Special to GC

AUBURN, Ala. – Florida’s men’s swimming & diving team won the program’s third-straight and 36th overall Southeastern Conference Championship behind three SEC titles at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Ala. The program’s 36 SEC team championships ranks second amongst all sports in the history of the SEC (Kentucky Men’s Basketball, 45).

The Gators finished in front of second place Georgia (1,134.5) and third place Auburn (1,084) with a total score of 1,314.5 points. Florida was strong in all events, capturing individual victories in the 100-yard butterfly (Caeleb Dressel) and the 500-yard freestyle (Mitch D’Arrigo) and earned a relay gold in the 800-yard freestyle event (Wallace, Werner, Alexiou, D’Arrigo). The Gators pulled away on the last day of competition after entering the final day up only 132 points.

On the women’s side, the Gators ended their conference championship in third place behind Georgia (1,450) and Texas A&M (1,166) for the second year in a row. UF’s women won four SEC championships, as Florida captured the 100-yard (Natalie Hinds), 200-yard (Amelia Maughan) and 1,650-yard freestyle (Jessica Thielmann) titles and the 200-yard individual medley crown (Theresa Michalak).

Overall, Florida won seven SEC championships, broke three school records and registered 25 NCAA automatic qualifying marks as each team will now prepare for next month’s NCAA men’s and women’s championships.

Coaches Corner:

Head Coach Gregg Troy:

On the men winning the SEC Championship…

“It was a great week. We stood up and raced tough the whole way. It (tonight) was a great way to finish. It was five days of tough racing.”

On who was the surprise of the meet was and who had the swim of the week for the Gators…

“The surprise of the meet was Amelia Maughan winning to 200 freestyle. I think the swim of the meet was either Jessica Thielmann’s mile tonight, or Natalie Hinds 100 free swim.”

On getting ready for the NCAA meet…

“In the end, this is just another swim meet, as we have to go back to work on Monday and make sure we’re ready for the next one.”

Talking Gators:

Junior Jessica Thielmann:

On her race plan in the mile and when she knew she won her first-career SEC Championship…

“It was a good race. I had a plan and for probably the first time ever, I stuck to my own plan, as I waited and bided my time. Then I made my move at the right time. I didn’t know I won until I touched the wall. I knew those girls had a very fast back-end, so once I made my move, I knew I had to keep going.”

Junior Natalie Hinds:

On winning the 100-yard freestyle…

“I was nervous going in, but what I learned from the 50 (freestyle) is that I need to relax. That’s what Coach Troy told me. In the prelims this morning, I just needed to do what I know I can and tonight, I just needed to stay relaxed. I just wanted to do the best that I could and I was really hurting towards the end so I just went as fast as possible.”

Day Five Finals Recap:

Florida set itself up for a great night in the first event of the finals, as the Gator men finished second and third in the 1,650-yard freestyle race, as sophomore Mitch D’Arrigo and junior Arthur Frayler clocked times of 14:39.90 and 14:40.05, respectively. The runner-up finish was D’Arrigo’s second of the week and his time ranks him second all-time in school history.

In the women’s event, junior Jessica Thielmann avenged her runner-up finish in the 500-yard freestyle a few day ago by winning her first-career SEC crown tonight. The Newcastle, England native won the women’s mile in an outstanding time of 15:47.95. Winning the mile ended a 12-year drought for the Gator women without a championship in that event. In addition, Thielmann’s mark ranks her second all-time in school history.

Freshman Caeleb Dressel and junior Natalie Hinds followed their lead by finishing the 100-yard freestyle in the same fashion. In the men’s race, Dressel clocked a school record time of 41.90 seconds but earned his second runner-up finish of the week.

In the women’s race, Hinds broke her own school record and placed first with a mark of 47.26 seconds. This was her second-career SEC title, as she won her first as a freshman at the 2013 championships in the 100-yard butterfly.

In the men’s and women’s 200-yard backstroke, juniors Corey Main and Ashlee Linn paced the Gators as they finished in eighth and fourth place with times of 1:43.16 and 1:52.62, respectively. Linn’s mark ranks sixth in UF history.

Seniors Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez and Matt Elliott capped off their outstanding week at SEC’s by finishing fifth (1:54.31) and sixth (1:54.42) in the men’s 200-yard breaststroke.

Florida’s men (Caeleb Dressel, Mark Szaranek, Pawel Werner, Dan Wallace) and women (Natalie Hinds, Ashlee Linn, Amelia Maughan, Lindsey McKnight) placed third and second in the lone relay event of the evening, the 400-yard freestyle. The men’s time was 2:50.31, which ranks second in school history, meanwhile the Gator women clocked the sixth-fastest mark in UF history, 3:14.12.



Final 2015 SEC Championships Standings

MEN WOMEN Rank Team Score Rank Team Score 1. Florida 1,314.5 1. Georgia 1,450 2. Georgia 1,134.5 2. Texas A&M 1,166 3. Auburn 1,084 3. Florida 963.5 4. Tennessee 918 4. Tennessee 793.5 5. Alabama 911.5 5. LSU 725 6. Missouri 768 6. Auburn 722 7. South Carolina 567 7. Kentucky 608 8. Texas A&M 555 8. Missouri 592 9. LSU 538.5 8. Alabama 531 10. Kentucky 407 10. Arkansas 465 11. South Carolina 355 12. Vanderbilt 171

SEC Champions:

Men’s 800 FR (Wallace, Werner, Alexiou, D’Arrigo – 6:12.85) – SEC & UF record

Mitch D’Arrigo (500 Free – 4:10.77) – 2nd in UF history

Theresa Michalak (200 IM – 1:56.09) – 3rd in UF history

Caeleb Dressel (100 Fly – 45.28) – 2nd in UF history

Amelia Maughan (200 Free – 1:44.68) – 7th in UF history

Jessica Thielmann (1,650 Free – 15:47.95) – 2nd in UF history

Natalie Hinds (100 Free – 47.26) – 1st in UF history

Day 5 – B & C Final Top-3 Finishers:

Sophia Batchelor won the women’s 200-yard backstroke C Final with a mark of 1:55.49.

In the men’s 200-yard backstroke B Final, Christian Homer placed third in a time of 1:42.70.

NCAA Qualifiers:

Florida notched 25 NCAA automatic qualifying marks at the SEC Championships, including: