Jump To Top of Page
S/D: Luca Urlando Wins National Championship in 200 Butterfly
INDIANAPOLIS – Graduate Luca Urlando continued his dominance in the 200 butterfly with a national championship Tuesday evening at the 2025 Toyota U.S. National Championships at the IU Natatorium.
Urlando placed first in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:53.42, besting Carson Foster in second place at 1:53.70. With the victory, the reigning NCAA champion earned his second trip to the World Aquatics Championships, where he finished fifth in the 200 butterfly in 2022. Earlier in prelims, he took first with a time of 1:54.57. Urlando will compete later this week in the 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, and 200m freestyle.
Rising sophomore Drew Hitchcock placed 12th in the 200m butterfly final with a time of 1:57.83, improving upon his 16th-place time of 1:58.82 in prelims. Rising senior Roman Valdez finished 31st with a new personal-best time of 2:01.62.
In the women’s 100m freestyle prelims, rising junior Helena Jones finished 38th with a time of 55.91.
The Toyota National Championships continue Wednesday with Bulldogs competing in the 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke, and 50m butterfly. Prelims begin at 10 a.m., followed by finals at 7 p.m. Live coverage of all sessions is available on the USA Swimming Network, with finals coverage also available on Peacock.
RESULTS
Men’s 200m Butterfly
Luca Urlando – 1st. 1:53.42
Drew Hitchcock – 12th, 1:57.83
Roman Valdez – 31st, 2:01.62, PB
Women’s 100m Freestyle
Helena Jones – 38th, 55.91
Youth Movement: Georgia’s Freshman Surge and How It Compares Across the SEC
Georgia’s 2025 football roster has taken on a new look — not necessarily thinner, but definitely younger. With a substantial crop of true freshmen and redshirt freshmen filling out the depth chart, Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are leaning harder into youth than they have in several years. But how does this trend compare not only to the rest of the SEC but also to Georgia’s own recent history?
The Freshman and Redshirt Freshman Boom
Let’s start with the raw data. Georgia’s 2025 roster includes 38 players as either true freshmen or redshirt freshmen. That’s translating to roughly 34% of the roster.
That’s the highest percentage of freshmen and redshirt freshmen Georgia has carried under Kirby Smart since 2018 — and a massive jump compared to the last few seasons:
- 2023: Georgia had 27 players classified as freshmen or redshirt freshmen (around 24% of the roster).
- 2021: The eventual national champs had just 22 such players, making up only 20% of the roster.
In other words, Georgia’s 2025 roster is 10–14% younger than the 2021 and 2023 squads; proportionally speaking, that’s not just a minor uptick.
SEC-Wide Comparison: Georgia Near the Top
Within the SEC, Georgia’s youth surge is among the most significant. Only a few teams rival or exceed that 34% freshman/redshirt freshman ratio:
- Texas A&M: Roughly 36% of their 2025 roster falls into the freshman category, thanks to a monster recruiting class and retained redshirts.
- Auburn: Around 33–35%, as Hugh Freeze tries to reshape the roster in his image.
- Florida: Similar range (32–34%), with Billy Napier throwing everything at the wall after a disappointing 2024.
Meanwhile, more stable or portal-heavy programs like Alabama (25%), LSU (27%), and Ole Miss (23%) are keeping things older. These teams rely more on veteran talent, JUCO additions, and experienced portal transfers.
Why Georgia’s Youth Surge Matters — and Why It’s Different
Here’s the key: Georgia isn’t rebuilding. Unlike Auburn and Florida, the Bulldogs aren’t counting on freshmen to fix broken units. They’re injecting youth into a foundation that’s already championship-caliber.
The 2021 team, which peaked with maturity and player development, had fewer young players because it leaned on veterans like Jordan Davis, James Cook, and Lewis Cine. That squad was built to finish. The 2023 team, coming off back-to-back titles, had enough returning starters to minimize early reliance on freshmen, aside from a few key contributors like C.J. Allen and Lawson Luckie.
But 2025? Georgia is clearly reloading, not coasting.
The difference between 2025 and pre-NIL cycles isn’t just volume — it’s readiness. These freshmen were handpicked to contribute early, and many redshirts have already been steeped in the Georgia culture and system for a full year. Recruits who arrive with the needed extensive development will largely be restricted to offensive and defensive linemen. Skill player with the least development needs will be cashing the big checks.
A Youth Movement with Teeth
Georgia’s 2025 freshman-to-roster ratio is not only its highest under Kirby Smart in recent years but also places it in the upper third of the SEC. While others might be building from the ground up, Georgia is reinforcing a skyscraper, floor by floor, with elite, fast-tracked talent.
In 2021, the Bulldogs used seasoned veterans to win it all. In 2023, they leaned on continuity. Now, in 2025, they’re pivoting to youth — but make no mistake: this isn’t a rebuild. It is a fundamental shift in roster composition.
The rest of the League, and all of college football, is facing the same type of roster upheaval as the Dawgs. UGA will launch fall camp in about two months, and Georgia’s new blood is sharpening its teeth.
Jump To Today’s Discussion Thread