South-Carolina
Amy Riordan Sets S. Carolina School Record En Route to Tie With #13 UNC; UNC Men Win by 12
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
- November 3, 2023
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
- Short Course Yards (25 yards), Dual Meet
- Meet Results
- Team Scores:
- #13 North Carolina (W) 150 – South Carolina (W) 150
- HM North Carolina (M) 161 – South Carolina 139
A Tie!
The South Carolina women’s swim team very-nearly pulled an upset of #13 North Carolina on Friday, with the meet ending in a 150-150 tie. Meanwhile, the North Carolina men went on the road and beat South Carolina 161-139.
The tie is the closest the South Carolina women have come to beating UNC since a win in 1985, with UNC winning 12 consecutive matchups heading into the meet.
Women’s Meet
The women’s meet featured huge performances from both sides of the pool, though South Carolina as the underdog will beat the loudest drum over the result.
Heading into the final race, South Carolina had a 9 point margin, which meant that UNC needed a 1-2 finish to win or a 1-3 finish to tie (with the Tarheels’ sprint depth making the 3rd-place finish a likely outcome).
The relay of Greer Pattison (49.29), Delaney Carlton (48.91), Olivia Nel (48.32), and Elizabeth Sowards (49.31) combined to finish in 3:15.83.
Nel’s split, notably, was a tenth faster than she swam on last year’s 400 free relay at the NCAA Championships where the Tar Heels placed 13th. Even with the graduation of Grace Countie and Sophie Lindner, the Tar Heels sprint group, a strength of the program over the last decade, remains strong.
North Carolina entered the swimming portion of the meet with a 20-point lead, thanks in large to a sweep by two-time NCAA Champion Aranza Vazquez.
Anatomy of a Tie
Event UNC S. Carolina Running Score 1 meter diving 14 5 UNC +9 3 Meter diving 15 4 UNC +20 200 medley relay 11 6 UNC +25 1000 free 5 14 UNC +16 200 free 9 10 UNC +15 100 back 13 6 UNC +22 100 breast 13 6 UNC +29 200 fly 3 16 UNC +16 50 free 13 6 UNC +23 100 free 8 11 UNC +20 200 back 5 14 UNC +11 200 breast 16 3 UNC +24 500 free 3 16 UNC +11 100 fly 4 15 TIE 400 IM 5 14 S.C. +9 400 free relay 13 4 TIE
While UNC has the better sprint group, South Carolina took big bites out of that lead with success in the longer freestyle races – including a maximum 16 point output in the 500 free led by Amy Riordan in 4:46.43, which is only four-tenths away from her best time set at last year’s mid-season invite.
While that time for Riordan was exciting and crucial to the team output late in the meet, it wasn’t her best performance of the day. In the 200 free earlier in the meet, she swam 1:44.31 in the 200 free to win by three-and-a-half seconds. The time also broke the school record of 1:44.61 that was set in 2019 by former US National Teamer Emma Barksdale. It also broke the Pool Record that Riordan set in 2022, and is the 2nd-fastest time in the SEC so far this season.
That time would have easily earned Riordan an invite to every prior NCAA Championship meet (last year’s cut was 1:45.31). That would be Riordan’s first invite in her sophomore season.
She also finished the day with a 49.59 on the leadoff of South Carolina’s 2nd-place 400 free relay, another lifetime best.
Best times, near-best times, and NCAA qualifiers were plentiful at the meet. Greer Pattison won the 100 back for North Carolina in 51.97, which is just .04 seconds from her lifetime best. That time is a likely NCAA invite earner and ranks her 3rd in the ACC this year behind only the two fastest performers in the history of the event, Gretchen Walsh and Katherine Berkoff.
Skyler Smith won the 100 breaststroke for UNC in 59.32, which is within four tenths of her time from last year’s NCAA Championship meet (she finished 12th).
Other highlights for South Carolina include a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 fly led by a new personal best from Nicholle Toh in 1:55.59. She and teammate Jordan Agliano were nose-to-nose the whole way, but Toh ultimately finished .16 seconds ahead. Agliano’s time was also a new lifetime best.
While 3rd-place finisher Greta Pelzek (1:56.43) wasn’t a lifetime best in that race, her 400 IM time of 4:19.24 was.
