Historic Swims Pace Gators on First Day of Georgia Tech Invitational

Friday, November 22

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Florida Gators

Georgia Tech Invitational

Talia Bates now holds the sixth-fastest 50 free swim in UF history after touching the wall in 22.34

Historic Swims Pace Gators on First Day of Georgia Tech Invitational

Friday, November 22, 2019 | Women's Swimming & Diving

By: Ryan Sosic

GAINESVILLE, Fla— The No. 1 University of Florida women's swimming and diving team registered multiple historic swims to hold first-place after the day one of the Georgia Tech Invitational.

The Gators registered an overall score of 392, 60 points ahead of the second-place North Carolina Tarheels.

Both Gator relays would go on to finish with the fifth-fastest combined swim in school history in their respective event.

The 200 free relay team of Bella Garofalo, Emma Ball, Sherridon Dressel and Talia Bates combined for the top swim of 1:28.36, securing an A-cut in the process.

In the final event of the night, the 400 medley relay of Dressel, Kelly Fertel, Bates and Garofalo posted a runner-up bid with their combined swim of 3:32.29. Garofalo led the team with a split of 48.31.

Bates and Ball would rewrite Florida's record book as the pair both posted top-ten 50 free times in UF history.

In the finals, Bates would hit the wall in a new lifetime best swim of 22.34. besting the time she set in the morning session of 22.51. Her finals swim sits as the sixth-fastest in school history and gives the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week a B-cut.

Ball's fifth-place swim of 22.40 in the prelims leaves her with the eighth-fastest swim in the record books. The senior would finish in eighth-place later in the finals and notched her a B-cut with a swim of 22.58.

Leah Braswell and Kelly Fertel would pace the Gators with their individual event victories. Braswell continued to produce in the 500 free, swimming the fastest final time of 4:37.25, while Fertel won the 200 IM in a swim of 1:56.29.

In total, Florida would go on to set 18 new personal-best swims throughout the prelim and final sessions and sent 21 finalists into the later session based on their morning performances.

Gator Splashes

The Gators' most successful event of the day was the 500 free, registering six season-bests and two personal-bests in the prelims and sending nine swimmers to the Friday night finals.
- In the final session, Florida swimmers would place five of the top ten swims, including Savanna Faulconer finishing in fifth, Taylor Ault right behind her in sixth, Tylor Mathieu in seventh with a new personal-best swim of 4:44.18 and Georgia Darwent in eighth-place.
In the 50 free, Garofalo registered a new personal-best of 22.44, good for a sixth-place finish. Kirschtine Balbuena also would set a new career-fastest swim in the final, touching the wall in 22.96.
After producing a new personal-best in the 200 IM prelims, freshman Kathleen Golding again would set a new top time, finishing in second behind Fertel with a swim of 1:58.28.
Rosie Zavaros joined Golding by setting two new career-bests in the same day as Zavaros improved on her prelim swim in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.16 in the finals.
After posting the fifth-best score in the 1-meter prelims, Elizabeth Perez qualified for the evening finals and posted the fifth-highest score in the finals. Florida had five additional drivers compete in the morning prelims, including Brooke Madden, who has missed the entire season thus far.
In the 50 free, Sherridon Dressel notched a B-cut with her swim of 22.58, good for eighth-place. Gabby Hillis also secured a B-cut in the event with her prelim time of 22.71.
Kalie Novosedliak set two new personal-best swims in the prelims, finishing the 500 free with a swim of 5:03.80, good for 39th-place, while hitting the wall in the 50 free with a time of 24.65.

Quotables

Head coach Jeff Poppell- ""I thought we had a fantastic first day of racing which included an NCAA A cut in the 200 Free Relay and wins by Leah Braswell in the 500 Free and Kelly Fertel in the 200 IM. Both of our relays tonight recorded the 5th fastest times in Florida history. In addition, I thought our freshmen were outstanding as we saw new career best times from Tylor Mathieu, Kathleen Golding, and Talia Bates against big-time competition. We're looking forward to continuing the momentum into tomorrow's events."

Event Schedule

Saturday, Nov. 23

Event 13- Women's 200 Medley Relay
Event 14- Men's 200 Medley Relay
Event 15- Women's 400 IM
Event 16- Men's 400 IM
Event 17- Women's 100 Fly
Event 18- Men's 100 Fly
Event 19- Women's200 Free
Event 20- Men's 200 Free
Event 21- Women's 100 Breast
Event 22- Men's 100 Breast
Event 23- Women's100 Back
Event 24- Men's 100 Back
Event 25- Women's Diving
Event 26- Men's Diving
Event 27- Women's 800 Free Relay
Event 28- Women's 800 Free Relay

Sunday, Nov. 24

Event 29- Women's 1650 Free
Event 30- Men's 1650 Free
Event 31- Women's 200 Back
Event 32- Men's 200 Back
Event 33- Women's 100 Free
Event 34- Men's 100 Free
Event 35- Women's 200 Breast
Event 36- Men's 200 Breast
Event 37- Women's 200 Fly
Event 38- Men's 200 Fly
Event 39- Women's Platform Diving
Event 40- Men's Platform Diving
Event 41- Women's 400 Free Relay
Event 42- Men's 400 Free Relay

Looking ahead:

The Gators will be right back into the pool on Saturday and Sunday for the final two days of the invitational.

The meet will serve as the final event for the swimmers for 2019, while the Florida's divers will compete in the Auburn Diving Invitational in Alabama on Dec. 17-19.

The Gators will have a nice break before coming back to the O'Connell Center Natatorium when they welcome Auburn on Jan. 25. The meet will serve as Senior Day and the final home dual of the season.

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