Swimming And Diving Sweeps Duke On Senior Night

Friday, January 27

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5 p.m.

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

January 27, 2023 | Swimming & Diving

Complete Results (.pdf)

By: UNC Athletics Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina men's and women's swimming and diving team won a total of 18 events, including three from freshman Louis Dramm, as it swept Duke Friday evening at Koury Natatorium.

The Tar Heel men posted a decisive 180-119 victory over the Blue Devils to improve to 4-5 on the season while the women posted a 164-136 win to move to 5-4. Prior to the start of the meet, UNC's 12 seniors were honored as part of the senior day ceremony.

"I'm proud of my team for winning two meets that were really close and hard fought," UNC head coach Mark Gangloff said. "This is one of the seniors' favorite meets every year, if not the favorite meet. To send our seniors out on top means the world because they've given so much to our program."

The meet began with Greer Pattison (24.18), Skyler Smith (26.68), Ellie VanNote (23.23) and Grace Countie (21.56) combining to win the opening 200 medley relay in 1:35.65, just edging out Duke's 1:35.98.

Carolina's sprint contingent of Countie (48.73), Pattison (49.25) and Olivia Nel (49.49) made it a Tar Heel sweep in the 100 freestyle. O. Nel was victorious in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.27, followed by Pattison in second at 22.48.

Winning by over a second in 51.59, VanNote flew to the top spot in the 100 butterfly as Elizabeth Sowards clocked in at 53.79 for third. VanNote also took second in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:54.07.

Lily Reader broke the 10-minute barrier in the 1000 freestyle for a second-place finish in 9:55.62 while Michelle Morgan took third in 10:01.85, with the latter also placing third in the 500 freestyle (4:52.08).

Sophie Lindner (1:54.58) and Emma Karam (1:55.65) claimed the top two finishes in the 200 backstroke, while Countie (51.88) and Lindner (52.68) did the same in the 100 backstroke. Also earning top-3 finishes was Skyler Smith in the 100 breaststroke (second, 59.56) and Georgia Nel in the 200 freestyle (third, 1:47.94).

Continuing UNC diving dominance was Aranza Vazquez who won both the 1-meter (350.70) and 3-meter (391.05) with Emily Grund taking second on both with respective scores of 295.25 and 341.40. Countie (22.32), Pattison (22.33), Smith (22.33) and O. Nel (21.80) concluded the meet with a win in the 200-freestyle relay in 1:28.78, well ahead of Duke's 1:30.11.

On the men's side, Dramm had a dominant five-second victory in the 1000 free in 9:07.72 with Patrick Sleater making it a 1-2 finish for Carolina by taking second in 9:12.88. Dramm notched his second win of the meet in the 500 free (4:24.62) while Aidan Crisci (4:27.83) placed second.

Dramm, a freshman, made it 3-for-3 in individual events, also powering to a victory in the 200 individual medley in 1:46.81. Patrick Hussey had the fastest freestyle split in the field to place second in 1:47.35.

"I've seen this coming from Louis for a long time," Gangloff said. "The way he has trained this year has set him to be dominant in his events. I think there is a lot more to come from Louis at the ACC Championships."

Owning the top two spots in the 200 free were Nick Radkov (1:35.97) in first and Hussey (1:36.19) in second. Radkov then went on to win the 100 free after stopping the clock in 44.21 with Thomas Sungaila racing to third (44.72) Sungaila was also the runner-up in the 50 free (Okay 20.34).

Boyd Poelke led the way in the 200 butterfly with a winning time of 1:45.80 as Aidan Crisci followed in 1:46.52 for second. Poelke later won the 100 fly by just over a second in 46.07 and Walker Davis secured a victory of his own in the 100 backstroke (47.20).

Citta got his hands to the wall in 54.35 in the 100 breaststroke for second place as Kendall Ewing checked in at 55.04 for third. Hussey cracked the two-minute marker in the 200 breastroke with a time of 1:58.21, fast enough for second place, with Citta taking third in 2:02.02. Matthew Van Deusen won the 200 backstroke (1:44.67) with third going to Mateja Milovanovic (1:46.69).

Anton Down-Jenkins continued his winning ways on the board, diving to first on both the 1-meter (362.48) and 3-meter (429.08). Alex Hart took second on 1-meter (355.13) and third on 3-meter (342.15).

The Tar Heels are back in action Feb. 3-5 with swimmers heading to Charlottesville, Virginia, for the Cavalier Invitational and divers traveling to Blacksburg for the Virginia Tech Invitational. UNC will then turn its attention to the ACC Championships from Feb. 14-18.