Get ready for an exciting dive into the world of competitive swimming! The Georgia Tech Dual Meet Tournament 2025 has just concluded, and it's time to unravel the thrilling outcomes.
Minnesota and George Washington: Rising to the Top
The first day of meets in Atlanta, Georgia, witnessed an intense battle between the bottom-ranked teams, with Minnesota and George Washington emerging victorious. And here's where it gets controversial: George Washington clinched the 7th place meet by a mere 10 points, leaving the U.S. Military Academy just a whisker away from victory.
Schedule for the Championship
As the day progressed, the anticipation built for the highly anticipated Championship Meet between NC State and Georgia, set to commence at 2:30 pm on Saturday, October 18th. The meets were streamed live on ACCN+, offering swimming enthusiasts a front-row view of the action.
Scoring System: A Dive into the Details
The scoring system for the tournament was intricate, with points allocated differently for diving, relays, and individual swimming events. For instance, in diving and relays, 1st place earned 22 points, 2nd place 8, and so on. In individual swimming events, 1st place was awarded 16 points, 2nd place 6, and so forth, with points decreasing as the rankings progressed.
5th Place Meet: Minnesota's Dominance
Minnesota dominated the 5th place meet, outscoring Georgia Tech by a substantial 101 points, with a final score of 446 to Georgia Tech's 345. This victory secured Minnesota's 5th place overall in the tournament, while Georgia Tech settled for 6th.
The meet kicked off with a bang as Georgia Tech's women's team took the 400 free relay, with Giovana Reis leading the pack with a lightning-fast split of 48.65 on the leadoff leg. This was Reis' first-ever short course swim in the event, and her time was just a hair's breadth away from the NCAA cutline of 48.60. She continued her stellar performance by winning the 100 free in 49.07.
The Yellow Jackets maintained their momentum by winning the men's relay, with Ricky Balduccini splitting an impressive 42.47 on the 3rd leg, contributing to the team's overall time of 2:53.52, a four-second victory over Minnesota. Balduccini's performance in the 100 free was equally remarkable, as he set a new lifetime best of 43.01, improving upon his previous best of 43.34 from last season.
However, Minnesota fought back, winning most of the individual events, particularly on the women's side. Junior Katie McCarthy was a standout performer, securing three individual wins in the 200 fly (1:59.06), 500 free (4:50.20), and 200 IM (1:59.90). Her 200 fly time was just shy of her personal best of 1:58.44 set the previous day, and her 500 freestyle was a close second to her best time of 4:47.17 from the same meet.
The men's 200 medley relay was a tight race, with the Georgia Tech team of Balduccini (21.84), Julian Killius (24.79), Stephen Jones (20.94), and Robin Yeboah (19.46) edging out their competitors with a winning time of 1:27.03.
7th Place Meet: A Nail-Biter
The 7th place meet was an absolute thriller, with George Washington and the U.S. Military Academy going head-to-head in a closely contested battle. The first five events went to Army West Point, with their women's team taking the 400 freestyle relay in a tight finish.
Jenna Hart and Jonny Crush were the backbones of their respective teams, with Hart winning the women's 100 backstroke in 55.47 and Crush claiming the men's 100 back in 46.05. Sydney Braeger added to the Army West Point's success by winning the women's 200 fly in 2:00.15. Crush continued his dominance by winning the men's 100 free in 43.95.
Andres Brooks kept George Washington in the game by winning the men's 200 fly in 1:47.32, shaving four hundredths off his best time from last December.
The meet then became a seesaw battle, with both teams trading event wins. However, George Washington's strategy of securing lower places paid off, ultimately helping them clinch the 7th place meet by a narrow margin.
Ava Topolewski's performance in the women's 500 free was a highlight, as she swam a season-best time of 4:47.33, just shy of her personal best of 4:44.44 set in 2024. Olivia Paquette dominated the diving events for the Colonials, while Holden Wheeler and AJ Wood split the men's diving events for George Washington.
So, what do you think? Was George Washington's strategy of focusing on lower places a genius move, or did Army West Point miss an opportunity? Let's discuss in the comments and share our thoughts on this thrilling tournament!
