From University of Chicago Athletics
A strong four-day showing across the board by University of Chicago swimming & diving resulted in a pair of second-place team finishes at the 2023 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships on Saturday.
The Maroon men scored 1,722.5 points, ending up only 26 points behind champion Emory University (1,748). The UChicago women tallied 1,638 points to take second as well behind Emory (1,872).
At the meet's conclusion, UChicago secured four major awards. Jesse Ssengonzi was named the Men's Swimmer of the Year and UChicago also claimed Men's Coaching Staff of the Year. Veronica Fong was picked as the UAA Women's Diver of the Year, and Beck Benson was selected as Women's Diving Coach of the Year for the fourth-straight time.
Ssengonzi provided the exclamation point on his weekend in the 200-yard butterfly. The junior was victorious with a new school record and UAA record time of 1:45.32. It was his second UAA record in as many days after accomplishing the same feat in Friday's 100-yard butterfly.
UChicago's men submitted four additional All-UAA performances in the final session. Arthur Kiselnikov placed second in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 44.62. The 400-yard freestyle relay also took second in 2:58.55. John Paul Phillips touched the wall in 1:47.37 to finish third in the 200-yard backstroke, and Kyle Garcia was also third in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:00.16).
Another school record fell when Marcell Milo-Sidlo swam the 1,650-yard freestyle in 15:43.58. He placed fifth overall.
The women's squad had a quintet of runner-up performances and six All-UAA accolades. Alesha Kelly broke the school record in the 200-yard butterfly as she posted a time of 2:00.93. The UChicago 400-yard freestyle relay also set a new school record at 3:23.42. Veronica Fong scored 451.45 points in the one-meter dive, and Alicia Soosai swam the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:18.87. The 100-yard freestyle saw the Maroons take second and third in virtually identical times – Karen Zhao finished at 51.28 with Emily Xu right beside her at 51.29.
UChicago Men's Top Finishers
200-yard Butterfly – 1st, Jesse Ssengonzi (1:45.32)
100-yard Freestyle – 2nd, Arthur Kiselnikov (44.62); 4th, Sebastien Vernhes (45.15); 7th, Jason Starbuck (45.46)
400-yard Freestyle Relay – 2nd, 2:58.55 (Garrett Clasen, Sebastien Vernhes, Jason Starbuck, Arthur Kiselnikov)
200-yard Backstroke – 3rd, John Paul Phillips (1:47.37); 6th, Winston Chen (1:49.39); 8th, Alexander Sun (1:52.04)
200-yard Breaststroke – 3rd, Kyle Garcia (2:00.16); 8th, Tristan Ide (2:03.34)
1,650-yard Freestyle – 5th, Marcell Milo-Sidlo (15:43.58)
UChicago Women's Top Finishers
100-yard Freestyle – 2nd, Karen Zhao (51.28); 3rd, Emily Xu (51.29); 7th, Annabel Olivo (51.55)
One-meter Dive – 2nd, Veronica Fong (451.45); 4th, Cynthia Tang (426.95); 6th, Nayna Pashilkar (408.75)
200-yard Breaststroke – 2nd, Alicia Soosai (2:18.87); 4th, Mackenzie Leblanc (2:21.57)
200-yard Butterfly – 2nd, Alesha Kelly (2:00.93)
400-yard Freestyle Relay – 2nd, 3:23.42 (Emily Xu, Annabel Olivo, Filippa Kolokotsa, Karen Zhao)
1,650-yard Freestyle – 6th, Samantha Bertschi (17:17.26)
200-yard Backstroke – 8th, Ioanna Georgopoulou (2:03.68)