Other Meet Highlights:
- Bella Pantano was 2nd in the 100 back in 52.86 and won the 200 back in 1:54.93, which is a new lifetime best for her. Her previous best was a 1:55.57 at a Last Chance Meet in February.
- Olivia Nel added to her big relay split with a win in the 50 free in 22.59
Men’s Recap
A near-split of the diving points on the men’s side left the teams on even footing in the swimming portion of the meet, but a hot start for South Carolina gave way to a late UNC surge, with the Tar Heels coming out on top to move to a perfect 3-0 this season.
South Carolina won 8 events at the meet, including bookends with a 1:26.60 in the 200 medley relay and 2:57.76 in the 400 free relay. Both races were won by narrow margins thanks to some clutch veteran swims for the Gamecocks (their medley relay ages were 24-22-22-25).
But South Carolina had big contributions from young swimmers too. They won three of the first four events of the meet, including freshman Connor Fry in the 1000 free (9:06.57).
24-year-old Michael Laitarovsky also got an early win for South Carolina with a 46.76 in the 100 back – a personal dual meet best.
That early momentum ground to a halt, though, when North Carolina freshman Ben Delmar won the 100 breast in 54.30, beating-out Daniel West (54.67). Delmar is the best recruit in the Mark Gangloff era to date (unsurprisingly a breaststroker given his coach’s Olympic gold medals in the stroke), and has had a huge early impact early in his Tar Heel career. He has swept the 100 and 200 breaststrokes in each of the team’s dual meets so far this season.
That includes a massive 1:55.66 to win by almost five seconds in the 200 breaststroke later in the meet on Friday to kick off four-straight individual wins to end the meet for UNC and lock up victory.
That ending run included Patrick Hussey, who won the 200 free early in the meet in 1:36.38 and the 500 free late in the meet in 4:24.76. He used a huge final 50 kick in that 500 to beat Fry, who was half-a-second back in 4:25.27, and South Carolina’s Jose Castro, where a different outcome could’ve meant the meet.
That late run also included a 3:45.45 in the 400 IM from Louis Dramm. Dramm, a sophomore from Germany, didn’t come to UNC as a 400 IM’er and didn’t swim the event in yards until a last chance meet; he broke through there, though, and wound up qualifying for NCAAs and earning All-America honors via a 14th-place finish.
Other Highlights:
- South Carolina freshman Umut Yildirim of the growing Turkish distance tradition swam season-bests, which means career-bests, in all four races: 4:30.58 in the 500 free, 9:06.86 in the 1000 free, and 4:09.70 in the 400 IM.
- Sebastian Lunak, another big recruit in this freshman class for UNC, swam a pair of personal bests. He finished 2nd in the 100 fly in 47.13 and 1st in the 200 fly in 1:43.24.
Press Releases
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A deep dive into the coaching changes that have occurred with the South Carolina Gamecocks during the offseason across all sports.
The University of South Carolina’s athletic department recently shook up its coaching staff, bringing in new leadership to bolster its sports programs. The most significant changes are new head coaches for the softball and baseball teams. There were also strategic additions to the football coaching staff. Shawn Elliott’s return to the football program also adds excitement and experience.
Ashley Chastain Takes the Helm for Softball
Ashley Chastain steps in as the new head coach of the South Carolina softball team, the first change in this position since 2010. Chastain, a former player and graduate assistant for the Gamecocks, brings extensive experience and a fresh perspective. She aims to build on the solid foundation left by former coach Beverly Smith, who departed on June 8, 2024. Chastain’s familiarity with the program and her vision promise to propel the Gamecocks to new heights.
Paul Mainieri Leads the Baseball Team
Paul Mainieri takes over as the head baseball coach. Mainieri’s hiring comes after Mark Kingston’s seven seasons and a disappointing first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. Mainieri, who led LSU to a national championship in 2009, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record. His ability to develop talent and lead successful teams will be crucial as he steers the Gamecock baseball program forward.
Football’s Strategic Coaching Hires
The football program saw several key additions to its coaching staff. Joe DeCamillis joined as the special teams coordinator, bringing over 30 years of NFL experience, including two Super Bowl victories. His expertise aims to enhance the Gamecocks’ special teams performance significantly. This hiring followed Pete Lembo’s departure to become the head coach at the University of Buffalo.
