Georgia Opens 2025-26 Season Friday at UNC Wilmington

Friday, September 12

Wilmington, N.C.

5 p.m.

University of Georgia

UNC Wilmington (Men)

Photo by: Tony Walsh/UGAAA

Georgia Opens 2025-26 Season Friday at UNC Wilmington

September 10, 2025 | Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving

Georgia (0-0) at UNC Wilmington (0-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 12
Site: UNCW Natatorium – Wilmington, N.C.
Time: 5 p.m. EDT
Streaming: FloSports (Paid Service – Access Instructions)
Stats: MeetMobile

Series History
Georgia leads 1-0
First Meeting: Georgia – W, 224-71 (Jan. 18, 2025 – Athens, Ga.)

Fast Facts

The Georgia men's swimming and diving team begins its 97^th season of competition Friday evening at UNC Wilmington. The two teams faced off last season for the first time, with the Bulldogs prevailing, 224-71, on Jan. 18 in Athens. The Georgia men will be joined by the women's team for the first time at SEC rival South Carolina on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
Head coach Neil Versfeld returns for his fourth season as the men's head coach, joined by returning staff members Chris Colwill, Nate Rhoads, and Ashlynn Sullivan. New associate head coach Mike Joyce jointed the Bulldog staff in July from Minnesota, following Michael Norment's departure to Notre Dame to become its new head coach.
Georgia returns five All-Americans from last season's squad, which finished seventh at the NCAA Championships. Graduate Luca Urlando leads the Bulldogs after sweeping the SEC and NCAA titles last season in the 200-yard butterfly, including two American Records in the event. Urlando continued his outstanding campaign in the summer, taking first at the U.S. National Championships in the 200m fly and then winning the world title in Singapore with a personal-best time of 1:51.87, the second-fastest performance in American history behind Michael Phelps.
Junior Tomas Koski returns for his third season after a breakthrough run in 2024-25, which included three individual scoring performances at NCAAs. Koski also represented Finland at Worlds in the 200m freestyle and 100m freestyle, joining teammate Kristian Pitshugin, who competed for Israel in the 50m breaststroke.
Senior Ruard van Renen, who set a new program record in the 200y backstroke last season, reached the 50m backstroke final at the World University Games and helped South Africa earn bronze medals in the mixed 4x100m freestyle and medley relays.
Sophomores Drew Hitchcock, Tane Bidois, and Elliot Woodburn also return for their second seasons in Athens. Hitchcock qualified for the 400y IM final at NCAAs, while Bidois anchored the eighth-place 200y medley relay and Woodburn became the fifth-fastest 100y breaststroke performer in program history.
Georgia's talented freshman class features nine newcomers, including New York native Sean Green, who lit up the Speedo Junior National Championships in July with titles in five events (200m free, 400m free, 800m free, 1,500m free, 400m IM). Washington D.C. native Jayson Ross won National Catholic High School Championships in the 50y free and 100y free, while Cincinnati product Hayden Meyers reached finals at Junior Nationals in the 50m and 200m back. The class also features three Germans: Finn Wendland, Finn Hammer, and Sascha Macht, who combined for eight finals appearances at this year's German National Championships.
Alongside the freshmen, Arizona State transfer Cale Martter returns home to Georgia for his senior season. Martter won the Big 12 title last season in the 200y IM, along with a bronze in the 400y IM.