Swimming

2024 SEC Championships: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

February 21, 2024

2024 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 19 – February 24, 2024
James E. Martin Aquatic Center — Auburn, AL
Defending Champions:
- Women: Florida (1x)
- Men: Florida (11x)
Start Times (ET): 9:30 am prelims/5:30 pm finals
- Day 1 (diving only): 11 am prelims/4:20 pm finals
- Day 2: 11 am prelims (diving only)/ 5 pm (relays only)
Championship Central
2023 SEC Championships Box Score
Major Conference Roster Limits and Scoring Rules
Psych Sheets
Women’s Fan Guide
Men’s Fan Guide
Live Results
Live Video (SEC+ Network)
Day 1 Diving Recap
Day 1 Finals Live Recap

After things got underway with relays and diving on Monday and Tuesday, the first full day of action at the 2024 SEC Championships is here.

Following the traditional NCAA schedule, this first prelim session features heats in the women’s and men’s 500 free, 200 IM and 50 free.

The big news from the heat sheets is that Bella Sims won’t contest the 500 freestyle, an event where she owns the top time in the NCAA this season (4:32.53). Instead, Sims is entered NT in the 200 IM. Her best time in the event is a 1:52.73 from 2022 Winter Juniors. Her teammate Isabel Ivey owns the conference’s top time this season (1:54.18) and she’ll also race the 200 IM today.

Sims dropping the 500 free clears the way for Rachel Stege to really take control of the race. Sims and Stege had a great battle at the Georgia Fall Invite; Sims won the race but Stege swam a massive personal best time of 4:32.87. That time gives her an almost three second advantage on the rest of the field heading into the day.

In the men’s 500 freestyle, Jake Magahey and Charlie Hawke will race side by side in the final heat. Leading off the 800 freestyle relay yesterday, Hawke swam a 1:30.75, dropping .45 seconds off his personal best. He comes into the 500 freestyle with a personal best 4:12.91 from midseason and Magahey holds down the top seed with a 4:10.60. Defending champion Jake Mitchell races two heats earlier.

Along with Mitchell, Baylor Nelson and Jordan Crooks are also getting set to defend their 2023 crowns. Nelson and Crooks are the top seeds in their respective events. Nelson is seeded with a 1:41.33 in the 200 IM and Crooks comes in with his 18.40 50 freestyle from midseason. He and Josh Liendo–who raced on the 800 free relay on Day 1 rather than the 200 medley–are the only two in the conference who have been sub-19 seconds this season but look for that to change this morning.

Team Scores Thru Day 1

Women:

Auburn — 167
Florida — 160
Tennessee — 147
LSU — 146
Georgia — 134
Texas A&M — 129
Alabama — 127
Missouri — 107
South Carolina — 99
Kentucky — 98
Vanderbilt — 62

Men:

Texas A&M — 199
Florida — 180
Tennessee — 155
Georgia — 150
Auburn — 127
Alabama — 116
Missouri — 111
LSU — 106
Kentucky — 101
South Carolina — 93

WOMEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

NCAA Record: 4:24.06, Katie Ledecky (STAN) – 2017 NCAA Championships
SEC Record: 4:32.53, Brittany MacLean (UGA) – 2014 NCAA Championships
SEC Championship Record: 4:33.10, Brittany MacLean (UGA) – 2016
2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:37.89
2023 NCAA Invited Time: 4:41.09

Top 8:

MEN’S 500 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

NCAA Record: 4:06.32, Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2020 SEC Championships
SEC Record: 4:06.32, Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2020 SEC Championships
SEC Championship Record: 4:06.32, Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2020
2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:10.74
2023 NCAA Invited Time: 4:14.36

Top 8:

WOMEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS

NCAA Record: 1:48.37, Kate Douglass (UVA) – 2023 NCAA Championships
SEC Record: 1:51.62, Meghan Small (TENN) – 2019 SEC Championships
SEC Championship Record: 1:51.62, Meghan Small (TENN) – 2019
2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:53.66
2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:56.90

Top 8:

MEN’S 200 IM – PRELIMS

NCAA Record: 1:36.34, Leon Marchand (ASU) – 2023 NCAA Championships
SEC Record: 1:38.13, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018 SEC Championships
SEC Championship Record: 1:38.13, Caeleb Dressel (FLOR) – 2018
2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 1:41.03
2023 NCAA Invited Time: 1:43.14

Top 8:

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

NCAA Record: 20.79, Maggie MacNeil (LSU) / Gretchen Walsh (UVA) — 2023 NCAAs / 2023 Tennessee Invite
SEC Record: 20.79, Maggie MacNeil (LSU) – 2023 NCAA Championships
SEC Championship Record: 20.98, Maggie MacNeil (LSU) – 2023
2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 21.63
2023 NCAA Invited Time: 22.15

Top 8: