The 2012 Southeastern Conference swimming and diving championships came to a close Saturday night at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn. In a tight finish, the Florida men (700) narrowly missed the top spot, to sit behind Auburn (730.5) in the runner-up spot, for the eleventh conseutive year, while the UF women finished third behind the University of Georgia (781), and host, Tennessee (629.5)

Throughout the four-day competition four Gators combined to don eight conference crowns (5 men, 3 women), went on to make 20 other trips to the medal stand and collected eight automatic qualifying tickets to NCAAs in March. Sophomores Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Brad deBorde (Longwood, Fla.) also combined to break three UF records in their respective events.

Additionally, Beisel joined teammate Marcin Cieslak (Warsaw, Poland) as the duo was named the 2012 SEC Female and Male Swimmer of the Year, respectively. It is the second consecutive year that they have each taken home conference honors following the championship meet, as last year they were each named the SEC Female and Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year. The announcement also marks the third straight year that head coach Gregg Troy has produced the male swimmer of the year.

The recognition came after the two were the lone swimmers at the conference championships to take home three individual gold medals.

The pair were dually awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy High Point Award as they each collected 60 points at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Beisel becomes just the second female Gator to win the Commissioner’s Trophy, joining two-time award winner, Gemma Spofforth (2009, 10), while Cieslak becomes just the eighth Gator to bring home the award.

It is only the second time in Florida swimming and diving history that Troy’s swimmers have taken home both high point awards.

“Obviously, you never like to come out on the short end, but we had some tremendous, outstanding performances from our swimmers,” said Troy. “We accomplished one of our main goals coming into Knoxville, and got some automatic qualifying times for the NCAA meet – which we both wanted and needed to do.”

“I was really proud with the effort that we got from everyone,” remarked Troy. “It was a team effort, everyone battled and raced real well, they gave their all until they touched the wall.”

Beisel nabbed her third medal of the meet when she finished the 200 back in 1:49.82 – the fourth fastest time ever recorded in NCAA history – coincidentally enough, it is Gator great, Spofforth, that holds the NCAA record at 1:48.34. She becomes only the fifth swimmer under 1:50 joining Spofforth, Elizabeth Pelton (1:49.16), Natalie Coughlin (1:49.52) and Kate Fesenko (1:49.92) as swimmers to hit the sub-1:50 marker.

While the time doesn’t move her atop the record book, it bumps her up from third to second all-time in the Gators’ history. With the win, the sophomore has taken home a gold each night of individual competition at the 2012 SEC swimming and diving championships.

“It means a lot to get the win, especially on the last night here at the SEC meet. It has been such a long season, and I really have to thank Teresa (Crippen) for always being there with me through training - she deserves so much and is swimming really well. I am just glad I was able to get the win for the team.”

The win also defended her 2011 title. As the sophomore has claimed both the 200 back and 400 IM conference crown in the two years that she has donned the Orange and Blue. In her trip to the medal stand, Beisel was followed by Gator and U.S. National teammate, Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.), who touched in 1:58.37 for third, and a bronze medal.

Fellow sophomore, Cieslak, also claimed his third piece of gold hardware when he finished the 200 fly in 1:42.43 – the nation’s fastest time on the year, and an automatic qualifying mark to NCAAs. In his first two years as a Florida Gator and SEC competitor, Cieslak has finished one-two in the event.

“It feels great. This is my second time in the SEC Championships. Last year I got second, and this year I got first. This is my favorite race so I feel really great with the win.”

The 2012, 200 fly champion was followed by freshman teammate, Dan Wallace (North Berwick, Scotland), whose personal-best time of 1:44.81 earned him his second silver medal of the meet and allowed for a Gator one-two finish.

A pair of freshmen also made a trip to the medal stand as Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez (Madrid, Spain) and Matt Elliott (Peoria, Ill.) recorded the fourth, and fifth best 200 breast stroke times in Florida history with career-best efforts of 1:55.54 and 1:55.75, respectively.

Crippen, who finished third in the night’s opening event added another top-three finish when she closed out the Gators’ individual events with a second-place time of 1:55.16 in the 200 fly.

2012 SEC SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHPS: FULL RESULTS

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TOP FINISHERS

Women: Platform Diving – Kaylee Doback, 18^th (216.55); 1,650 Free – Alicia Matheiu, 6th (16:12.30); 200 Back – Elizabeth Beisel, 1^st (1:49.82*); 100 Free – Ellese Zalewski, 5^th (48.95*); 200 Breast – Hilda Luthersdottir, 5^th (2:10.15*); 200 Fly – Teresa Crippen, 2^nd (1:55.16); 400 Freestyle Relay – Bohunicky, Bateman, Freshling, Beisel, 4^th (3:17.01)