Marquel Blackwell came on board as the running backs coach. This hire is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the team’s offensive capabilities and provide a more dynamic and run game.
Shawn Elliott’s Return
Shawn Elliott rejoined the South Carolina football coaching staff, adding his extensive experience to the team. Elliott, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Gamecocks and recently as the head coach at Georgia State, returned as the run game coordinator and tight ends coach. With 23 winning seasons and 21 postseason appearances in his career, Elliott brings a wealth of knowledge and success. During his tenure at Georgia State, he led the team to five bowl games and established a formidable rushing attack, highlighting his ability to elevate the Gamecocks’ performance.
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South-Carolina
Elite crop of JuCo players joining South Carolina baseball program ranked among best in America
New South Carolina baseball coach Paul Mainieri will have the luxury of an elite group of junior college talents joining the program in his first year with the Gamecocks.
At the time of this writing, USC has received commitments from seven junior college prospects as pitchers Brandon Stone (Johnson County Community College), Brandon Clarke (State College of Florida), Jackson Soucie (Wabash Valley College), Kemper Nix (Spartanburg Methodist College), and Brendan Sweeney (Blinn College) and position players Jase Woita (Kansas City Kansas Community College) and Cayden Gaskin (Northwest Florida State College) will join the program this fall.
The group of JuCo players are sure to make a major impact on the team next season.
According to Dream Big Athletics and former MLB scout Tad Slowick, the Gamecocks have five of the top-54 junior college prospects in the country committed in the class.
Right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone slots in as the #1 overall JuCo player in DBA’s rankings and, obviously, the #1 pitcher and right-handed pitcher.
Brandon Clarke, a left-handed pitcher, is ranked #11 regardless of position and #6 among pitchers. He ranks as the 3rd-best lefty in the junior college class.
Another left-handed pitcher, Jackson Soucie, is the #14 JuCo product according to DBA. He also is the 8th-highest pitcher in the rankings and the 4th-best lefty.
First baseman/third baseman Jase Woita is 23rd on DBA’s list, and he is also the 11th-ranked position player in the rankings. No players listed as first basemen are ranked higher than Woita.
Cayden Gaskin, a utility player who can play middle infield or outfield, is ranked 54th in DBA’s junior college rankings. He is the 27th-rated position player, and only two players ranked ahead of him are listed with realistic multi-positional versatility on their DBA page.
All of these junior college stars are eligible for the 2024 MLB Draft, but only Brandon Clarke (who pitched for the Alabama Crimson Tide before heading to junior college) attended the 2024 MLB Draft Combine. Clarke likely will be selected in the draft, and depending on how high he is picked, he could opt to head to the professional ranks instead of enrolling at the University of South Carolina.
dark. Next. South Carolina Baseball won its first title 14 years ago; how the world looked back then. South Carolina Baseball won its first title 14 years ago; how the world looked back then
“DO NOT APPROACH HIM …”
Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are searching for an escaped inmate last seen at a Walmart in Greenville County, according to agency spokesperson Renée Wunderlich.
Billy Reed Fletcher, 43, is said to have escaped from the Carter County Detention Center in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Come Monday, June 24, 2024, Fletcher was recorded leaving Walmart Supercenter #641 on White Horse Road in Greenville County, S.C.
“On June 20, 2024, Billy Fletcher … walked off from his work detail at the Carter County Jail,” wrote the Carter County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on Facebook. “Billy Fletcher was being housed for a Violation of Probation. There is an active warrant for Billy Fletcher for Escape.”
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? #BREAKING: Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are searching for an inmate who escaped a detention center in Elizabethton, Tennessee on June 20, 2024.
According to SLED, Billy Reed Fletcher, 43, is believed to be in the Palmetto State as he was last seen… pic.twitter.com/zLXoU7DZ33
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) June 30, 2024
***
Authorities describe Fletcher as 6-foot-2 and approximately 230 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. They encourage anyone with information to contact SLED by calling 803-737-9000 or emailing tips@sled.sc.gov.
They can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Greenville by calling 864-23-CRIME (or 864-232-7463), going online at 23crime.com, or using the P3 Tips Mobile app. An anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers can be worth up to $1,000.
This story may be updated.
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PRESS RELEASE …
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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