Spink Claims Third Consecutive 50 Free Gold, Lady Vols Capture 200 Free Relay Title on Day 5 of SECs

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Spink Claims Third Consecutive 50 Free Gold, Lady Vols Capture 200 Free Relay Title on Day 5 of SECs

February 20, 2026 | Swimming & Diving

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee swimming & diving had another successful evening at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, with seven medals coming to the Vols and Lady Vols. The freestyle was on center stage for Tennessee, with four of the team's seven medals on Friday coming via the discipline.

Camille Spink continues to establish herself as one of the premier sprint freestyle swimmers of all-time, as the junior captured her third consecutive title in the 50 Free. Spink becomes the first female swimmer to win the event in three-straight years since former Lady Vol Erika Brown did so from 2018-20. Spink broke the 21-second barrier in the final, setting a new SEC Championship record in the event of 20.87. The time also confirms Spink as the school record holder in the 50 Free, breaking a previous program mark also held by Brown.

Spink continued her run in the freestyle in the relays, where she along with the team of Mizuki Hirai, Julianna Bocska, and Jillian Crooks brought home the gold for the Lady Vols in the 200 Free Relay. The team clocked an impressive time of 1:26.27, nearly breaking the program record of 1:26.15 set by the quartet of Brown, Stanzi Moseley, Meghan Small, Bailey Grinter back in 2020. The win for the Lady Vols also gave them their 14th medal in the last 15 years.

Gui Caribe also dazzled for Tennessee in the 50 Free. The senior was locked in a close battle in the final with Josh Liendo of Florida, with the pair finishing within .04 seconds of each other. Caribe came out just short of his first SEC individual gold medal, earning his second silver medal of this year's SEC Championships with a time of 18.46. Also earning a silver for the Vols was freshman Gabe Nunziata, who finished in second place in the men's 200 Breast. Nunziata did his part rewriting the Tennessee record books, posting a new school record in the event of 1:50.59. The silver medal in the event was the first for the Vols since 2023, and their best since 2021 when Lyubomir Epitropov won gold.

Ella Jansen earned her way on the podium for Tennessee, clinching third in the 500 Free. It marked the first medal in the event for Jansen, who improved her school record time by touching the wall in 4:34.10. The men's 200 Free Relay also collected a bronze medal on day five, with the team of Caribe, Pedro Sansone, Nikoli Blackman, and Koby Bujak-Upton getting the finish. The team finished the contest in a time of 1:15.37, moving them into third in UT history.

In the men's platform, Bennett Greene continued his phenomenal week at the pool with a bronze medal. In the prelims, Greene moved his way up the Tennessee diving charts, now sitting fifth all-time with a 417.75. Greene was joined in the A Final by seniors Nick Stone and Owen Redfearn. Stone finished fifth for the second time in his career, last finishing in fifth back in 2024. The Midland, Texas native earned his place by putting down a score of 386.55. Redfearn came in seventh, his second consecutive top eight finish in the platform at SECs after finishing in eighth last year.

Notables

In total, 15 Vols and Lady Vols competed in the finals. 10 featured in A Finals, two were B finalists, and three were C finalists. Four school records were broken on the day, and there were four new top ten times set.
Jillian Crooks earned a sixth place finish in the A Final of the 50 Free. Armen picked up 15th in the 50 Free for Tennessee, while Julianna Bocska took 19th.
Nikoli Blackman joined Caribe in the A Final in the 50 Free, finishing in sixth. For Blackman, he moved up to third in program history in the 50 Free with a time of 18.80. Pedro Sansone finished third in the 50 Free to finish in 11th overall.
Koby Bujak-Upton earned his way into the finals of the 500 Free by shattering the school record time with a 4:12.56. Bujak-Upton would later come eighth for the Vols in the evening.
Hannah Marinovich and Emelie Fast both featured in the C Final of the 200 Breast, with Marinovich finishing in 21st and Fast in 24th.

