UF Men’s Swimming & Diving: Gators Flood SEC Postseason Awards List
Courtesy of UF Athletic Association
Kieran Smith was voted the SEC Male Swimmer of the Year, while head coach Anthony Nesty received his second-straight SEC Men’s Coach of the Year accolade.
The Southeastern Conference unveiled its swimming and diving postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon, highlighted by sophomore Kieran Smith being named Male Swimmer of the Year and men’s head coach Anthony Nesty receiving Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. Florida also placed five on the All-SEC First Team, eight on the Second Team, and three on the All-Freshman Team.
Smith, this year’s SEC Swimmer of the Meet, earned his first career Swimmer of the Year accolade after a record-breaking SEC championship performance. He set a new American and NCAA record in the 500 free (4:06.32) on the second night of competition, as well posting a new SEC and Florida 200 free record with his lead-off split of 1:30.11 to help Florida win its eighth-straight 800 free relay event title in SEC-record fashion.
He claimed another SEC event crown in the 400 IM and reeled in a bronze medal with his third-place finish in the 100 free. Additionally, he was a member of two Gator relays that earned runner-up finishes.
The Gators have now won the award seven of the last 10 years (Caeleb Dressel- 2016-18, Marcin Cieslak- 2012 & 2014 and Conor Dwyer- 2010-11).
Nesty, in his second year at the helm of the Gators men’s program, garnered his second-straight Coach of the Year honor after leading Florida to its eighth-straight and 41st-overall SEC title. At SEC’s, Florida tallied 15 medals and five SEC event titles and set 17 new top-10 program swims.
Under his leadership, 14 Gators were named All-Americans, which tied for the fifth-most in the nation and the most in the SEC.
Five Gators earned All-SEC First Team accolades: Khader Baqlah, Clark Beach, Robert Finke, Gerry Quinn, and Kieran Smith. The First Team consists of the top finisher in each event at SEC’s.
200 Free
Khader Baqlah
500 Free
Kieran Smith (American record)
1,650 Free
Robert Finke (American record)
400 IM
Kieran Smith
800 Free Relay
Khader Baqlah, Clark Beach, Kieran Smith, Robert Finke, Gerry Quinn
Isaac Davis, Will Davis, Eric Friese, Brennan Gravley, Marco Guarente, Dillon Hillis, Dakota Mahaffey, and Grant Sanders all garnered All-SEC Second Team honors after a second- or third-place SEC finish in a respective event.
1,650 Free
Brennan Gravley
100 Breast
Dillon Hillis
200 Breast
Grant Sanders
400 IM
Grant Sanders
200 Free Relay
Isaac Davis, Will Davis, Eric Friese
200 Medley Relay
Will Davis, Dakota Mahaffey, Eric Friese, Marco Guarente
400 Medley Relay
Dillon Hillis, Will Davis
Friese and Gravley were joined by fellow classmate Kevin Vargas as members of the All-Freshman team, consisting of top-eight finishers or the highest scoring freshman of each event at SECs, excluding relays. The trio qualified for an A-final in their first conference competition- Gravley (1,650 Free), Friese (100 Fly) and Vargas (400 IM)- to earn the honor.