Before diving into national championships, Tennessee swim hosted its annual Last Chance Meet. The event provided the chance for swimmers to shave off time in an attempt to meet qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships.
The Vols finished second in the meet, managing to score 156 points to assert themselves before NCAAs. However, their placement wasn’t the focus of the weekend.
In past seasons, the NCAA had two levels of qualifications. The primary, automatic cut is the “A,” and the provisional is the “B.” However, this year, the athletes only have one automatic cut to strive for.
McKenzie Siroky arguably had the greatest improvement, achieving a season-best in her secondary event of the 200-yard breaststroke. Though she’s dedicated much of her training to the 100-yard breaststroke, she still managed to earn a blazing 2:09.70 in the 200-yard.
Sophomore standout Ben Bricca made a dazzling case before his first championship. Bricca competed in both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke throughout his second season, distinguishing himself as an exemplary swimmer. After making the finals in all of his events during the SEC Championships, Bricca was right on the qualifying time in the 200-yard.
Bricca went into the Last Chance Meet with determination, competing in the event two times before finally making it on his third try. The sophomore finished in a blazing 1:40.21, a new lifetime best, boasting a new time and placing fifth in Tennessee’s all-time list. This will be Bricca’s first NCAA championship.
Butterfly specialist Emily Brown finished her 500-yard freestyle in a 4:42.57, adding to her long list of NCAA qualifications. She already has the 200 and 400-yard IM under her belt, as well as the 200-yard butterfly.
Lexi Stephens finished first against her Virginia Tech competition, scoring 20 points for the Vols and finishing in 1:53.32. Stephens capped off the meet with a new lifetime best and a seventh-place spot in Tennessee’s top 10, also managing a new NCAA cut.
Emily Armen moved up the ranks in the 100-yard freestyle, coming back and qualifying in timed finals of the event with a lifetime best of 47.63. Her time placed fourth among Tennessee’s top 10.
Divers Thomas Ciprik (361.88) and Frazer Tavener (312.08) went 1-2 in the platform dive. Ciprik and Tavener are boasting personal records in the event, and both of them are earning spots on Tennessee’s zone team.
Aiden Hill boasted a 46.89-second time in the 100-yard butterfly, competing the event three separate times throughout the invite, along with the 50-yard and 200-yard butterfly. Hill managed season bests and podium finishes across the board.
Tori Brostowitz also managed two podium finishes in both the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard IM. The junior finished the meet with both season and lifetime bests.
Laura Littlejohn shone for the Lady Vols, too. The junior competed in the 50-yard and 100-yard butterfly, along with the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle. Littlejohn achieved a personal best and won in the 100-yard butterfly finals with a 53.70-second time. Julianna Bocska also had a great showing in the freestyle, earning a new personal best of 22.29 to place first in the 50-yard.
Milly Leonard exemplified her versatility throughout the meet, having competed in the 500-yard and 200-yard freestyle, as well as the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. Leonard earned a personal-best finish in the 100-yard breaststroke finals with a 1:02.15.
The next competition for the Vols will occur on Sunday, March 8, in Athens, Georgia, where the Vol divers will be competing in the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships.
