Swimming and Diving . February 15, 2023

Schultz Completes Springboard Sweep at SECs

College Station, Texas – South Carolina graduate diver Brooke Schultz completed the springboard sweep at the 2023 SEC Swimming & Diving Championships on Wednesday night, claiming the 1-meter title to add to her 3-meter title from Tuesday’s competition.

Both Schultz and sophomore Sophie Verzyl advanced to the final round of the 1-meter event with the elder Gamecock entering as the No. 1 overall seed.

Schultz managed to hold the top spot in the competition throughout the event, finishing with a final score of 345.05 for the gold medal. This was Schulz’s fourth SEC 1-meter title in addition to her four SEC 3-meter titles.

The Fayetteville, Arkansas, native is one of the most decorated SEC divers in the history of the sport, having achieved four springboard sweep at the Championships – 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Verzyl wrapped up her final event entry at the Championships by placing eighth overall in the 1-meter with a score of 275.25.

On the swim side of things, South Carolina’s 200 free relay team of Janie Smith, Aubrey Chandler, Dylan Scholes, and Nicholle Toh swam the second fastest time in program history. Their time of 1:28.65 was good for fifth place overall.

The men’s 200 relay team of Guy Gropper, Mark Shperkin, Michael Laitarovsky, and Patrick Groters also earned a top-2 entry into the program’s all-time record books. Their time of 1:17.43 placed them at eighth overall and was the second fastest time in school history.

In the individual swimming events, Jose Castro was the only Gamecock to make the finals of the 500 free. The freshman swam a 4:19.07 in the C-final to place 20^th overall. His time makes his the tenth fastest swimmer in program history

Graduate Victoria Kwan swam in the A-final of the 200 IM where she placed seventh with a 1:58.05. Her prelim time of 1:56.78 makes her the second fastest swimmer in program history. Kwan was joined in the women’s 200 IM finals by Laura Goettler who placed 20^th overall with a time of 1:58.16.

The men’s team had two entries into the B-finals of the 200 IM. Senior Patrick Groters swam a 1:44.10 and graduate Erge Gezmis swam a 1:44.53 for 13^th and 15^th place respectively. They were joined in the C-final by sophomore Wylie Kruse who swam a 1:45.45 for 22^nd place.

Groters’ time was just .33 seconds behind his own school record that he set at the 2022 SEC Championships. Gezmis and Kruse both made jumps in the program’s all-time record book with Gezmis jumping up to 3^rd all-time and Kruse coming in at 5^th all-time.

The Gamecock women were speedy in thee 50 free with all Smith, Chandler, and Scholes all setting new personal bests during the day. Smith set her new personal best in the finals with a 22.29. Chandler and Scholes both set their new personal bests during the prelims with a 22.63 and a 22.66 respectively.

The men were also quick in the 50 free with Gopper and Mark Shperkin both swimming in the C-final. Gropper swam a 19.64 for 18^th place and Shperkin swam a19.75 for 22^nd place.

South Carolina ends the second day of competition in seventh place on the women’s side with 286 points, and in eighth place on the men’s side with 203.5 points.

The SEC Championships will continue tomorrow with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, and men’s 3-meter diving. Swim prelims will begin at 9:30 a.m. CT with dive prelims beginning at noon CT. Finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. CT. The SEC Network + will provide coverage of all events. A detailed schedule of events, live results, and streaming links is available here.

For all the latest South Carolina swimming and diving information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockSwim).

Finals results

Women’s 200 free relay

5 – Smith, Chandler, Scholes, Toh – 1:28.65

Men’s 200 free relay

8 – Gropper, Shperkin, Laitarovsky, Groters – 1:17.43

Men’s 500 free

20 – Castro – 4:19.07

Women’s 200 IM

7 – Kwan – 1:58.05

20 – Goettler – 1:58.16

Men’s 200 IM

13 – Groters – 1:44.10