Sanchez, Nelson Return to Podium on Final Day of SEC Championships

Monday, February 19

Auburn, Ala.

Texas A&M

SEC Championships

Feb 24, 2024 | Men's Swimming and Diving

PDF Results

By: Rachel Perreault, Texas A&M Athletics Communications

AUBURN – Texas A&M's Alex Sanchez claimed the first gold medal of his career and second school record of the week to lead the Aggies on the final day of SEC Swimming & Diving Championships Saturday. Baylor Nelson also returned to the podium and earned the Commissioner's Trophy for the second straight season as one of the meet's top scorers. The Aggies finished the meet in fourth place with 1,006.5 points.

After earning a pair of silver medals earlier in the week, Sanchez secured the first SEC title of his career as he lowered the school record in the 200 breast with a time of 1:50.36. He medaled in all three of his individual events on the week and took down both of the breaststroke school records.

Nelson also brought home three medals at the meet and joined Sanchez on the podium for the second time when he claimed bronze in the 200 breast with a personal-best time of 1:52.43. The time stands as the fifth-fastest in program history. Vincent Ribeiro was just behind Nelson in fourth as he clocked a new season-best time of 1:53.19 for his best career finish at the championship meet.

Four more Aggies added top-17 times in the 200 breast for the Maroon & White, led by Logan Brown who claimed the B-final with a time of 1:54.77. Munzy Kabbara took 15^th posting a time of 1:56.88, Lane White added a 16^th-place finish going 1:58.24 and Roberto Bonilla Flores clocked a personal-best 1:55.79 to finish atop the C-final. The seven scoring Aggies in the breaststroke final racked up 137 points, the most for the Aggies in the single event at SEC Championships.

After lowering his career-best time in prelims, Connor Foote posted the second-fastest time in program history and sixth-fastest of the night to win the 100 free B-final with a time of 42.13. Seth Reno placed 23^rd in the event going 42.82.

Thomas Shomper neared his career-best time from the morning session in the 200 back final, going 1:41.73 to place 13^th and Tyler Hulet wasn't far behind in 15^th with a time of 1:41.73.

In the mile, Trey Dickey added a 15^th-place finish, clocking in at 15:03.26 and Batuhan Filiz went 15:13.55 to place 21^st.

The 400 free relay team of Foote, Reno, Carter Nelson and Baylor Nelson went a season-best 2:51.22 to close out the meet with a sixth-place finish.

POST MEET QUOTES
Head coach Jay Holmes on the team's performance …
"We had a lot of things to be excited about this week. We had 10 podiums which is better than we've had in the last three years. We also had every guy on our 22-man SEC team score points, which is the best we've ever done.

"The meet's final event was the best single scoring event we've ever had in our SEC history scoring 137 points in the 200 breaststroke. Swim of the day for today and the meet was Alex Sanchez winning his first ever championship in the 200 breaststroke. What was impressive was how he did it. He was patient the first half of the race, which for him is a victory in itself.

"It was a team effort in the team race. We needed everything we got to get by Tennessee and just needed more bullets to get better than fourth.

"The SEC meet remains the premier conference meet in the country. Every time I think we are getting really good we come here and see how easy it is to be humbled by it. All of our weaknesses are so easily exploited here. Right now, it's our freestyle events that just have to get better in both quality and quantity. Even though we have some points in those, it's not enough yet to compete for a championship."

Coach Holmes on the team's top scorers …
"Baylor [Nelson] tying for high-point again was something we are proud of. I actually had to be talked into putting him in 200 breast by our staff, but it was a great move and was pivotal in him tying for high-point and in our team race with Tennessee. Alex was actually third in total individual points for the entire meet behind Baylor and [Josh] Leindo of Florida. It was a great meet for Alex and we needed every bit of his performance!

"Great individual efforts were made by our team high-point scores Baylor, Alex, Connor [Foote], and Rhett [Hensley]. Together with the rest of our guys, we added up to over a 1,000 points for the second time in our history."

Medal Recap
1-Meter: Victor Povzner (Gold), Rhett Hensley (Silver)
3-Meter: Allen Bottego (Bronze)
400 IM: Baylor Nelson (Gold)
200 IM: Baylor Nelson (Gold), Alex Sanchez (Silver)
100 Fly: Connor Foote (Bronze)
100 Breast: Alex Sanchez (Silver)
200 Breast: Alex Sanchez (Gold), Baylor Nelson (Silver)

School Records
Connor Foote – 50 Free – 18.97
Connor Foote – 100 Fly – 44.76
Alex Sanchez – 100 Breast – 51.19
Alex Sanchez – 200 Breast - 1:50.36

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