Texas swept Alabama in Friday’s swim meet in Tuscaloosa, winning both the men’s and women’s series
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The University of Alabama swimming and diving teams faced a major early- season test Friday night as they hosted powerhouse Texas at the Don Gambril Olympic Pool. The top-ranked Longhorns lived up to their billing, sweeping both the men’s and women’s meets, but Alabama left the water with a few standout performances and growing optimism for the season ahead.
The No. 2 Texas women cruised to a 211.5 – 88.5 victory while the No. 1 Texas men claimed a 216 – 82 win . Despite the lopsided scores, several Crimson Tide swimmers made statements against one of the deepest rosters in the country.
Junior Leonardo Alcantara broke his own school record in the 1000-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 8:51.26, a mark that drew cheers from the home crowd and set the tone for what Maja Kostic called “a night of fight.”
“I’ve been chasing that 1000 free record all season,” Alcantara said. “To finally drop it on front of the home crowd means a lot. Even though the team lost, this is a stepping stone for me.”
“You’ve got to tip your cap to Texas tonight they came ready,” Kostic said “But I’m proud of how our kids fought, especially Alcantara breaking his record. We’ve got work to do, but this gives us benchmarks to chase.”
On the women’s side, Emily Jones led Alabama with a win in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.55, while Gabby Van Brunt captured first in the 100 butterfly with the time of 52.92. The Tide women also opened the night with an impressive victory with a time of 1:39.59 in the 200 medley relay, out-touching Texas to grab early momentum.
“Winning the 100 back tonight was a personal goal,” Jones said. “It shows that even on nights we struggle, we have leaders who can step up and score for the team.”
Though Texas’ depth eventually pulled the Longhorns ahead, Alabama continued to post impressive swims throughout the meet. The Tide’s younger athletes gained valuable experience against one of the sport’s elite programs; experience that could pay off when SEC competition begins.
Coach Kostic said the team’s attitude stood out the most. Despite the tough opponent, Alabama stayed locked in from start to finish, competing with focus and energy in every event.
“This meet shows us where we are and where we can go,” Kostic said. “Facing the top team in the country this early on makes us better.”
With record breaking swims, individual victories, and the kind of resilience that defines successful programs, Alabama left the pool with much more than a score, they left with momentum.
