Gamecocks Make Waves: Pelzek Shatters Pool Record in Triumph Over Virginia Tech!

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The South Carolina swimming & diving squad completed their initial dual meet of 2025, achieving 12 event victories and establishing one pool record. The #22 Gamecock women triumphed over the Hokies with a score of 175-125, while the men were outmatched 96-204.

Women

Greta Pelzek, Sophie Verzyl, and Delaney Franklin spearheaded the women’s team, each securing two individual event victories. Moreover, four different competitors achieved new personal records.

• Madison Kolessar started off the individual events with a victory in the 1000 free, completing the race in 9:49.56 after consistently splitting under 30 seconds for each 50. Nora Fluck finished in third with a time of 9:55.70.
• Amy Riordan and Ellery Ottem claimed the top two positions in the 200 free, with times of 1:46.14 and 1:46.65 respectively.
• Greta Pelzek secured her first win of the day in the 200 fly, shattering the decade-old Christiansburg Aquatic Center pool record with a time of 1:55.51. Currently, Pelzek remains undefeated in this event this season. The senior followed up with another win in the 100 fly, registering a time of 53.13.
• Peyton Curry finished second in the 50 free with a time of 22.77, just .04 seconds shy of the winner. Dylan Scholes rounded out the podium in third place at 22.91, being the only other swimmer to record a time under 23.00. Curry later tied for first in the 100 free with a time of 49.67, marking a new personal best for the senior. Scholes completed the event with a time of 50.12, finishing third.
• Sophie Verzyl excelled in both her events, starting with the 1-meter dive where she amassed 295.88 points, leading by over 20 points. In the 3-meter, the junior garnered 369.53 points, 73.43 ahead of the next competitor.
• Delaney Franklin delivered a strong performance in the 200 breaststroke, maintaining consistent splits in the 33-second range for the final three 50s to clock a new best time of 2:11.47 and winning the race. Meaghan Harnish achieved a season-best time of 2:14.12, securing third place. Franklin and Harnish also finished closely in the 200 IM; Franklin tops the event with a time of 2:01.23, while Harnish was the runner-up at 2:01.47.
• The distance team secured the second through fifth positions in the 500 free, led by Ellery Ottem who took second place with a time of 4:49.14.
• The 400 free relay team consisting of Riordan, Curry, Ottem, and Scholes recorded the ninth-fastest time in program history of 3:18.72, finishing in second place to wrap up the women’s competitions.

Men

Connor Fry, Tommy Eaton, and Max Spencer contributed significant scoring for the Gamecock men, each securing an individual event victory.

• Connor Fry initiated the individual events with a remarkable win in the 1000 free, clocking in at 9:06.20.
• Kaden Smesko thwarted a Hokie sweep in the 100 back, taking third place with a time of 47.17.
• Linus Kahl finished third in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 54.15, closely followed by Liam Kerns in fourth at 54.52. Both Kahl and Kerns had strong showings in the 200 breaststroke, finishing second and third respectively in a tightly contested race where places two through six all finished in the 1:59 range. Kahl registered 1:59.23, while Kerns touched in 1:59.34.
• Tommy Eaton clinched the 200 fly with a time of 1:45.18, finishing two seconds ahead of the runner-up. The graduate student showcased a strong second half of the race with splits of 26.59 and 26.98.
• Fry and Raymond Prosinski finished closely in the 500 free, placing second and third with times of 4:28.29 and 4:28.59 respectively.
• Max Spencer and Charley Bayer led the competition in the 3-meter event, taking first and second place, respectively. Spencer won with a score of 396.15 points, while Bayer was the runner-up after accumulating 348.68 points.

Up Next for the Gamecocks

The South Carolina swimming & diving team has two additional dual meets scheduled before the championship season commences. The squad will head on the road to compete against Auburn on January 11, followed by a home meet against Georgia Tech on January 25. Both competitions commence at 10:00 a.m.

To stay updated on the latest news concerning South Carolina swimming and diving, follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecocksSwmDive).