University of Missouri
SEC Championships
Schreuders Wins 200 Free Title at SEC Championships
2/21/2019 7:50:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
ATHENS, Ga. – Senior Mikel Schreuders (Oranjestad, Aruba) claimed Mizzou's first-ever men's Southeastern Conference swimming title as he won the men's 200 free in an SEC meet record time on Friday night during day three of the 2019 SEC Championships in Athens, Ga. The Tigers totaled six top eight finishes during Friday action, including a bronze finish from senior Annie Ochitwa (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) in the women's 100 fly.
With two days of action left, the Tiger men sit second in the standings with 625 points, only 11 behind Florida, while the women are eighth with 329.5 points.
KEY PERFORMANCES
Schreuders, who originally broke the SEC record two days earlier as the leadoff leg of the 800 free relay, dropped almost half a second off that mark with a winning-time of 1:31.27 in the championship final to claim his SEC title. That time ranks second nationally and is over two and a half seconds better than his personal-best entering the Championships. Additionally, in four SEC Championships Schreuders never finished lower than fourth in the 200 free, as he placed third in 2018 and fourth in 2017 and 2016.
He joins former Tiger All-American Katharine Ross as the only Mizzou swimmers to win SEC titles, as she won the women's 100 breast in 2016. Missouri also has four SEC diving titles, won by three different Tigers, since Mizzou entered the SEC for the 2012-13 season.
Also in the men's 200 free, freshman Jack Dahlgren (Victoria, Minn.) placed fifth for the Tigers after touching the wall in 1:33.33. The time ranks the freshman second all-time at Mizzou in the event, behind only Schreuders.
Ochitwa claimed her podium finish after taking third in the women's 100 fly. She dropped a 51.25 in the final, which is her fastest time in the event in two years and her best performance as a member of the Mizzou program. Her finish improved on her fourth-place showing from a season ago at the 2018 Championships.
The Tiger men picked up big points in the 100 fly, as Mizzou earned finishes of seventh, eighth, 10th and 11th in the event. Freshman Danny Kovac (Fort Collins, Colo.) posted his second top seven placement in as many nights, leading the Tiger charge in seventh after a time of 46.20. Junior Daniel Hein (Sycamore, Ill.) was eighth in 46.25, while junior Micah Slaton (Austin, Texas) took 10th overall (46.46.35) and senior Luke Mankus (Keller, Texas) finished 11th (46.41).
In the men's 400 IM, senior Alex Walton (Wilton, Iowa) claimed a sixth-place finish after a finals time of 3:47.29. The senior, who swam a 3:44.09 in prelims, improved on his placement in the event by 13 spots from last year's SEC Championships.
QUOTABLES
Mizzou Interim Head Coach Andrew Grevers
On the team performance on Thursday…
"We got it done in the morning and were fighting to defend spots at night. We certainly had our ups and downs but I never questioned their effort. From a coaching standpoint, I'm very pleased. We got to end on an extremely high note in the men's 200 free, winning the C final, winning the B final, winning the A final and setting an SEC record. We have really good momentum carrying us into tomorrow morning. We're looking to do what we do again, which is show up in prelims, get night swims and see what we can do in finals."
On Mikel Schreuders winning the Mizzou's first men's SEC swimming title…
"It was hard-earned. Mikel has now worked with (assistant coach) Mark Gangloff for four years developing that race plan. We know he's going to be an Olympian for Aruba and do amazing things for them. It really shows what type of program we are, which is very versatile. The 200 is one of the races where you have to be good at all facets of training to thrive, and he's showing what the Tigers can do."
Senior Mikel Schreuders
On the race…
"I normally swim (the 200) more on the back half but this year I am really trying to take it out as fast as I can and use my back half speed to take it home. I saw some guys next to me at the wall so I was just trying to bring it home as fast as I could."
On winning Mizzou's first men's SEC swimming title…
"We've had a lot of good swimmers in the past and to get that first title, it's awesome. It's the first time as a team the men have an SEC gold, and that really shows how much work the whole team has put in this year."
UP NEXT
Day four of the 2019 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships continues on Wednesday, Feb. 20 with preliminary action scheduled for 10 a.m. ET.
DAY THREE RESULTS
Women's 400 IM
15. Kylie Dahlgren (4:13.43 finals, 4:12.87 prelims)
18. Jennifer King (4:10.85 finals, 4:16.28 prelims)
24. Devan Sweeney (4:14.63 finals, 4:16.27 prelims)
36. Amanda Smith (4:21.12)
Men's 400 IM
6. Alex Walton (3:47.29 finals, 3:44.09 prelims)
11. Carter Grimes (3:45.39 finals, 3:46.41 prelims)
13. Jacob Wielinksi (3:45.91 finals, 3:45.22 prelims)
20. Jack DuBois (3:48.78 finals, 3:49.59 prelims)
23. Anthony Ashley (3:52.28 finals, 3:50.01 prelims)
Women's 100 Fly
3. Annie Ochitwa (51.25 finals, 51.54 prelims)
37. Azra Avdic (55.35)
38. Megan Keil (55.40)
Men's 100 Fly
7. Danny Kovac (46.20 finals, 46.03 prelims)
8. Daniel Hein (46.25 finals, 46.16 prelims)
10. Micah Slaton (46.35 finals, 46.16 prelims)
11. Luke Mankus (46.41 finals, 46.43 prelims)
Men's 3-Meter
12. Kyle Goodwin (350.15)
20. Ike Khamis (302.30)
30. Will Gottsch (249.15)
Women's 200 Free
24. Sammie Jo Porter (1:48.44 finals, 1:47.39 prelims)
33. Courtney Evensen (1:48.07)
35. Audrey Guyett (1:48.78)
38. Molly Gowans (1:48.92)
41. Allison Bloebaum (1:49.05)
Men's 200 Free
1. Mikel Schreuders (1:31.27 finals, 1:33.12 prelims)
5. Jack Dahlgren (1:33.33 finals, 1:33.57 prelims)
9. Giovanny Lima (1:34.57 finals, 1:34.78 prelims)
17. Sam Coffman (1:35.07 finals, 1:35.82 prelims)
25. Kyle Leach (1:36.25)
Players Mentioned
