400 Medley Relay Earns All-AAC Honors, Women's Swim in 2nd

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Two Mustangs, 400 Medley Relay Take Home All-Conference Honors On AAC Night Three

DALLAS (SMU) – Valentina Becerra and Gabi Grobler turned in all-conference performances, while the Mustangs' 400-yard medley relay finished as the runner-up on night three of the American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

SMU sits second in the team standings with 577 points heading into the final day of action. Houston leads the field with 583.5 and Tulane rounds out the top three at 420. Cincinnati (382) is fourth and ECU (177.5) fifth.

Becerra had a career finish in the 100-yard butterfly after finishing just off the podium in 2021. The junior turned in runner-up honors with a 53.79 to lead SMU.

Olivia Grossklaus improved on her career-best time from prelims to cover the distance in 54.34 for fourth place. It was her highest placement in the event at conference since last swimming the race as a freshman when she placed 12th. Parkinson rounded out the A Final scoring for SMU with a career-best 54.40 for fifth.

In the Consolation Final, Johanna Gudmundsdottir touched in a career-best 55.04 for 11th overall and, in her first competition in the event, Kate Janzen finished 12th in 56.07 improving from her prelim swim.

Grobler picked up another individual podium finish with her third-place performance in the 400-yard individual medley. The senior clocked a 4:18.29 and adds the medal to her gold in the 200 IM on night two. Grobler has already posted an NCAA B cut in the event, and did so again with a 4:16.63 in prelims.

Three additional Mustangs scored in the 400 IM Championship Final with Jenna Watson posting a career-best 4:19.22 for fifth and Ilektra Lebl (4:19.90) and Frederica Kizek (4:22.30) finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. In the Consolation Final, Ashley Lugbill posted a career-best 4:23.21 for 11th overall. Annabelle Corcoran (4:31.92) finished 16th to round out the scoring.

SMU's final podium finish of the night came from Lebl, Grobler, Becerra and Gudmundsdottir in the 400-yard medley relay. The team was narrowly out-touched finishing in a season-best time of 3:38.18 for second.

Maddy Lewis (1:02.76) was the top finisher in the 100-yard breaststroke for the Mustangs, posting a career-best conference showing for fifth place. Also scoring in the A Final was Ashley Lugbill (1:03.68) who placed sixth at her first championship. Maxine Parkinson (1:03.54) matched her best finish at the AAC meet in the event, placing 10th overall.

In the 100-yard backstroke Championship Final, Kate Janzen (55.57) picked up fifth-place points.

Indra Vandenbussche was SMU's leader in the 200-yard freestyle as she took top honors in the event's Consolation Final. The Mustang covered the distance in 1:48.75 to win the heat. Janelle Gursoy was fifth in the B Final in a time of 1:50.47.

The final day of action is Saturday starting at 10 a.m. CT on ESPN+ with the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform, 1,650 free and 400 free relay on the schedule. Diving prelims will now start at 11:30 a.m.