Florida Gators

Final Results | Prelim Results | Finals Photo Gallery | Prelim Photo Gallery

AUSTIN, Texas – Clark Beach led the Gators on the final day of the 2019 NCAA Championships with a First-Team All-American honor in the 200 Back. The University of Florida men's swimming team closed out the season at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on Saturday. UF finished in sixth place with 164 points.

For the seventh-straight year, Florida placed the highest of any SEC program at the NCAA Championships.

The Gators collected 16 All-American nods, six first team and 10 honorable mention, throughout the four-day meet. The 800 Free Relay (Baqlah, Smith, Freeman, Rooney), Kieran Smith (200 IM, 400 IM), the 400 Medley Relay (Stokowski, Guarente, Rooney, Main), Maxime Rooney (100 Fly), and Beach (200 Back) all earned First-Team All-American accolades.

The 200 Free Relay (Rooney, Davis, Main, Smith), Trey Freeman (500 Free), Khader Baqlah (500 Free, 200 Free), Grant Sanders (400 IM), Kacper Stokowski (100 Back), 200 Medley Relay (Stokowski, Guarente, Smith, Davis), Robert Finke (1,650 Free), Smith (200 Back), and the 400 Free Relay (Rooney, Smith, Main, Szaranek) all earned honorable mention nods.

Beach followed his morning swim with another stellar time. He clocked a 1:39.68 and placed sixth in the 200 Back. Beach's finish earned him a First-Team All-American honor, which is the first All-American nod of his career. Smith recorded a time of 1:41.36 and placed seventh in the consolation final. He tallied his sixth All-American honor.

Finke produced the 12th-best time in the 1,650 Free with a swim of 14:42.75. With his 12th-place swim, he earned an All-American honorable mention accolade, his first All-American honor. Freeman notched a time of 15:06.72 and placed 34th.

The team of Rooney, Smith, Bayley Main, and Jack Szaranek combined for a swim of 2:51.17 and placed fifth in the consolation final of the 400 Free Relay. The squad earned All-American honorable mention status for their performance. Rooney collected his 10th All-American accolade. Smith picked up his seventh All-American nod, while Main tallied his fourth. Szaranek achieved his first All-American honor.

Beach opened the prelims with a bang. He posted the second-fastest time in UF history with his career-best swim of 1:39.37 in the 200 Back. He earned a spot in the A Final with his eighth-place finish. Smith added a personal-best mark of 1:40.86 and placed 16th. He will swim in the consolation final after he posted the ninth-fastest time in program history. Brennan Balogh finished in 21st with an effort of 1:41.22. Kacper Stokowski notched a swim of 1:44.26 and placed 35th.

In the 100 Free prelims, Rooney led the Gators with a swim of 42.20 and placed 18th. Baqlah finished in 28th with a swim of 42.70. Main recorded a personal-best time of 42.76 and finished the prelims in 29th. Will Davis posted a swim of 43.61 and placed 38th.

Sanders led UF in the 200 Breast prelims with his 23rd-place time of 1:54.48. Marco Guarente posted a mark of 1:54.59 and finished right behind Sanders in 24th. With a career-best swim of 1:56.60, Alex Lebed finished the prelims in 42nd. Dillon Hillis finished with a 46th­-place effort of 1:57.28.

Rooney posted the fastest time by a Gator with his swim of 1:43.69 and placed 30th in the 200 Fly prelims. Erge Gezmis finished in 37th with an effort of 1:45.15.

The squad of Main, Smith, Baqlah, and Rooney earned a spot in the consolation final. The team placed 12th in the 400 Free Relay prelims with their combined time of 2:50.62.

California claimed the 2019 NCAA Championship with a final score of 560. Host Texas finished the meet in second with a total of 475. Indiana claimed third with its mark of 385.5. North Carolina State rounded out the podium with 307 points.

From the coaches – Head Coach Anthony Nesty

• "I am incredibly proud of this team and their enormous perseverance at this NCAA Championship. We obviously had some lows and highs, but we ultimately landed on our feet to secure a sixth place finish."
• "As coaches, and I know I speak for the returning athletes, we have much to learn from this past season. We remain dedicated and motivated to pursue our team goals and will work diligently to reach those goals."
• "I am thankful for the athletes and their families for their support and dedication to the program. We have had some great leadership from these young men and I am thankful for the opportunity I have had to coach each of them."
• "I would like to thank Mike Spiegler as well as all of our support staff for their tireless support throughout the season."

Team Standings
1. California – 560
2. Texas – 475
3. Indiana – 385.5
4. North Carolina State – 307
5. Louisville – 212
6. Florida – 164
7. Alabama – 142
8. Harvard – 132
9. Missouri – 124
10. Virginia - 106
 
Results
1,650 Free (time finals)
12. Robert Finke – 14:42.75
34. Trey Freeman – 15:06.72
200 Back
Finals
6. Clark Beach – 1:39.68
Consolation Finals
7. Kieran Smith – 1:41.36
Prelims
8. Clark Beach – 1:39.37 PR
16. Kieran Smith – 1:40.86 PR
21. Brennan Balogh – 1:41.22
35. Kacper Stokowski – 1:44.26
100 Free
Prelims
18. Maxime Rooney – 42.20
28. Khader Baqlah – 42.70
29. Bayley Main – 42.76
38. Will Davis – 43.61
200 Breast
Prelims
23. Grant Sanders – 1:54.48
24. Marco Guarente – 1:54.59
42. Alex Lebed – 1:56.60 PR
46. Dillon Hillis – 1:57.28
200 Fly
Prelims
30. Maxime Rooney – 1:43.69
37. Erge Gezmis – 1:45.15

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