After steady improvement over the past few years, the Crimson Tide captured sixth place at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
It was a weekend that contained personal bests and school records for Alabama’s swimming and diving team. Sixth place is the best finish for the Crimson Tide since 1983, when the team finished in fifth place. In total, Alabama collected 225 points over the four-day stretch. In the 400 freestyle, Laurent Bams, Robert Howard, Christopher Reid, and Kristian Gkolomeev recorded new school records.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the team. It’s been a big culture change for them over the last three or four years and these guys have bought into it and they’ve taken big step forward in each of those years and this was another one tonight,” Alabama coach Dennis Pursley said.
Reid and junior Connor Oslin battled in the 200 meter backstroke throughout the championships and broke the school record a combined three times. Oslin, the Georgia native, came away with the school record in the event with a time of 1:39.85.
The Texas Longhorns came away with first place followed by California, Florida, N.C. State and Georgia. Tennessee took seventh and Missouri, Indiana and Auburn rounded out the top 10.