Women's Team Rankings
1. Texas - 1003.5
2. Tennessee - 817
3. Florida - 804.5
4. South Carolina - 543.5
4. LSU - 533.5
6. Alabama - 532.5
7. Georgia - 504
8. Auburn - 499.5
9. Texas A&M - 424
10. Missouri - 344
11. Arkansas - 245
12. Kentucky - 201
13. Vanderbilt - 118

Men's Team Rankings
1. Texas - 1110.5
2. Florida - 1056
3. Tennessee - 840.5
4. Auburn - 595
5. Georgia - 554
6. LSU - 525
7. Alabama - 505.5
8. Kentucky - 487
9. Texas A&M - 391.5
10. Missouri - 347
11. South Carolina - 308

Women's Medal Count

1. 50 Free - Camille Spink (20.87)
1. 100 Back - Jillian Crooks (50.50)
1. 200 Free - Camille Spink (1:41.71)
1. 200 Free Relay - Camille Spink, Mizuki Hirai, Julianna Bocska, Jillian Crooks (1:26.27)
1. 200 Medley Relay - Mizuki Hirai, McKenzie Siroky, Ella Jansen, Camille Spink (1:32.80)
1. 400 IM - Ella Jansen (4:01.97)
1. 400 Medley Relay - Jillian Crooks, McKenzie Siroky, Mizuki Hirai, Camille Spink (3:24.58)
2. 100 Fly - Mizuki Hirai (50.46)
2. 200 Fly - Emily Brown (1:51.52)
2. 100 Breast - McKenzie Siroky (57.62)
3. 200 Fly - Ella Jansen (1:52.08)
3. 200 Breast - Simone Moll (58.47)
3. 400 IM - Emily Brown (4:04.07)
3. 500 Free - Ella Jansen (4:34.10)
3. 800 Free Relay - Ella Jansen, Emily Armen, Amelia Mason, Emily Brown (6:54.56)

Men's Medal Count
1. 1-Meter: Bennett Greene (400.80)
2. 50 Free: Gui Caribe (18.49)
2. 100 Fly - Gui Caribe (43.93)
2. 200 Breast - Gabe Nunziata (1:50.59)
2. 800 Free Relay - Koby Bujak-Upton, Nikoli Blackman, Gabe Nunziata, Ben Bricca (6:10.31)
2. 3-Meter: Bennett Greene (421.20)
3. Platform: Bennett Greene (410.00)
3. 3-Meter: Frazer Tavener (403.90)
3. 200 Fly - Martin Espernberger (1:40.42)
3. 200 Free - Koby Bujak-Upton (1:31.67)
3. 200 Free Relay - Gui Caribe, Pedro Sansone, Nikoli Blackman, Koby Bujak-Upton (1:15.37)
3. 400 Medley Relay - Ulises Saravia, Gabe Nunziata, Lucio Paula, Gui Caribe (3:01.20)

Top-10 Times/Scores
1. 50 Free - Camille Spink (20.87)
1. 200 Fly - Emily Brown (1:51.52)
1. 200 Breast - Gabe Nunziata (1:50.59)
1. 200 Medley Relay - Mizuki Hirai, McKenzie Siroky, Ella Jansen, Camille Spink (1:32.80)
1. 400 Medley Relay - Jillian Crooks, McKenzie Siroky, Mizuki Hirai, Camille Spink (3:24.58)
1. 500 Free - Koby Bujak-Upton (4:12.56)
1. 800 Free Relay - Koby Bujak-Upton, Nikoli Blackman, Gabe Nunziata, Ben Bricca (6:10.31)
2. 200 Fly - Ella Jansen (1:52.08)
2. 200 Free - Camille Spink (1:41.71)
2. 100 Back - Jillian Crooks (50.50)
2. 100 Back - Ulises Saravia (44.50)
2. 100 Fly - Gui Caribe (43.93)
2. 200 Free Relay - Camille Spink, Mizuki Hirai, Julianna Bocska, Jillian Crooks (1:26.27)
2. 400 Medley Relay - Ulises Saravia, Gabe Nunziata, Lucio Paula, Gui Caribe (3:01.20)
3. 50 Free - Nikoli Blackman (18.80)
3. 100 Fly - Mizuki Hirai (50.46)
4. 100 Back - Nick Simons (45.42)
4. 100 Breast - Gabe Nunziata (51.35)
4. 400 IM - Emily Brown (4:04.07)
5. Platform - Bennett Greene (417.75)
5. 50 Free - Nikoli Blackman (18.97)
5. 100 Back - Ben Bricca (45.46)
5. 200 Medley Relay - Ulises Saravia, Gabe Nunziata, Gui Caribe, Nikoli Blackman (1:22.48)
6. 100 Breast - Simone Moll (58.47)
6. 200 Free Relay - Gui Caribe, Pedro Sansone, Nikoli Blackman, Koby Bujak-Upton (1:15.37)
6. 800 Free Relay - Ella Jansen, Emily Armen, Amelia Mason, Emily Brown (6:54.56)
T7. 100 Back - Mizuki Hirai (51.70)
9. 100 Back - Lexi Stephens (51.97)