DALLAS – The SMU men’s team capped a successful title defense and Houston extended its active winning streak to six years in the closest final score in meet history to cap off the 2022 American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium in Dallas.
SMU scored 1,298 points in the men’s competition to lift the championship trophy once more against Cincinnati (1,113 points). Houston rode wins in the final two swimming events to score 866.5 points, besting host SMU by just a half a point at 866 for the week. Tulane remained in third with 641 points, Cincinnati fourth with 571 points and East Carolina checked in fifth with 236.5 points.
Frederica Kizek scored a big win for SMU in the women’s 1,650 freestyle to open the finals session, earning the gold medal with a time of 16:27.69. Tulane’s Lilly Byrne added a silver finish in 16:34.19 and East Carolina’s Polina Rukosuev placed third with a time of 16:40.24.
Russell Exum snagged the first win in the men’s 1,650 freestyle for SMU in American meet history, posting a victorious time of 15:21.22 to take the top spot. Cincinnati’s Kevin Leibold was second with a 15:27.66 showing and Cincinnati’s Alex Gonzalez grabbed the bronze medal with a time of 15:37.28.
SMU’s Nicole Stambo closed with a dynamic fifth dive to edge teammate Johanna Holloway in the women’s platform diving competition. Stambo scored 274.30 points to outduel the 273.50 points from Holloway for the gold medal. Houston’s Chase Farris placed third with 265.70 points.
Danielle Titus and Gianna Spremullo went 1-2 for Tulane in the women’s 200 backstroke final, as Titus claimed first place with a time of 1:57.10. Spremullo recorded a well-deserved runner-up finish in 1:57.14. Cincinnati’s Erin Shema captured bronze with a time of 1:58.31.
Blake Hanna defended the men’s 200 backstroke for Cincinnati with a victorious swim of 1:42.66. Teammate Hunter Gubeno was second in 1:43.17 and SMU’s Jack Easton took third with a 1:44.00 showing.
SMU’s Johanna Gudmundsdottir captured the first women’s 100 freestyle title for SMU at the American meet with a steady :49.44 showing. Houston’s Emma Wright finished second with a silver medal time of :49.82 and Cincinnati’s Jessica Davis was third with a time of :50.12.
The Mustangs swept the podium in a competitive men’s 100 freestyle final, with Tyler Mansheim (:43.69), Justin Baker (:43.81) and Cole Bruns (:43.83) securing medals in that order for SMU.
Gabi Grobler brought home a gold medal for SMU in the women’s 200 breaststroke finals heat, reaching the wall in 2:11.25 for the win. Tulane’s Christiana Williams gathered the silver medal with a 2:13.14 and Houston’s Henrietta Fangli placed third with a time of 2:13.48.
SMU’s Caleb Rhodenbaugh captured a third straight men’s 200 breaststroke championship, breaking his meet record time with an effort of 1:53.13. Teammate Colin Feehery was just behind with a runner-up time of 1:55.34 and Cincinnati’s Dominic Polling took third with a time of 1:56.75.
Houston’s Abby Jackson completed a terrific kick late to capture the women’s 200 butterfly final with a dynamic 1:58.20 performance. SMU’s Olivia Grossklaus placed second in 1:58.56 and Cincinnati’s Katherine Connolly was third with a time of 1:58.94.
SMU freshman Cotton Fields continued his impressive debut championship meet, defeating defending men’s 200 butterfly champion Michael Balcerak to win the finals heat with a time of 1:59.17. Cincinnati’s Thomas Eaton was the runner-up with a time of 1:43.73 and Balcerak finished third in 1:45.55 for the Bearcats.
SMU narrowly missed the meet title on the women’s side but did close with a successful 400 freestyle relay swim, as Indra Vandenbussche, Grobler, Janelle Gursoy and Gudmundsdottir placed first with a time of 3:18.31. Houston’s Kathryn Power, Wright, Alyssa Bloser and Mary Catherine Jurica claimed silver in 3:19.95, with Cincinnati’s Shema, Mary Chelovitz, Davis and Maddie Exton finishing third in 3:21.36.
The SMU men defended their crown with a triumphant men’s 400 freestyle relay effort. Feehery, Bruns, Baker and Mansheim closed the meet with a win in 2:53.46. Cincinnati was led by Balcerak, Polling, Murat Sagdullaev and Gubeno with a time of 2:55.08.
Men’s Teams Scores
1. SMU – 1,298
2. Cincinnati – 1,113
Women’s Teams Scores
1. Houston – 866.5
2. SMU – 866
3. Tulane – 641
4. Cincinnati – 571
5. East Carolina – 236.5
Most Outstanding Swimmers
Michael Balcerak, Cincinnati; Caleb Rhodenbaugh, SMU (Men)
Lilly Byrne, Tulane (Women)
Most Outstanding Divers
Peter Smithson, SMU (Men)
Nicole Stambo, SMU (Women)
Swimming and Diving Freshmen Of The Year
Cotton Fields, SMU (Men’s Swimming)
Mary Catherine Jurica, Houston (Women’s Swimming)
Swimming Coaches of the Year
Greg Rhodenbaugh, SMU (Men’s Swimming)
Tanica Jamison, Houston (Women’s Swimming)
Diving Coaches of the Year
Darian Schmidt, SMU (Men’s Diving)
Bob Gunter, Houston (Women’s Diving)