Men: 1,650 Free – Jason Taylor, 6^th (15:10.53); 200 Back – Brian Howell, 14^th (1:47.29*); 100 Free – Brad deBorde, 5^th (43.38); 200 Breast – Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, 2^nd (1:55.54*); 200 Fly – Marcin Cieslak, 1^st (1:42.43); 400 Freestyle Relay – deBorde, Norton, Turner, Cieslak, 2^nd (2:53.69)

*indicates personal-best time

SILVER MEDAL-WINNING PERFORMANCES

Jason Taylor, 500 Freestyle, 4:18.99

Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, 200 Breaststroke, 1:55.54

Teresa Crippen, 200 Butterfly, 1:55.16

Dan Wallace, 200 Butterfly, 1:44.81

Dan Wallace, 400 IM, 3:45.02

Men’s 200 Free Relay, 1:17.86

Women’s 800 Free Relay, 7:00.32

Men’s 800 Free Relay, 6:20.86

BRONZE MEDAL-WINNING PERFORMANCES

Mike Lewark, Platform Diving, 362.65

Sarah Bateman, 50 Freestyle, 22.01

Nicholas Caldwell, 500 Freestyle, 4:18.99

Teresa Crippen, 200 Backstroke, 1:53.87

Hilda Luthersdottir, 100 Breaststroke, 1:00.49

Matt Elliott, 200 Breaststroke, 1:55.75

Teresa Crippen, 400 IM, 4:06.42

Connor Signorin, 400 IM, 3:45.86

Women’s 200 Medley Relay, 1:37.29

Men’s 200 Medley Relay, 1:26.28

Women’s 400 Medley Relay, 3:34.02

Men’s 400 Medley Relay, 3:10.45

UF TOP FINISHES AT 2012 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS

Orange indicates 2012 SEC Champion

Women:  1-meter diving: Kaylee Doback, 19^th (234.40); 3-mtr diving – Kaylee Doback, 13^th (291.85); Platform Diving – Kaylee Doback, 18^th (216.55); 50 free – Sarah Bateman, 3^rd (22.01); 100 Free – Ellese Zalewski, 5^th (48.95*); 200 Free – Jamie Bohunicky, 4^th (1:46.09); 500 free – Jamie Bohunicky, 6^th (4:40.63); 1,650 Free – Alicia Matheiu, 6th (16:12.30) 100 Back – Trish Regan, 10^th (54.88); 200 Back – Elizabeth Beisel, 1^st (1:49.82*); 100 Breast – Hilda Luthersdottir, 3^rd (1:00.49); 200 Breast – Hilda Luthersdottir 5^th (2:10.15*); 100 Fly – Sarah Bateman, 7^th (52.80); 200 Fly – Teresa Crippen, 2^nd (1:55.16); 200 IM – Elizabeth Beisel, 1^st (1:54.89); 400 IM – Elizabeth Beisel, 1^st (3:58.35); 200 freestyle relay – Bateman, Zalewski, Bohunicky, Frehling, 5^th (1:29.32); 400 Freestyle Relay – Bohunicky, Bateman, Freshling, Beisel, 4^th (3:17.01); 800 freestyle relay: Bohunicky, Beisel, Crippen, Fung, 2^nd(7:00.32); 200 medley relay: Beisel, Luthersdottir, Zalewski, Bateman, 3rd (1:37.29); 400 Medley Relay – Beisel, Luthersdottir, Bateman, Bohunicky, 3^rd (3:34.02)

Men: 1-mtr diving: Chris Jones, 11^th (310.20); 3-meter diving: Mike Lewark, 16^th (326.60); Platform Diving – Mike Lewark, 3^rd, (362.65 points); 50 free – Brad deBorde, 1^st (19.29); 100 Free – Brad deBorde, 5^th (43.38); 200 Free – Marcin Cieslak, 1^st (1:34.49); 500 free – Jason Taylor, 2^nd (4:18.99); 1,650 Free – Jason Taylor, 6^th (15:10.53); 100 Breast – Matt Elliott, 6^th (54.14); 200 Breast – Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, 2^nd (1:55.54*); 100 Back – Cameron Martin, 5^th (48.09); 200 Back – Brian Howell, 14^th (1:47.29*); 100 Fly – Cameron Martin, 4^th (47.02); 200 Fly – Marcin Cieslak, 1^st (1:42.43); 200 IM – Marcin Cieslak, 1^st (1:43.01); 400 IM – Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, 1^st, (3:43.57); 200 freestyle relay – deBorde, Norton, Turner, Curby, 2^nd (1:17.86); 400 Freestyle Relay – deBorde, Norton, Turner, Cieslak, 2^nd (2:53.69); 800 freestyle relay: Cieslak, Signorin, Caldwell, Solaeche-Gomez, 2^nd(6:20.86); 200 medley relay: Homer, Elliott, Cieslak, deBorde, 3^rd (1:26.28); 400 Medley Relay – Martin, Elliott, Cieslak, deBorde, 3^rd(3:10.45)

-UF-