Gamecocks Host Queens for Friday Dual Meet, Diving Travels to UNCW
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina swimming and diving continues the 2024-25 campaign at home on Fri., Nov. 8. The Gamecocks will welcome Queens University of Charlotte to the Carolina Natatorium for a 2:00 p.m. dual meet. The event is free admission and live results will be available on the subscription-based Meet Mobile platform. On the same day, diving travels to UNCW to face the Seahawks at 2:00 p.m.
South Carolina goes into this meet fresh off of a two-week hiatus from competition. The women’s program stands with an even 2-2 record while the men are 1-2. The team last raced on October 25 and 26, facing Duke and North Carolina respectively for back-to-back dual meets. The Gamecocks started the weekend off on a high note as both programs swept the Blue Devils. The #17 Gamecock women topped a 16th ranked Duke program 161-139 while the men picked up their first win of the season in a close 155-145 victory. Both programs then fell to UNC the following day, 187.5-112.5 for the women and 184-108 for the men.
On the women’s side, senior Greta Pelzek and junior Sophie Verzyl dominated during both meets. Pelzek swept the butterfly events both days, posting her top times of the weekend at Duke. The Illinois native clocked a 52.63 in the 100 fly and 1:55.11 in the 200 in Durham, which ranks her in the top-20 in the country for both events. She currently sits at eighth in the 200 fly and 18th in the 100. Verzyl swept her events at UNC, setting a season-high 336.30 on the 1-meter. At Duke she continued the momentum, setting a pool record of 390.53 on the 3-meter which helped secure her second SEC Diver of the Week award of the season. Amy Riordan clocked times of 1:46 and faster in the 200 free at both meets, winning with a 1:45.71 at Duke and placing second at UNC. With her time of 1:44.89 from the season opener against Georgia and Vanderbilt the junior ranks 10th in the country. The distance group had a strong showing at Duke, sweeping the top three spots in the 500 and 1000 free led by Madison Kolessar, who finished in 4:50.89 and 9:50.76 respectively.
Distance swimmers Connor Fry and Raymond Prosinski as well as diver Max Spencer led the men’s program for their ACC weekend tour. Fry picked up wins in the 500 free (4:25.66) at Duke and 1000 free (9:02.83) at North Carolina. The sophomore’s 1000 free victory was his first in the event as a Gamecock. Prosinski accumulated the most points for the men’s program at Duke, totaling 16 after picking up top three finishes in the 1000 and 500 free as well as the 200 fly. He touched first in the 1000 after clocking a 9:11.50. Spencer won the 3-meter and placed second in the 1-meter at UNC.
Queens women have had a strong season so far, coming to Columbia with a 3-0-1 record. Each of the Royals’ victories have been by 47 points or more. Annika Huber has picked up four top two finishes in the 100 breaststroke this season, three of which were first place. Her current season best in the event is a 1:02.32, only .3 off of the Gamecocks top performer in the event, Delaney Franklin. Queens’ men’s program holds a 3-1 record for the 2024-25 season. Daniel Meszaros has the team’s top time in the 200 free of 1:39.27 which is not too far off Linus Kahl’s 1:38.98, the top time for South Carolina this season. The Royals’ strength lies in the 100 free as the top two performers, Matej Dusa and Daniel Meszaros, have clocked season best times of 44:38 and 44:96 respectively this season. The two will pose a threat to Ryan Hufford, who has the Garnet & Black’s top time in the event this season of 45.03. Additionally, Meszaros was named the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Male Swimmer of the Week on October 23rd.
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