Luca Urlando Named SEC Men’s Swimmer of the Week After Speedy Weekend Efforts
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced its weekly aquatic awards on Tuesday, with the University of Georgia’s Luca Urlando claiming men’s swimmer of the week honors. The reigning world champion in the 200-meter butterfly enjoyed a strong showing as the Bulldogs finished in second place to North Carolina State at the Dual Meet Tournament.
Here are the weekly SEC award winners:
Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Luca Urlando, Georgia
Georgia’s Luca Urlando, a graduate student from Sacramento, Calif., helped lead his team to a runner-up finish at The Dual Meet Tournament with three individual wins and as a member of five victorious relays. In the butterfly events, Urlando posted the second-fastest times in the nation in both the 100 fly (44.94) and the 200 fly (1:38.47). He also won the 100 free with an NCAA cut time of 42.17, the fourth fastest time in the nation this season and the 10th-fastest time in program history. In the 400 medley relay, Urlando’s 44.11 butterfly split helped the Bulldogs notch the nation’s top time, while his leadoff legs helped the 200 free and 200 medley relays post the second-fastest times nationally.
Men’s Diver of the Week: Carson Paul, LSU
LSU’s Carson Paul, a junior from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, won all three events with a trio of NCAA diving standard scores to help the Tigers to a first-place finish against Denver, Wyoming and host Air Force. Paul recorded the top score of 330.80 on the 1-meter springboard, 408.20 on the 3-meter springboard and 343.70 on platform.
Men’s Co-Freshmen of the Week: Maston Ballew, Auburn and Sean Green, Georgia
Auburn’s Maston Ballew, a freshman from Nashville, Tenn., placed in the top four in six individual events as the Tigers took third place at The Dual Meet Tournament. Ballew touched the wall first in the 200 breaststroke at 1:54.98, the 10th fastest time in the nation this season and the ninth-best time in program history. He was also second in the 200 IM with a personal-best time of 1:46.68, good for 21st place nationally.
Georgia’s Sean Green, a freshman from Rockaway Beach, N.Y., earned three podium finishes as the No. 9 Bulldogs posted a runner-up finish at The Dual Meet Tournament. In the 500 free, Green earned his first collegiate dual meet victory against George Washington before improving in his next two races, earning an NCAA cut of 4:17.24 against NC State, the 11th-fastest time nationally. He also placed third in the 200 backstroke (1:46.13) and posted a top-50 national time in the 200 fly (1:47.01).
Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Elizaveta Klevanovich, Auburn
Auburn’s Elizaveta Klevanovich, a graduate student from Tyumen, Russia, won four individual events and was a part of five first-place relay squads as the Tigers finished third at The Dual Meet Tournament. Klevanovich took first place in the 50 free three different times, and her leadoff split in the 200 free relay of 21.88 marked the fourth fastest time in the nation and sixth best in program history. She also swam the 17th best time nationally to win the 100 free with a time of 48.39.
Women’s Diver of the Week: Emily Hallifax, Auburn
Auburn’s Emily Hallifax, a sophomore from Nice, France, claimed five podium finishes in the springboard events at The Dual Meet Tournament. In the three-dive format, Hallifax finished first on the 1-meter vs. Florida State (154.20) and second vs. Minnesota (141.20) and Georgia (129.05). On the 3-meter, she came in first vs. Georgia (154.20), second vs. Florida State (153.30) and fourth vs. Minnesota (123.90).
Women’s Freshman of the Week: Kennedi Dobson, Georgia
Georgia’s Kennedi Dobson, a freshman from Levittown, Pa., aided the Bulldogs to their runner-up finish at The Dual Meet Tournament. Highlighting her four individual wins, Dobson recorded a national-best 4:33.61 in the 500 free against NC State, which was the seventh fastest time in program history and made her the No. 5 Bulldog performer all-time. She also placed first in the 200 backstroke with an NCAA cut time of 1:53.92 and the 200 IM at 1:58.96, as well as third in the 100 free (48.89). In relay action, Dobson anchored both of Georgia’s second-place relays, including the ninth-fastest 400 free relay in the country (3:15.63/48.22).
