Tennessee Picks Up Four More Wins Friday In Tennessee Double Dual

Friday, November 20

Knoxville, TN

10 AM

University of Tennessee

Alabama

Tennessee Picks Up Four More Wins Friday In Tennessee Double Dual

November 20, 2020 | Swimming & Diving

Results

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee took home four more event wins Friday in the Tennessee Double Dual at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center.

On the men's side after 28 events, Tennessee leads Alabama 137-120 and is tied with Virginia at 127-127. The Lady Vols lead the Crimson Tide through 28 events 167-91, but trail the Cavaliers 139-117.

Junior diver Grace Cable picked up the first win of the night for the Lady Vols, winning on the 1-meter springboard. The Winter Park, Florida, native scored 296.60. It's her second event win in as many days.

In the pool, senior Kayky Mota set a blistering personal best time in the 100 butterfly at 45.50, winning the A final. Mota already owns the second-fastest 100 fly in school history and lowered that time with his swim Friday. His swim was just shy of the NCAA automatic qualifying time of 45.05. Mota's time of 45.50 was quicker then the NCAA invite time last season of 45.97.

Freshman Mona McSharry showcased her speed in the 100 breaststroke, winning with a time of 58.28. Her time is the third-fastest in program history and is just six hundredths shy of the school record held by Olympian Molly Hannis at 58.22. McSharry's 58.28 is an NCAA automatic qualifying time.

Michael Houlie continued UT's breaststroke domination, winning the men's 100 breast in 51.89. The time is a new personal best for the junior. Houlie ranks third in program history in the 100 breaststroke and lowered his third place time Friday night. Houlie swam under the NCAA invite time from a year ago with his 51.89 and was close to the NCAA automatic qualifying time of 51.67.

NEW TENNESSEE TOP 10 TIMES
Jarel Dillard set the eighth-quickest mark in program history in the 100 breast Friday morning in prelims, going 52.88. He came back in the finals and turned in a 52.72, rising to sixth all-time.

Brett Champlin posted a 52.77 in the 100 breast in prelims, setting a lifetime best mark and jumping to sixth all-time in school history. Champlin was bumped to seventh after Dillard's swim in finals.

Mallory Beil swam a 52.18 in the women's 100 butterfly final, setting a new person best. She already owned the program's ninth-fastest time in the event and lowered that mark Friday.

Sophomore Abby Samansky hit the wall in 1:45.88 during the Friday finals of the 200 freestyle. Her time is a new personal best. Samansky owned the eighth-quickest 200 free in Lady Vol history and lowered that time Friday night.

Freshman Olivia Harper wrote her name into the Tennessee record books Friday night, swimming a 52.90 in the 100 backstroke final. Her time is the eighth-fastest in Lady Vol history.

ON THE BOARDS
In addition to Cable's 1-meter win, senior Ana Celaya Hernandez finished third on 1-meter with a score of 267.75 and sophomore Elle Renner placed sixth with a final score of 260.60.

The men flashed their depth on the springboards, placing divers second through fifth on 3-meter. Freshmen Dillon Richardson and Bryden Hattie led the way finishing second and third, respectively. Richardson was second with 362.35 points, as Hattie came third, scoring 361.95.

Junior Matthew Wade finished fourth on 3-meter with 337.90 points. Freshman Jacob Reasor placed fifth and earned his NCAA Zones score, totaling 322.60 points.

COMING UP SATURDAY
The competition enters its final day Saturday with the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 1650 freestyle and platform diving. Saturday's prelims get started at 10 a.m. ET with finals beginning at 6 p.m. Platform diving will get underway at 2 p.m.

QUOTABLES
Associate Head Coach Lance Asti
On Kayky Mota and Michael Houlie
"I liked the way they took control early. It's been a theme for us all season, trying to take control of the heat and be out fast. Using that speed for energy and excitement for the back half of the race. I think they did well in taking control in those two situations.

On entering day three of the meet and staying fresh
"If I'm not mistaken we are tied with UVA and up on Alabama, it's a tight match and really anybody can win the meet. We have to win recovery tonight, win our preparation in the morning and that's hard to do on the third day of a meet but that's what a championship team has to do. The morning is the most important session on that last day, to get bodies into finals. It's important for us to practice that for SEC Championships and NCAAs."

Associate Head Coach Ashley Jahn
On Mona McSharry's 100 breaststroke performance
"Mona's breaststroke was phenomenal. She is a student of the sport so she knew some things that she wanted to work on from this morning's swim to tonight. Mona is continuing to learn and is incredibly competitive. She keeps attacking the areas where she can be better and that showed up tonight."

On freshman Olivia Harper breaking through in the 100 back
"Olivia is learning every time she swims and is also very competitive. She can articulate the things she wants to get better at and areas where she didn't feel as crisp. She made really good changes from this morning to tonight as well. The challenge of having a relay swim on top of it as well, she is doing a really nice job."

Diving Coach Dave Parrington
On Grace Cable winning her second event of the weekend
"Grace showed great competitiveness today. Goes into the final dive .1 behind and gets up and needs 40 odd points to pull out the win. That 296 is a really good score for her on 1-meter and I was really pleased. Over the two days on springboard she has been really consistent and has competed really well."

On freshman Dillon Richardson's 3-meter performance
"Really proud of Dillon, a freshman, stepping up and maybe exceeding my expectations at this point. He beat some savvy veterans. To see Dillon making these strides is great. The challenge for him is to carry that forward. It's early in the season and it's going to be a long season, we don't know what to expect but he's got to keep building on it."