DALLAS – For the fifth straight season Houston raised the team hardware on the women’s side, and SMU claimed the first men’s American title in program history to cap the 2021 American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center/Barr-McMillion Natatorium.
SMU took the men’s championship with 1,304 points over Cincinnati (1,089). Houston capped the women’s win with 1,009 points to outpoint SMU (753.5), Cincinnati (732.5) and Tulane (616). Houston became the first program from either gender to win five overall American championships, with SMU joining the ranks as the fourth different men’s team champion.
Cincinnati’s Matea Sumajstorcic earned her second distance championship of the weekend by claiming gold in the women’s 1650 freestyle, taking the win in 16:25.48. Teammate Sydney St. Rose-Finear earned the runner-up finish with a time of 16:35.07 and Tulane’s Noa Heron was third in 16:36.75.
Noah Smith completed a Cincinnati sweep in the men’s 1650 freestyle, repeating as the event champion with a time of 15:15.57. Kevin Leibold completed the Bearcat 1-2 finish with a time of 15:31.34 and SMU’s Jack Callan placed third in 15:41.88.
Hedda Grelz brought home the third straight women’s platform diving championship for Houston, tallying 265.25 points. Grelz narrowly outpaced runner-up Johanna Holloway from SMU who scored 264.90 points. Defending champion Chase Ferris of Houston placed third with 261.60 points.
Ioanna Sacha defended her women’s 200 backstroke crown, as the Houston senior cruised to the win with a school record 1:53.54 in the final heat. Teammate Kaley Hoffman was a distance second in 1:58.65 and Tulane’s Danielle Titus finished third with a time of 1:59.25.
Blake Hanna won his second career men’s 200 backstroke championship in a Cincinnati school-record time of 1:41.92. Teammate Hunter Gubeno scored a runner-up showing in 1:42.60 and Conor Lynch capped off the Bearcat sweep in third with a 1:45.33 time.
Mykenzie Leehy completed the repeat in the women’s 100 freestyle, taking a second straight finals win in the event with an NCAA B-cut time of :48.61 to establish a Houston school record. Katie Power represented the Cougars in second place with a time of :49:59 and Cincinnati’s Maddie Exton took third place with a time of :50:03.
SMU’s Daniel Forndal picked up the first men’s 100 freestyle gold medal for the Mustangs since 2016 with a blazing finals time of :43.36. Teammates Lance Butler (:43.82) and Justin Baker (:44.05) joined Forndal in a podium sweep for SMU.
Kate McDonald brought home the first women’s 200 breaststroke title for Tulane with a sparkling 2:12.50 to sweep the breaststroke events for the meet. Cincinnati’s Lindsey Sanders was the event runner-up in 2:14.97 and Houston’s Audrey McKinnon took third with a time of 2:15.04.
Caleb Rhodenbaugh kept the SMU momentum rolling with a pool, school and meet record time of 1:53.98 in the men’s 200 breaststroke. Teammates Connor Dalbo (1:55.00) and Colin Feehery (1:55.86) rounded out a solid showing in the event for the Mustangs.
SMU’s Olivia Grossklaus picked up a repeat gold medal in the women’s 200 butterfly, cruising in with a winning time of 1:57.99 for the Mustangs. Houston’s Abby Jackson told silver with a time of 1:59.40 and Cincinnati’s Katherine Connolly placed third with a time of 2:00.04.
Michael Balcerak added another win to his weekend total for Cincinnati with a standout swim in the men’s 200 butterfly, claiming victory with a time of 1:46.66. Mohamed Abdelbaky went 1-2 for the Bearcats as the runner-up in 1:49.02. SMU’s Ryan Aroesty placed third with a time of 1:49.90.
SMU’s Peter Smithson brought home his second goal medal of the meet, repeating as the men’s platform diving champion with 372.80 points. Fellow Mustang Parker Hardigree was second with 325.30 points and Dominic Hoefer capped the SMU trifecta in third with 283.45 points.
Houston earned a fourth-consecutive 400 freestyle relay win to close the meet. Laura Garcia Marin, Power, Rachel Hicks and Leehy raced to victory in 3:18.78. SMU’s Alexandra Stevens, Gabi Grobler, Indra Vandenbussche and Johanna Gudmundttir took second with a time of 3:20.57 and Cincinnati’s Exton, Abby Johnston, Jessica Davis and Molly Chelovitz were third in 3:21.97.
SMU punctuated the meet championship with a men’s 400 freestyle relay title after swimming a pool record 2:53.02. Baker, Forndal, Butler and Charlie Kaye comprised the winning lineup. Cincinnati’s Dominic Polling, Alberto Garcia, Balcerak and Gubeno won the silver in 2:55.11.
Men’s Teams Scores
1. SMU – 1,304
2. Cincinnati – 1,089
Women’s Teams Scores
1. Houston – 1,009
2. SMU – 753.5
3. Cincinnati – 732.5
4. Tulane – 617
Most Outstanding Swimmers
Daniel Forndal, SMU; Michael Balcerak, Cincinnati (Men)
Mykenzie Leehy and Ioanna Sacha, Houston (Women)
Most Outstanding Divers
Peter Smithson, SMU (Men)
Johanna Holloway, SMU (Women)
Swimming and Diving Freshmen Of The Year
Lance Butler, SMU (Men’s Swimming)
Laura Garcia Marin, Houston (Women’s Swimming)
Swimming Coaches of the Year
Greg Rhodenbaugh, SMU (Men’s Swimming)
Ryan Wochomurka, Houston (Women’s Swimming)
Diving Coaches of the Year
Darian Schmidt, SMU (Men’s and Women’s Diving)
Bob Gunter, Houston (Women’s Diving)