While the top-ranked Gators men’s swimming and diving team handled the Aggies, the No. 11 Gators women’s team wasn’t as lucky.
The women lost 196-104 to No. 4 Texas A&M on Friday. Florida is now 1-2 in the Southeastern Conference, as well as 1-2 overall.
The men’s squad (3-0. 3-0 SEC) remained undefeated after sending the No. 21 Aggies home with a loss 197-98.
The Gators had 10 separate male swimmers combine for 14 wins.
Junior Sebastien Rousseau led the Gators with a record performance.
Rousseau seized first place in the 200-yard freestyle with an NCAA “B” cut time of 1:37.39. That was his best time this season in that event. He wasn’t done.
Rousseau later controlled the 100-yard-breast stroke with a time of 56.77.
Sophomore Christian Homer, senior Cameron Martin and sophomore Harrison Curley glided into first, second and third respectively in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Gator men’s team can sleep another night knowing that its No. 1 ranking in the nation is safe. It served the Aggies its second loss in the SEC, the first coming Oct. 13 against South Carolina.
Although the Gators lost, junior Elizabeth Beisel proved again why she has a silver medal. Of the three individual events that she competed in: the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke and 400-yard IM, she secured first place in all three. Yet, the team was unable to match her production.
Freshman Natalie Hinds had a rare victory for the Gator women, taking first in the 50-yard freestyle.
Beisel said that it’s not an ideal situation to lose another SEC meet, but she thought the team “swam good.” She’s hopeful that the team can succeed from this point going forward, she said.
