With the Gators capping a victory over FAU at home, a select member of the men’s team were in Dallas, Texas for the Classic @ SMU, in which they finished third out of seven competitors with 283.50 points, falling to Michigan and USC who posted 315 and 309 points, respectively, at Perkins Natatorium Saturday evening. The meet featured a slew of prestigious swim programs in Southern Methodist University (C-USA), No. 4 Michigan (Big 10), No. 5 USC (Pac 12), No. 13 Florida (SEC), No. 16 North Carolina (ACC) and No. 20 Purdue (Big 10).

On hand at the Classic @ SMU were junior Cameron Martin (Clearwater, Fla.), sophomores Marcin Cieslak (Warsaw, Poland), Brad deBorde (Longwood, Fla.), Mike Lewark (Davie, Fla.) and Connor Signorin (East Windsor, N.J.) as well as freshmen Nicholas Caldwell (Sarasota, Fla.), Matthew Curby (Ovieda, Fla.) Matt Elliott (Peoria, Ill.), Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez (Madrid, Spain).

The Gators collected four individual victories over the weekend at the Classic @ SMU with the help of sophomores deBorde, Cieslak and Signorin, as well as freshman Elliott.

Signorin captured the first individual victory on the weekend when he touched the wall in a season-best and NCAA ‘B’ cut 3:47.28 to claim the top spot in the 400 IM. The sophomore also added a second-place finish in the 500 free when he stopped the clock in 4:23.87, and a fourth place time in the 200 back when he touched the wall in 1:48.34.

In a neck-to-neck race to the wall, deBorde tied for first alongside SMU’s Mindaugas Sadauskas in the 50 free, when the duo finished the race in 20.36. deBorde also added a top-five finish in the 100 free when he stopped the clock at the 44.28 marker for fourth place.

Elliott was the lone freshman to collect an individual victory when he stopped the clock in 1:57.79 in the 200 breast. The three-time Male Freshman Swimmer of the Week also added a seventh place finish in the 200 IM when he touched in 1:48.43.

Cieslak collected four top-five finishes over the weekend when he took first in the 200 fly (1:43.62), second with a season-best time in the 100 fly (47.81), finished fourth in the 200 free with a personal-best time of 1:37.21 and help lead the 400 medley relay to a third-place finish.

Martin added a seventh place finish in the 200 fly (1:47.19), 8^th in the 100 fly (49.22) and 10^th in the 200 back (1:47.95).

With a young Florida team, the freshmen played a pivotal role in the Classic @ SMU.

Gomez was the highest finisher behind Elliott when he put together a second place finish in the 200 IM when he stopped the clock in 1:47.81, finished the 400 IM in 3:49.69 and the 100 breast in 56.45 for seventh and eighth, respectively. The Italian import also added a seventh place finish in the 200 breast when he touched in 1:59.59.

Curby put together a third place effort in the 100 back (49.51) and a 12^th place finish in the 100 free (45.76). The Ovieda native also added a 10^th place finish in the 50 free when he touched the wall in 20.84.

Caldwell also tacked on an eighth place time (4:25.47) in the 500 free, and a ninth-place finish in the 200 free with a 1:38.82 mark.

The 400-medley relay quartet of Martin, Elliott, Cieslak and deBorde timed in with a third-place effort of 3:15.91 behind USC and Michigan. deBorde later teamed with Caldwell, Signorin and Solaeche-Gomez to finish the 800 free relay in 6:33.80 for fourth.

Florida finished sixth in both the 200 medley and freestyle relay with an underclass squad. The 200 medley team finished in 1:30.77 with the help of freshmen Curby and Elliott, and sophomores Cieslak and deBorde, while the 200 free team finished in 1:22.09 with deBorde, Cieslak, Signorin and Curby each taking to the pool.

Lewark was the Gators lone representative on the boards. The sophomore finished fourth in 1-meter competition with a 306.70 mark and fifth off the 3-meter boards with 339.90 points. 

For full results from the Classic @ SMU, please click here.

Both the men’s and women’s squads will closeout home competition next Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. when Florida plays host to SEC foe Auburn for senior day. Recognition for all Gator senior swimmers will take place before the start of the meet.  Fans are also encouraged to follow the swimming and diving program on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest news and information.