COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Two record-setting performances highlighted Friday’s performance by the Vanderbilt swimming team at the Rec Center Natatorium on the next-to-last day of the SEC Championships.
Kailia Utley set a new school standard in the 200 butterfly, and Faith Knelson broke the old mark in the 100 breaststroke as both advanced to the Bonus Finals of their event with their efforts.
“It was a really exciting night for the Dores with two great performances by Kailia and Faith. It was great to see them get up and compete with the best,” said head coach Jeremy Organ. “Overall, it was a really fun night for the whole group. We ended up with a strong relay, I’m happy with how we have done so far and am looking forward to wrapping up things tomorrow.”
“I’m very pleased with my swim this evening,” Utley said. “I was really worried about reaching the finals again this year, I did it last year but wasn’t sure it was going to happen again because of how much faster everyone’s times seem to be this season. I went six one-hundreths of a second faster this morning, that gave me confidence, and then in the evening I was able to let everything go and just swim.
“I’m really proud of that performance.”
“Overall, I’m really thrilled with my performance this evening,” said Knelson. “It wasn’t my best time, but I haven’t been able to dip under 1:01 since last year so it was exciting to go under that time today. I would’ve like to have liked to break the minute barrier, that just didn’t happen this evening but will hopefully happen in two weeks at the CSCAA Championships which I’m really looking forward to. I’m excited to break the record, it was a really big accomplishment.
“The team did awesome in the relay tonight and Kailia made another final, I was thrilled to be present and as always a part of something greater than myself.”
Meet Highlights
-Utley opened prelims in the morning by finishing in 19th place in the 200 fly to qualify for the Bonus Final in the evening session.
-With a 22nd-place finish in prelims of the 100 breast, Knelson moved on to the Bonus Final in the event.
-Gabriela Pierobon Mays was the Commodores’ top finisher in prelims of the 100 back in the morning.
-In the opening race of finals for the night, Utley recorded a third-place result to place 19th overall in the 200 fly.
-Knelson touched the wall fourth in her evening race to come in 20th in the 100 breast overall.
Notes
-It was the second time in as many days that Utley has posted an NCAA B Standard, with her mark of 1:57.65 in the finals breaking her own school record in the 200 fly for the second time on the day.
-Knelson also broke the school record in both the prelims and finals of the 100 breast, with her 1:00.79 time in the evening less than two-tenths of a second off the best performance of her career in the race.
-Utley and Knelson combined with Pierobon Mays and Ellie Taliaferro to help Vandy post a season-best mark of 3:41.22 in the 400 medley relay in the final race of the night.
-Meredith DiPasquale’s career-best time of 2:03.27 met the CSCAA National Independent Championships B Standard in the 200 fly, while Megan Ciezczak posted an NIC B Standard mark in the 100 back after finishing in a career-low 56.26.
-Emma Dalton equaled the best time of her career—which already ranked 10th on Vandy’s all-time performer list—with a 56.11 mark in the 100 back.
-Mercedes Traba touched the wall in the 200 fly in 2:02.58 for her best time in the event in 2022-23, while Kristen Nutter finished the race in a career-low 2:05.08.
-Both Taylor Carey (1:05.09) and Ella Platek (1:05.81) recorded season-best marks in the 100 breast.
Saturday is the final day of the SEC Championships, with prelims in three events beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the finals session set for a 5:30 p.m. start.
