The Texas A&M swimming and diving team has continued its dominance in the pool, despite suffering home losses at the start of the New Year.
The Aggie men’s team started 2016 with a pair of home dual meets against Missouri State and SEC foe No. 3 Georgia. A&M coasted by the Bears with a total score of 125-80, but the Aggies tasted their first defeat of the season against No. 3 Georgia at the Student Rec Natatorium with a score of 178-122 earlier this month.
The Aggies were back in action Saturday as they upset the No. 22 LSU Tigers 158.5-141.5 in Baton Rouge. A&M head coach Jay Holmes, who is 9-3 all-time against LSU, said each time the two teams meet head to head it will be nothing short of entertaining.
“There is a great history between our programs,” Holmes told 12thman.com. “Even before we joined the SEC, as long as I’ve been at A&M, this meet has brought out the best in both teams. Today was another one of those great college dual meets. This was a very close meet.”
The Aggies began the meet with a win in the 200-medley relay led by sophomores Brock Bonetti, Mauro Castillo, Justin Morey and junior Jacob Gonzales. Several Aggies earned individual victories in the pool, senior Mateo Muzek won both the 1,000 and 500 meter freestyle races with times of 9:28.57 and 4:33.99, respectively.
Freshman Diver Sam Thornton also earned diving victories for the men with a score of 345.30 on the one-meter springboard and earned second place with a score of 335.25, behind teammate Skylar Lake who scored 357.60 on the three-meter springboard.
The No. 6 ranked Texas A&M women’s team traveled to Baton Rouge to face No. 23 LSU, looking to maintain their momentum after sweeping SMU at the Student Rec. Natatorium. The Aggies defeated the Tigers for the 15th straight time this past Saturday with an overall score of 181-119, which helped the Aggies close out their dual meet schedule with a victory and an overall record of 7-2.
Senior Clare Brandt led the charge for the Aggies with victories in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke with times of 55.20 and 1:58.87, respectively. Junior Sycerika McMahon earned a first place victory in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:01.58, while sophomore teammates Sophomores Bethany Galat, Esther Gonzalez, and Jorie Caneta swept the podium in order for the 200 breaststroke.
Junior Madison Hudkins dominated the diving competition with victories in both the one-meter and three-meter with scores of 303.30 and 340.43.
The Texas A&M women’s team will be back in action Feb. 16 in Columbia, Missouri for the SEC Championships while the men’s team will face the SMU Mustangs Jan. 29 at the Student Rec Natatorium.
