Gomez Wins 200 Fly Title, Named MOP On Final Night Of AAC Championships

Wednesday, February 14

Dallas, Texas

All Day

SMU

American Athletic Conference Championships

Results

Feb 17 | Men's Swimming & Diving

Complete Results

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU senior Jonathan Gomez completed the sweep of individual events to earn Most Outstanding Performer honors at the American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

The senior cruised to victory in an NCAA provisional standard and season-best 1:43.48 in the 200-yard butterfly to give him back-to-back conference wins in the event. Gomez also took home titles in the 400-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle at the event. The Mustangs are four-time champions in the event with Sam Straughan winning in 2016 and Tyler Rauth in 2015.

Garrett Carson and Simon Golczyk also scored for the Ponies in the 200 fly A Final, with Carson touching in 1:48.81 for fifth and Golczyk at 1:53.70 for eighth.

The 200-yard backstroke Championship Final saw Trey Kilbride make the podium for the second time in his first American Championships. The junior was third in the event with a season-best 1:47.53. He was also third in the 100 distance. Stephen Cheng and Duncan Brookover also competed in the event's A Final. Cheng was fourth in 1:47.78 and Brookover eighth at 1:48.57.

Nick Badsky (44.72) and Matthew Nutter (45.02) led SMU in the night's sprint freestyle event, as the pair teamed up for fourth and sixth place performances, respectively, in the 100-yard freestyle. Ralph Koo was 11th overall competing in the Consolation Final.

Stefan Popov was SMU's top finished in breaststroke events at the Championships, picking up his highest placement of fourth in the 200 distance at 2:01.25. Aedan Lewis (2:02.08) finished seventh in the distance, while Kianu Kitching was 11th and Arthur Yuen 13th.

In the mile, Lucas Schenke led the Mustangs with a fourth place finish, covering the distance in a lifetime-best 15:24.35. Christian Scherubl (15:49.66) was ninth and Carson Klein (16:05.63) 11th.

To close the Championships, SMU finished third in the 400-yard freestyle relay as Badsky, Nutter, Schenke and Koo combined for a final time of 2:58.37.

Along with Gomez's selection as the event's MOP on the swimming side, Bryce Klein was named co-Most Outstanding Diver and Darian Schmidt was the men's diving Coach of the Year.

SMU finished third overall with 676 points. Cincinnati won the team championship with 906 points and ECU earned runner-up honors with 795 points. Connecticut was fourth.

The NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships take place March 21-24 in Minneapolis, and select Mustangs will compete pending qualification.