Saffer wins 100 breaststroke at SEC

Jamie Saffer won the 100-yard breaststroke at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Ala.

The junior finished in 59.84 seconds. During the preliminaries, she broke the SEC championship record in 59.79.

"I was really nervous heading into the race because I knew there were a lot of really good girls," Saffer said. "I really practiced being strong on my last lap and I just pushed it. I knew I had to take that last wall hard."

Saffer was in third-place with 25 yards to go in the race, but surged ahead of Georgia's Michelle McKeehan (59.42) and Auburn's Micah Lawrence (1:00.28).

The Lady Vols remain in fourth at 279.5 points with one day of competition left. Florida leads with 534 points, while Auburn (526) and Georgia (498.5) are within striking distance.

Freshman Jenny Connolly was second in the 100 backstroke with a school record 51.34. Gemma Spofforth won in 50.53. Connolly briefly held the SEC championship record at 51.66 in the prelim heat before Spofforth grabbed her record back in 50.53.

Connolly, Saffer, Michele King and Carly Mathes finished fourth in the 400 medley relay and shattered the UT record by more than two seconds in 3:34.90.

Auburn won the relay in an SEC championship record 3:31.28.

Auburn continues to lead the men with 588.5 points. Florida is second (405) and UT third (397.5).

After leading the first seven pool lengths in the 200 freestyle, UT senior Jonas Persson was beat out at the wall by two-time defending SEC champion Shaune Fraser of Florida. Persson swam the second-best time in UT history at 1:34.02.

Florida's Bradley Ally broke Michael Phelps' American record in the 400 individual medley. UT sophomore Michael Christy was fourth in 3:47.81, the third-fastest time in UT history.

Barry Murphy was third (52.86) in the 100 breaststroke and Nolan Morrell tied for fifth (47.13) in the 100 backstroke.

Tennessee's 400 medley relay team of Morrell, Murphy, Michael DeRocco and Jimmy Dabney swam the ninth-fastest time in UT history to finish fourth (3:10.68).