Gators Conclude Postseason on High Note at NCAA Championships

Saturday, March 23

Austin, TX

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NCAA Championships

The UF women's swimming team completed its stay at the NCAA Championships on Saturday. (Photo: UAA Communications)

Gators Conclude Postseason on High Note at NCAA Championships

Saturday, March 23, 2019 | Women's Swimming & Diving

By: Chad Smith

Finals Results | Prelim Results | Full Meet Results | Prelim Photo Gallery | Finals Photo Gallery

AUSTIN, Texas –The University of Florida women's swimming & diving team closed out the 2018-19 season at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center for the fourth day of the 2019 NCAA Championships on Saturday. The Gators finished in 24th place with 44 points and collected five combined All-American honors.

The Gators closed out the 2019 NCAA Championships with three First-Team All-Americans and two honorable mention nods. Sherridon Dressel (100 Back), Kelly Fertel (400 IM), and Brooke Madden (1-Meter) collected First-Team All-American honors in their respective events. Dressel, Vanessa Pearl, Georgia Marris and Bella Garofalo earned an honorable mention nod with their effort in the 400 Medley Relay. Pearl added an honorable mention honor with her 200 IM performance.

Leah Braswell recorded a time of 16:09.16 and placed 21st overall in the 1,650 Free timed final. With a swim of 16:13.91, Taylor Ault finished in 30th place.

Dressel started the final day's prelims with a time of 1:53.77 in the 200 Back, where she placed 24th. Mabel Zavaros finished in 45th with her swim of 1:55.89.

Pearl posted a time of 2:09.69 and placed 24th in the 200 Breast prelims.

Marris recorded the 24th-best time in the 200 Fly prelims with her effort of 1:56.08. Hannah Burns clocked a season-best time of 1:57.05 and placed 37th.

With a time of 3:16.56, the squad of Dressel, Bella Garofalo, Kelsey Dambacher, and Kelly Fertel placed 23rd in the 400 Free Relay.

From the coaches – Head Coach Jeff Poppell

"I'm very proud of the efforts of our women this weekend. They did a great job competing throughout the meet."
"Our seniors, Hannah Burns and Georgia Marris, were outstanding today finishing up their UF careers with two great swims. As a team, although we didn't have the meet that we had hoped for this week, our freshmen gained some valuable experience and our upperclassmen had solid meets which included three top-8 All-American finishes, our school's first since 2016."
"We made a conscious decision at the beginning of the season to place a primary focus on the SEC Championships however, unfortunately that made it more difficult to replicate the same performances in this environment 3.5 weeks later."
"Overall, we had a phenomenal season with great improvements throughout and several special individual and team accomplishments. We're really looking forward to building on those things heading into next fall."

Team Standings
1. Stanford – 456.5
2. California – 419
3. Michigan – 314
4. Louisville – 235
5. Texas – 190.5
6. Virginia – 188
7. North Carolina State – 187.5
8. Tennessee – 185
9. Indiana – 179
10. Southern California – 159
11. Minnesota – 158.5
12. Auburn – 146
13. Texas A&M – 142.5
14. Arizona – 101.5
15. Kentucky – 100.5
16. Wisconsin – 100
17. UCLA – 75
18. Georgia - 66
19. Arkansas – 63
20. Arizona State - 61
24. Florida – 44

Results
200 Back
Prelims
24. Sherridon Dressel – 1:53.77
45. Mabel Zavaros – 1:55.89
200 Breast
Prelims
24. Vanessa Pearl – 2:09.69
200 Fly
Prelims
24. Georgia Marris – 1:56.08
37. Hannah Burns – 1:57.05
1,650 Free (Timed Final)
21. Leah Braswell – 16:0916
29. Taylor Ault – 16:13.91

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