Courtesy: Georgia Athletics
ATHENS, Georgia – After a dominant fall campaign, the University of Georgia swim and dive team returns to the water this weekend for its Senior Citizens Day encounter against South Carolina on Saturday at the Gabrielsen Natatorium. The meeting will start with the male and female dive at 9 am, followed by the female meeting at 10 am and the male meeting at 4 pm. Before the women’s meeting, the program will recognize the 17 members of the 2021 senior class.
Due to the social distance measures involving student-athletes, spectators will not be allowed inside the swimming pool. However, live coverage of both events will be available on SEC Network +. In addition, live results will also be available on GeorgiaDogs.com and for subscribers on the MeetMobile app. Fans can check for live updates on Twitter at @UGASwimDive.
For men in Georgia, this is the 39thº all-time encounter with South Carolina, with Bulldogs with a 31-17 lead. For women in third place, this is the 34thº all-time showdown with Gamecocks, with Georgia leading 30-3. This is the second meeting this season between schools after a sweep in Georgia at its opening season on October 23, 2020 in Columbia. For South Carolina, this is the first competition since October.
Georgia will try to recover from an excellent performance at the Georgia Invitational in November, where the Bulldogs won decisive victories against Florida State and Georgia Tech. During the three-day event, four school records were set, including three male relays and 100 male butterfly for senior Camden Murphy.
Currently, Georgia has 30 first places in the national ranking, with Murphy leading all swimmers on the 100 fly and freshman Jake Magahey first in the 1,650 freestyle. Magahey is also second in the freestyle 500, while Ian Grum is third in the 200 backstroke and Javier Acevedo senior in the red shirt, third in the 200 IM. On the female side, second Zoie Hartman is second in the 200 breaststroke and 200 MI, with senior Courtney Harnish in third in the freestyle 500 and Dakota Luther junior in third in the 200 butterflies.
At the dive pit, Georgia divers are fresh out of an excellent performance at last week’s Georgia Diving Invitational, where the Bulldogs have won three victories. Senior Zach Allen established a new brand of better quality on the 1 meter trampoline on the way to victory, while junior Ellie Crump and freshman Meghan Wenzel took first place in trampoline events. In addition, sophomore student Raquel Mason added herself to the list of divers qualified by the Zone with the best grade of the season in the platform event.
After Saturday’s meeting, the Bulldogs will close their regular season next Saturday in Knoxville against Tennessee Volunteers at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Georgia will then turn its attention to the SEC Swimming and Diving Championship, which will be held in Athens and Columbia, Missouri in late February.
For all the news and updates on swimming and diving in Georgia, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive) and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).