Texas A&M swimming and diving kicked off its 2024 campaign with the two-day SMU Classic at the Robson and Lindley Aquatic Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium in Dallas on Friday and Saturday. The event marked the first time in A&M history that both the men and women swam as a combined program.

Led by Blaire Anderson in her first season as the program’s director of swimming and diving, the Aggies witnessed a competitive meet against SMU, Auburn, Louisville, USC and Virginia Tech. The women earned third place with 293 points while the men finished fifth with 233 points.

Eight swimmers and one diver competed for the men while eight swimmers and one diver traveled for the women. Entering the meet, junior swimmer Baylor Nelson was one of the leaders for the men, bringing home the commissioner’s trophy at the SEC Championships the last two seasons while graduate Chloe Stepanek, a 13-time All-American, earned two individual All-America awards in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships last year.

Senior Bobbi Kennett prepares for her race during the 2023 Art Adamson Invitational at the Texas A&M Natatorium on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (CJ Smith/The Battalion)

On Day 1, the women held second place with 149 points while the men amounted 111 points to put them in sixth place. The women’s 400-yard medley relay consisting of senior Kaitlyn Owens, graduate Bobbi Kennett, graduate Olivia Theall and Stepanek finished in second place, clocking in at three minutes and 33.67 seconds. Theall had an impressive performance with a couple of top-five finishes in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly.

Stepanek and senior Thomas Shomper also had a successful first day in the individual contests. Stepanek clocked in at 1:44.22 for a first-place finish in the 200 free while Shomper placed third in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 47.12.

Junior Giulia Goerigk also jumped into the pool for the 400-yard individual medley and recorded a time of 4:11.30, finishing in second place. Stepanek, sophomore Katie Walker, junior Hayden Miller and graduate Jordan Buechler were in the 800-yard freestyle relay and concluded with a time of 7:09.98 for second place.

On the diving end, senior diver Mayson Richards participated in the 3-meter springboard and posted a 297.20 for third place. For the men, Nelson participated in the 400 IM, clocking in at 3:49.29 for a fourth-place finish.

Senior Bobbi Kennett surfaces while swimming in the Women 200 LC Meter IM during the 2023 Art Adamson Invitational at the Texas A&M Natatorium on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (CJ Smith/The Battalion)

(Photo by Photo by CJ Smith)Day 2 saw the Aggie women clock in at 1:38.30 in the 200-yard medley relay. Owens, Kennett, Theall and Stepanek worked together as a team to finish in third place. The A&M men’s 200 medley relay with graduate Thomas Shomper, graduate Alex Sanchez, senior Clayton Conklin and sophomore Ben Scholl touched the wall at 1:27.53 for fourth place.

There was also a pair of top-four finishes in the 200 free relay with Stepanek, Theall, Buechler and Owens taking third place at 1:30.60. Senior Collin Fuchs, Scholl, Conklin and Nelson placed fourth with a time of 1:18.95.

The Aggies also returned for a second day on the diving board. Graduate Leonardo Garcia had an NCAA Zones qualifying score and finished second with a score of 376.80. Adding points in the 1-meter was Richards, with a final score of 260.05.

The Maroon and White will return to the pool for a two-day tri-meet at the Rec Center Natatorium against BYU and TCU for their home opener. Action will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18 and 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19.