Auburn University’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed against the University of Alabama on Friday, January 30, in a Southeastern Conference dual meet held in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama earned victories on both the men’s and women’s sides, with the women winning 180.5–119.5 and the men narrowly defeating Auburn 151–149.
The women’s competition featured several strong performances from Auburn despite the Alabama win. The Crimson Tide opened the meet with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing in 1:34.34. In the distance events, Alabama’s Mackenzie Brandt won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:45.09, while Auburn swimmers Julia Strojnowska and Sammie Hamilton placed second and third, respectively.
Auburn recorded notable individual victories in multiple events. Maggie McGuire captured first place in the 100-yard breaststroke, while Ellis Fox earned a win in the 100-yard backstroke. The meet concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay, where Alabama finished first in 3:13.22 to secure the women’s team win.
On the men’s side, the meet remained closely contested throughout the afternoon. Auburn began strong with a victory in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing in 1:23.33. Alabama’s Tommy Hagar was a standout performer, winning both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events with times of 45.91 and 1:39.29, respectively.
The final event of the meet, the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay, proved to be a highlight for Auburn. The Tigers’ relay team of Kalle Makinen, Daniel Krichevsky, Luke Bedsole, and Warner Russ earned a decisive win with a time of 2:49.65. Despite the relay victory, Alabama maintained a narrow points advantage to secure the men’s team win by just two points.
Auburn’s divers also contributed valuable points in both competitions, helping keep the overall scores close throughout the meet. The dual meet served as an important late-season test for both teams as they each prepare for upcoming championship competitions.
Although Auburn did not come away with the overall victories, the Tigers were able to showcase their depth, competitiveness, and some strong individual performances in one of the season’s most anticipated meets.
