Auburn University’s swimming and diving teams made a strong showing at the SMU Invitational, marking the start of the 2025-26 season. The event took place at the Robson and Lindley Aquatics Center in Dallas, Texas, over two days of competition.
Men’s and Women’s Team Performance
The Auburn men’s team secured a commendable second place at the event, accumulating 304 points. The women’s team finished in third place, with a total of 248 points. The men’s team was led by head coach Ryan Wochomurka, showcasing impressive performances across various events.
Relay and Individual Highlights
- 400 Medley Relay: The men’s team, consisting of Ivan Tarasov, Uros Zivanovic, Sohib Khaled, and Kalle Makinen, finished second with a time of 3:07.28. Unfortunately, the women’s team was disqualified for an early takeoff.
- 400 Individual Medley: Freshman Taylor Bacher earned second place for the women, clocking in at 4:16.91, while senior Danny Schmidt achieved an identical placement for the men with a time of 3:50.68.
- 200 Freestyle: Bella Ekk made a strong start for the women’s team, finishing third with 1:46.88. For the men, Daniel Krichevsky secured second place with 1:37.74, ranking as the seventh-fastest in Auburn history.
- 100 Butterfly: Morgan Carteaux claimed third with a time of 53.83. Sohib Khaled achieved Auburn’s first event victory, finishing at 46.88.
Diving Results
Diving coach John Fox brought standout divers to the competition. Emily Hallifax started strongly with a score of 286.50 in the 3-meter dive, landing second place. Ethan Swart also secured second place in the 1-meter dive with a score of 334.20.
Day Two Highlights
On the second day, the excitement continued with remarkable performances from both teams.
- 200 Medley Relay: The women’s team, featuring Komoroczy, Metsakonkola, Carteaux, and Klevanovich, finished with a time of 1:37.21 to place second.
- 500 Freestyle: Julia Strojnowska achieved third place with a time of 4:55.58, while Krichevsky finished second for the men at 4:21.78.
- 200 Breaststroke: Freshman Maston Ballew won the event for the men with a time of 1:55.77.
Final Individual Events
In the concluding events:
- 100 Freestyle: Klevanovich finished third with a time of 48.75. Senior Kalle Makinen also earned a podium finish with 43.48 in the men’s race.
- 200 Individual Medley: Maggie McGuire secured third place for the women at 2:03.29, while Schmidt took silver for the men at 1:45.79.
- 200 Freestyle Relay: The women’s team finished second in a time of 1:29.16, while the men also secured second with a time of 1:18.39.
Final Team Scores
The overall scores from the Invitational highlighted Auburn’s strong competition:
| Men’s Teams | Points |
|---|---|
| Louisville | 313 |
| Auburn | 304 |
| LSU | 240 |
| Drury | 223 |
| SMU | 221 |
| Women’s Teams | Points |
| Louisville | 358 |
| LSU | 278 |
| Auburn | 248 |
| Drury | 210 |
| SMU | 207 |
Auburn’s strong performance at the SMU Invitational sets a promising tone for the remainder of the season.
