Swim / Dive Falls to Gators in Dual Meet Opener

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami swimming & diving team dropped its dual meet opener Friday afternoon, falling to Florida, 203-90, at the Whitten Pool.

A number of freshmen played key roles in their first college meets, with Andrea Todorovic and divers Mia Vallee and Jessie Creed serving among Miami’s top point-getters on the day.

Miami’s 400-yard medley relay entry, comprised of two freshmen, one sophomore and one junior, opened the meet in strong fashion, taking second with a time of 3:48.17. Sophomore Zorry Mason, Todorovic, freshman Isabel Traba and junior Sydney Knapp combined to form Miami’s top-performing group.

Junior Alaina Skellett’s time of 57.10 scored Miami points in the 100-yard backstroke, while Todorovic took second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.60). Traba, also making her debut, was second in the 200-yard butterfly (2:02.83).

Looking to build on a record-setting freshman season, Mason was second in the 50-yard freestyle (23.39), barely edged out by Isabella Garofalo of Florida (23.31). 

Two more freshmen played a key role in helping Miami close an early gap, as Vallee (305.63) and Creed (299.25) took two of the top-three finishes in the 3-meter to open diving action. The duo would perform similarly well in the 1-meter to close their day, with Creed taking second (285.38) and Vallee taking third (282.83).

Todorovic posted another impressive time, this one in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:22.17) to finish second in the event, while Mason took second in the 100-yard butterfly (54.71).

The Hurricanes’ top entry in the 400 freestyle relay – comprised of Carmen San Nicolas, Skellett, Traba and Knapp, finished the day’s action with a time of 3:29.68.

Miami continues its opening weekend Saturday with a dual meet at FIU. The action is set to begin at 10 a.m. on the FIU campus.