The Alabama swimming and diving teams shined throughout the six-day SEC Championships, bringing home five individual medals and setting many new records.
Day 2
Senior Charlie Hawke highlighted the second day of competition, shattering his pool record in the Gabrielsen Natatorium that he set earlier in the year during the Georgia Fall Invite. He broke his previous record in the 200-yard freestyle (1:31.05) and led the 800-yard freestyle relay team with a time of 1:30.44.
The 800-yard relay team — consisting of Hawke, senior Kaique Alves, sophomore Tommy Hagar and junior Toni Dragoja — set a new school record (6:06.77) and placed fourth overall.
Day 3
Sophomore Cadence Vincent highlighted the meet’s third day, earning two silver medals for the Crimson Tide. Vincent helped the 200-yard relay team, which is composed of sophomore Jada Scott, senior Kailyn Winter and junior Charlotte Rosendale, by following Vincent’s lead, finishing at 1:26.35. Vincent then set a personal best in the 50-yard freestyle, with a time of 21.59, securing her second medal of the day.
Hawke once again broke records, as his own school record in the 500-yard freestyle fell. With a time of 4:10.95, he advanced from the preliminary race to the finals. He then broke his record, set moments before, with a fourth-place finish of 4:09.75.
Day 4
As the contest passed the halfway mark, Hawke earned some hardware with a bronze medal finish in the 200-yard freestyle (1:30.62). He also competed alongside Alves (1:32.07) and Dragoja (1:32.88), finishing seventh and eighth, respectively.
All three men who competed in the 200-yard freestyle now hold the top three fastest times at Alabama: Hawke, Alves and Dragoja.
Junior Tim Korstanje set a career-best in the 100-yard butterfly finals. Though he finished 12th overall, his time of 46.10 is the third fastest in Alabama program history.
Day 5
The Crimson Tide continued to win medals. Junior Emily Jones’ final time of 50.92 in the 100-yard backstroke earned her the third spot on the podium and a bronze medal.
With his 51.37 in the 100-yars breaststroke, Alves now holds two second-place all-time program records and has set a new career best.
Hagar led the 400-yard medley relay team, consisting of Alves, Korstanje and Hawke, to a sixth-place finish with a time of 3:04.50. Hagar also set a career-best in the 100-yard backstroke (45.70) as the leading leg.
Day 6
On the final day of the championships, senior Avery Wiseman claimed the final medal for Alabama, finishing second on the podium in the 200-yard breaststroke. This is now her second medal, after she placed third in the same event back in 2023.
Sophomore Zarek Wilson, Hawke, Alves and Dragoja set a new school record in the 400-meter freestyle, which had stood for two years.
As the day and championship ended, both the men’s and women’s teams ranked sixth overall.
Crimson Tide swimmers and divers will now represent Alabama at the NCAA Zone Championships, which will be held in Auburn beginning March 7.
