Swimming

Jake Magahey Swims Season-Best 200 Free to Punctuate Georgia’s Senior Day Sweep of Emory

February 5, 2024

Georgia vs. Emory

Feb. 3, 2024
Gabrielsen Natatorium
- Athens, Georgia
Men: No. 9 Georgia 181, Emory 90
Women: No. 12 Georgia 189, Emory 101

Georgia wrapped up its regular season on Saturday with a sweep of in-state rival Emory, one of the top-ranked swimming and diving programs at the Division III level.

The Emory men are ranked No. 2 in Division III and the Eagle women are ranked No. 3 in Division III.

Bulldogs senior Jake Magahey punctuated Senior Day with a season-best time in the 200-yard freestyle (1:32.80) to lead the No. 9 Georgia men to a 181-90 rout of the Eagles. He now ranks 18th in the NCAA to go along with his nation-leading 4:10.60 in the 500 free.

Bulldogs fifth-year Bradley Dunham clocked a personal-best in the 100 fly (46.34) while adding a win in the 200 fly (1:44.95) and a runner-up finish behind Magahey in the 200 free (1:33.31). Fellow fifth-year Miles Simon, a Howard transfer, also recorded a lifetime best en route to his win in the 100 breast (54.03).

Georgia freshman Tomas Koski triumphed in the 500 free with a season-best 4:16.10 that ranks 21st in the NCAA. Bulldogs fifth-year Zach Hils posted another season best in the 400 IM (3:46.31), moving up to 36th in the NCAA. In the 1650 free, Bulldogs freshman Tristan DenBrok tallied a season-best 15:28.78, still almost 30 seconds off his personal-best 14:58.81 from December of 2022.

Georgia fifth-year Ian Grum touched first in the 200 back (1:41.66), nearly three seconds off his season best (1:38.88) that ranks 6th in the NCAA. In the 100 back, sophomore Aaron Seymour earned his first career dual win for the Bulldogs. Georgia junior Jackson Bates also picked up a 1st-place finish in the 200 breast (2:01.50).

On the boards, Georgia junior Rhett Hopkins posted a personal-best 384.30 on 1-meter and freshman Matthew Bray won the 3-meter with a score of 336.08. Bulldogs junior Allen Mann added a lifetime best on the way to his platform victory (357.90).

“It was a really special day having six of our fifth-years coming back for another year,” Georgia men’s coach Neil Versfeld said. “It was special for them, obviously, getting to go through Senior Day one last time, with our four seniors and TJ (Pittenger), who is a junior who’s graduating early, being honored today. It was special for all of them.”

Women’s Recap

Georgia fifth-year Zoie Hartman swept the 100 free (50.24) and 200 free (1:47.15) while also swimming breaststroke on the Bulldogs’ triumphant 200 medley relay (1:41.84) to highlight their 189-101 victory over Emory on Saturday.

Georgia junior Abby McCulloh and teammate Rachel Stege had a fun battle in the 500 free, with McCulloh (4:46.89) edging Stege (4:47.87) by less than a second. McCulloh’s season-best 4:38.11 ranks 7th in the NCAA while Stege’s season-best 4:32.87 ranks 2nd behind only Florida freshman Bella Sims (4:32.53).

Bulldogs junior Eboni McCarty had another strong showing in the 100 back (54.25), a few seconds off her season best (51.14) that ranks 8th in the NCAA. Fifth-year Olivia Smith earned her first Georgia win in the 100 fly (55.80) while also swimming fly on the victorious 200 medley relay.

Other Bulldog champions in the pool included freshman Helena Jones in the 200 back (1:58.80), sophomore Elizabeth Isakson in the 100 breast (1:03.80), senior Julianna Stephens in the 50 free (22.86), senior Sloane Reinstein in the 200 IM (2:03.78), and sophomore Olivia Della Torre in the 200 breast (2:17.83). On the boards, senior Meghan Wenzel won the 1-meter and platform diving events with season-best scores while freshman Michelle Cummo qualified for Zones on both springboards en route to her victory on the 3-meter (296.70).

“This is one of my favorite days of the whole year because it’s just a real testament to the seniors, and we wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for Zoie, Millie, Jillian, Olivia, Meghan, Julianna, and Sloane,” Georgia women’s coach Stefanie Williams Moreno said. “The collective leadership they’ve shown is just such a great example for everybody on the team, and being able to honor them today and send them off at the last dual meet of the season is super fun. But obviously, the job is not done. Our focus now is geared towards SEC’s and I’m excited to see what we’ll do.”

SwimSwam: Jake Magahey Swims Season-Best 200 Free to Punctuate Georgia’s Senior Day Sweep of Emory