Smith Breaks School Record, Gamecocks Finish 11th at Women's SECs

ATHENS, Ga. — South Carolina finished 11^th at the 2021 Women’s SEC Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday night, scoring 276 team points. The Gamecocks had five finalists in the final session, led by sophomore Janie Smith, who finished 10^th in the 100 free.
 
Smith, a native of Charlotte, N.C., broke the school record in prelims this morning with a time of 48.69 to earn the 11^th seed. She swam 48.73 in the B-final. All-American Christina Lappin held the previous 100 free record at 48.95 (2/23/19).
 
Junior Mari Kraus also swam in the B-final of the 200 back. She finished 15^th with a time of 1:56.15.
 
Sophomore Taylor Steele finished 24^th in the 200 breast with a finals split of 2:13.57.
 
Freshman Kaitlyn Porter (1:59.60) and sophomore Emily Horomanski (2:00.05) both set PRs in the prelims of the 200 fly to adance to the C-final of the event tonight. Porter finished 19^th with a finals time of 2:00.07 and Horomanski 20^th with a time of 2:00.31.
 
The Gamecocks concluded the 2021 edition of the conference meet with a 10^th place finish in the 400 free relay. Smith (48.79), freshman Aubrey Chandler (50.39), sophomore Emma Alexander (50.15) and Kraus (49.97) swam a split of 3:19.30, the fourth-fastest time in program history.
 
NOTE: The men’s championship will also be hosted by Missouri next week (Feb. 23-26). This marks the first time in 35 years the SEC Championships are being held in separate venues. In 1986, the women’s swimming and diving championship was held in Knoxville, Tenn. and the men’s championship in Baton Rouge, La.
 
2021 Women’s SEC Swimming and Diving Championship Gamecock Results
 
200 Medley Relay
8. Bella Pantano (backstroke, 25.67), Taylor Steele (breaststroke, 27.19), Janie Smith (fly, 23.24), Emma Walker (free, 22.92) – 1:39:02 (third-fastest all-time at Carolina)
 
800 Free Relay
11. Emma Alexander (1:48.30), Mari Kraus (1:47.75), Riley Parker (1:48.09), Kaitlyn Porter (1:50.13) – 7:14.27 (ninth-fastest all-time at Carolina)
 
200 IM
46. Emily Hormanski – 2:02.31
52. Ellie Masterson – 2:02.89
54. Kaitlyn Porter – 2:03.31
55. Sammie Ai – 2:03.34
59. Taylor Steele – 2:04.49
62. Caroline Spence – 2:05.06
67. Meredith Berglund – 2:09.45
 
50 Free
18. Janie Smith – 22.53p, 22.38f (second-fastest all-time at Carolina)
35. Aubrey Chandler – 23.08
T36. Emma Walker – 23.13
39. Mari Kraus – 23.14
44. Olivia McPherson – 23.25
T50. Emma Alexander – 23.42
T50. Danielle Doennebrink – 23.42
64. Riley Parker – 23.82
67. Megan Armstrong – 23.91
72. Erynn Black – 24.25
73. Bella Pantano – 24.32
 
200 Free Relay
8. Aubrey Chandler (23.05), Janie Smith (21.88), Emma Walker (22.81), Mari Kraus (22.46) – 1:30.20 (second-fastest all-time at Carolina)
 
400 IM
37. Ellie Masterson – 4:21.96
 
100 Fly
20. Janie Smith – 53.61p (third-fastest all-time at Carolina), 53.65f
29. Emily Horomanski – 54.69
30. Emma Otten – 54.73
31. Kaitlyn Porter – 54.92
35. Carolina Spence – 55.22
39. Meredith Berglund – 55.83
40. Danielle Doennebrink – 55.86
47. Aubrey Chandler – 57.90
 
200 Free
34. Emma Alexander – 1:48.98
 
100 Breast
16. Taylor Steele – 1:00.74p, 1:00.54f
40. Sammie Ai – 1:03.23
43. Olivia McPherson – 1:03.61
 
100 Back
21. Mari Kraus – 53.73p, 53.62f (second-fastest all-time at Carolina)
23. Riley Parker – 53.72p (third-fastest all-time at Carolina), 53.88f
27. Megan Armstrong – 54.30
28. Bella Pantano – 54.44
29. Emma Otten – 54.45
34. Emma Walker – 54.95
48. Erynn Black – 55.97
 
400 Medley Relay
10. Riley Parker (backstroke, 54.56), Taylor Steele (breaststroke, 59.93), Janie Smith (fly, 54.03), Mari Kraus (free, 49.56) – 3:38.08 (third-fastest all-time at Carolina)
 
200 Back
15. Mari Kraus – 1:56.13p, 1:56.15f
26. Riley Parker – 1:57.59
31. Bella Pantano – 1:57.77
36. Megan Armstrong – 1:58.83
46. Erynn Black – 2:01.47
 
100 Free
10. Janie Smith – 48.69p (school record), 48.73f
34. Aubrey Chandler – 50.47
36. Emma Alexander – 50.50
41. Danielle Doennebrink – 50.78
45. Emma Walker – 50.90
48. Olivia McPherson – 51.14
57. Meredith Berglund – 53.02
 
200 Breast
24. Taylor Steele – 2:12.53p, 2:13.57f
33. Ellie Masterson – 2:15.38
41. Sammie Ai – 2:17.51
 
200 Fly
19. Kaitlyn Porter – 1:59.60p, 2:00.07f
20. Emily Horomanski – 2:00.05p, 2:00.31f
30. Emma Otten – 2:00.79
39. Carolina Spence – 2:03.17
 
400 Free Relay
10. Janie Smith (48.79), Aubrey Chandler (50.39), Emma Alexander (50.15), Mari Kraus (49.97) – 3:19.30 (fourth-fastest all-time at Carolina)
 
Women’s 1-meter diving (six dives)
18. Yu Qian Goh (240.00)
27. Mathilda Roxne (224.40)
35. Bria Diorio (176.95)
 
Men’s 1-meter diving (six dives)
21. Alex Claus (281.35)
 
Women’s 3-meter diving (six dives)
16. Mathilda Roxne (262.45)
30. Yu Qian Goh (209.10)
33. Bria Diorio (181.95)
 
Women’s Platform (five dives)
28. Bria Diorio (141.20)
 
Men’s 3-meter diving (six dives)
21. Alex Claus (287.80)
 
Men’s Platform (five dives)
21. Alex Claus (198.75)
 
2021 Women’s SEC Swimming and Diving Final Team Standings
1. Kentucky – 1124
2. Florida – 1071
3. Georgia – 999
4. Alabama – 973
5. Tennessee – 934
6. Texas A&M – 839
7. Missouri – 614.5
8. Arkansas – 595
9. Auburn – 510
10. LSU – 390.5
11. South Carolina – 276
12. Vanderbilt – 154

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