South Carolina Swim and Dive Defeats Georgia for the First Time Since 1985

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina swimming and diving split results in its season-opening meet against Georgia. The No. 17 Gamecock women upset No. 12 Georgia 157-141, while the Gamecock men fell to No. 9 Georgia, 178-64.

A record-breaking 1,207 fans packed the Carolina Natatorium to witness the Gamecocks defeating Georgia for the first time in 40 years.

WOMEN
On the women’s side, five swimmers claimed individual wins, and the team posted three new entries in the program’s all-time top-10 lists. In diving, South Carolina’s women finished 1-2-3-4 on both boards, with senior Sophie Verzyl leading the way on both.

• In the first individual event of the day, sophomore Nora Fluck set a new school record in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 9:43.81, earning her a second-place finish. Fellow sophomore Emma Reiser finished fourth, notching a time of 9:53.70.
• Sophomore Katie Buehler picked up the event win in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.10. She paired that with a third-place finish in the 200 backstroke (1:56.94).
• Senior Jordan Agliano also grabbed an event win in the 200 butterfly, notching a time of 1:56.68, the tenth fastest time in program history. She finished second in the 100 butterfly, notching a time of 53.55.
• Senior Dylan Scholes picked up her own individual win in the 50 free, turning in a time of 22.89. She finished second in the 100 free with a 50.09.
• Senior Amy Riordan finished her first meet of the season with an individual event win in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:53.95. Freshman Tori Abruzzo (second/1:56.60) and Buehler (third/1:56.94) followed suit, completing the Gamecock sweep.
• Junior Delaney Franklin claimed the 200 breaststroke title with a time of 2:10.81, the seventh fastest time in program history. She grabbed second in the 100 breaststroke with the 10th fastest time in program history (1:01.67).
• In the 200 medley relay, the team of Megan Maholic, Liz Goodwin-Birnie, Taylor Grimley and Kara West notched a time of 1:39.32, touching the wall second, just behind the Bulldogs.

MEN
The Gamecock men notched six new top-ten program times alongside 13 podium finishes.

• The Gamecock 200 medley relay team of Ryan Hufford, Einar Agustsson, Eldor Usmonov and Quinn Buck finished with a 1:25.44, securing second place and notching the ninth-fastest time in program history.
• Junior Connor Fry found himself with a top-ten mark in the 1000 freestyle, recording a time of 9:06.54.
• Hufford picked up a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke with a 46.86. He now ranks sixth in Gamecock history.
• Freshman Einar Agustsson made his Gamecock debut, earning a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, tailing the eighth fastest time in program history with a time of 52.99.
• Junior Pierre Largeron grabbed second in the 500 yard freestyle, turning in a time of 4:18.57. He also grabbed the ninth fastest time in program history in the 200 freestyle alongside another second-place finish (1:35.20).
• Freshman Merlin Ficher found himself in the Gamecock top-ten with a time of 1:43.70 in the 200 backstroke. He also finished third in the event.
• Graduate student Eldor Usmonov recorded the second fastest time in program history (46.07) alongside a third-place finish in the 100 butterfly.
• The men’s 400 freestyle relay team of Hufford, Bexon Harrison, Usmonov and Largeron closed out the meet, finishing second with the sixth fastest time in Gamecock history (2:54.91)

Up Next for the Gamecocks
The Gamecocks women will head to Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday to take on the Razorbacks. Events begin at 11 a.m. and fans can follow along through the subscription-based app MeetMobile.

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