After two days of competition that started on Wednesday at the Indiana University Natatorium, the Georgia women’s swimming & diving team are sitting in fourth place with 112 points at the NCAA Championships. In front of the Lady Bulldogs are Texas in third place with 119 points, California in second with 136, and Stanford sits on top with a commanding total of 213.
Olivia Smoliga came in second in the 50-yard freestyle and Georgia set two school records to highlight the second day of competition on Thursday.
Smoliga posted a time of 21.27 to take the runner-up slot behind Stanford’s Simone Manuel (21.17) in the 50 freestyle. Smoliga won the event at the NCAAs in 2014 and 2016. Chantal Van Landeghem placed eighth Thursday in 21.85.
Georgia opened Thursday’s finals by placing third in the 200 freestyle relay. Smoliga, Burchill, Emily Cameron and Van Landeghem stopped the clock in 1:26.49, eclipsing the school-record time of 1:26.70 they set earlier this season.
The 400 medley relay of Smoliga, Cameron, Chelsea Britt and Van Landeghem came in sixth in 3:29.10. During prelims Thursday morning, the quartet broke the school record of 3:29.43 from 2014 with an effort of 3:28.00.
Cameron reached the wall in 1:56.43 to place 15th in the 200 individual medley.
CLICK HERE for Thursday’s results from the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
“Our young ladies are battling – just like we knew they would,” Georgia coach Jack Bauerle said. “This meet is such a slugfest and you have to come in here ready to fight. I’m proud of the efforts today. We stood up and raced hard every time out. We’ve got two more days to go, and we need to kick that off with a solid morning on Friday.”
Friday’s schedule features the 400 individual medley, the 100 butterfly, the 200 freestyle, the 100 breaststroke, the 100 backstroke, the 200 medley relay and 3-meter springboard diving. Prelims start at 10 a.m., followed by finals at 6 p.m.
CLICK HERE for Friday’s heat sheets for the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.