Powered by freshman Jake Magahey’s NCAA Championship in the 500 freestyle, the University of Georgia men’s swimming and diving team turned in a phenomenal second day of competition at the 2021 NCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.

With a meet-record time of 4:07.97, Magahey rallied in the final 100 yards to earn the national title in the 500 freestyle, breaking the GAC pool record (4:09.36) he set earlier in prelims. Magahey’s time was the second-fastest of his career and fourth-fastest in American history. He also became the third Georgia man to win the NCAA title in the 500, joining Sébastien Rouault in 2005 and Martin Grodzki in 2012.

Sophomore Dillon Downing also made history Thursday, breaking his own school record in the 50 freestyle with a time of 18.88 in prelims. Downing went on to finish fourth in the A final with a time of 18.94, earning the highest placement for a 50 freestyler in the tenure of Tom Cousins Head Coach Jack Bauerle.

Downing also rewrote the record books in the evening session, leading off a school-record 200 freestyle relay. Along with seniors Javier Acevedo and Camden Murphy and freshman Luca Urlando, the Bulldogs placed fourth overall with a time of 1:15.70, earning First Team All-America citations for the quartet.

Acevedo earned two additional All-America berths in a busy evening session, finishing eighth in the 200 IM with a time of 1:42.91. In prelims, he set a new personal-best time at 1:41.72, winning his heat with the third-fastest mark in school history. In the closing 400 medley relay, Acevedo joined Urlando, Murphy, and senior Jack Dalmolin to finish 10^th with a time of 3:04.60. The 400 medley was the third-fastest in program history, while Urlando’s leadoff 100 backstroke leg of 44.99 also ranks third all-time.

At the diving well, senior Zach Allen closed out his Georgia career with a 29^th-place finish on the 1-meter springboard. Allen tallied an overall score of 283.30, averaging a 47.20 on his six dives.

In other action, sophomore Zach Hils finished 18^th in the 200 IM with a time of 1:43.29. In the 500 freestyle prelims, junior Andrew Abruzzo placed 22^nd at 4:15.76, followed by senior Greg Reed in 30^th place at 4:17.90 and freshman Tommy-Lee Camblong in 32^nd with a PR of 4:18.12.

Following two days of competition, Georgia sits in fourth place with 116 points, trailing California, Texas, and Florida. In other finals, Texas A&M’s Shaine Casas won the 200 IM, California’s Ryan Hoffer prevailed in the 50 freestyle, and Texas’ Jordan Windle took first in the 1-meter. In relays, California and Texas won the 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays respectively.

The NCAA Championships continue Friday with the 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 3-meter diving, and 200 medley relay. Murphy headlines the Bulldogs’ lineup with the No. 3 seed in the 100 fly, while Magahey and Acevedo rank fifth in the 200 free and 100 back. Prelims begin at 10 a.m., followed by finals at 6 p.m. Both sessions will be streamed on ESPN3 and the ESPN app, with live results available on NCAA.com and to subscribers on the MeetMobile app.

For all news and updates about Georgia swimming and diving, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter (@UGASwimDive), Instagram (@ugaswimdive), and Facebook (UGA Swimming and Diving).

STANDINGS

1. California, 230

2. Texas, 203

3. Florida, 161

4. Georgia, 116

5. Texas A&M, 88

6. NC State, 87

7. Indiana, 84

8. Louisville, 64

9. Michigan, 63

10. Virginia, 56

RESULTS

200 Freestyle Relay

First: California

Second: Florida

Third: Alabama

Fourth: Georgia

500 Freestyle

First: Jake Magahey, Georgia

Second: Kieran Smith, Florida

Third: Brooks Fail, Arizona

Fourth: Trenton Julian, California

200 IM

First: Shaine Casas, Texas A&M

Second: Hugo Gonzalez, California

Third: Destin Lasco, California

Fourth: Carson Foster, Texas

50 Freestyle

First: Ryan Hoffer, California

Second: Bjorn Seeliger, California

Third: Adam Chaney, Florida

Fourth: Dillon Downing, Georgia

1-meter Springboard

First: Jordan Windle, Texas

Second: Noah Duperre, Texas

Third: Juan Celaya Hernandez, LSU

Fourth: Andrew Capobianco, Indiana

400 Medley Relay

First: Texas

Second: California

Third: Florida

Fourth: Louisville