sit fourth with 381 points.

The SEC Championships continue Thursday with the 400y individual medley, 100y butterfly, 200y freestyle, and women's 1-meter. Thursday's prelims session starts at 10:30 a.m. EST, followed by finals at 6:30 p.m. EST. Live coverage is streaming on SEC Network+, with live results available at https://gado.gs/7yb and to paid subscribers on the MeetMobile app.

For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).

STANDINGS
Men
1. Florida, 622
2. Texas A&M, 468
3. Tennessee, 392
4. Georgia, 381
5. Auburn, 373
6. LSU, 266
7. Kentucky, 191
8. Alabama, 187
9. South Carolina, 183
10. Missouri, 176

Women
1. Tennessee, 475
2. Florida, 440
3. Georgia, 363
4. Auburn, 312.5
5. Texas A&M, 265.5
6. Alabama, 250.5
7. LSU, 230
8. South Carolina, 173
8. Kentucky, 173
10. Missouri, 168.5
11. Arkansas, 132
12. Vanderbilt, 94

RESULTS
Women's 200y Freestyle Relay
Gold: Florida – 1:26.51
Silver: Tennessee – 1:26.87
Bronze: Auburn – 1:27.46
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5. Georgia – 1:28.31

Men's 200y Freestyle Relay
Gold: Florida – 1:14.36
Silver: Tennessee – 1:14.81
Bronze: Auburn – 1:15.91
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4. Georgia – 1:16.18

Women's 500y Freestyle
Gold: Emma Weyant, Florida – 4:34.25
Silver: Rachel Stege, Georgia – 4:36.15
Bronze: Abby McCulloh, Georgia – 4:37.18
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7. Jillian Barczyk – 4:42.73
9. Sloane Reinstein – 4:41.17
12. Shea Furse – 4:41.44

Men's 500y Freestyle
Gold: Jake Magahey, Georgia – 4:09.38
Silver: Jake Mitchell, Florida – 4:11.28
Bronze: Charlie Hawke, Alabama – 4:11.62
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9. Tomas Koski – 4:12.29
15. Sam Powe – 4:18.66

Women's 200y IM
Gold: Bella Sims, Florida – 1:51.86
Silver: Isabel Ivey, Florida – 1:52.50
Bronze: Josephine Fuller, Tennessee – 1:52.58
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4. Zoie Hartman – 1:53.65
22. Olivia Della Torre – 2:00.00

Men's 200y IM
Gold: Baylor Nelson, Texas A&M – 1:41.72
Silver: Alex Sanchez, Texas A&M – 1:42.55
Bronze: Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero, Florida – 1:42.57
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5. Zach Hils – 1:42.83
11. Zach Franklin – 1:44.01

Women's 50y Freestyle
Gold: Camille Spink, Tennessee – 21.77
Silver: Micayla Cronk, Florida – 21.85
Bronze: Mona McSharry, Tennessee – 22.01
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9. Eboni McCarty – 22.10
10. Helena Jones – 22.30

Men's 50y Freestyle
Gold: Jordan Crooks, Tennessee – 17.99
Silver: Guilherme Santos, Tennessee – 18.70
Bronze: Josh Liendo, Florida – 18.83
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8. Dillon Downing – 19.13
13. Reese Branzell – 19.38
16. Miles Simon – 19.68

Men's 3-meter
Gold: Conor Gesing, Florida – 425.75
Silver: Carson Paul, LSU – 421.20
Bronze: Allen Bottego, Texas A&M – 421.05
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6. Nolan Lewis – 376.10
22. Matthew Bray – 307.90