The University of Alabama women’s swimming team didn’t just show up at the UGA Fall Invitational 2025Gabrielsen Natatorium—they announced themselves. On the opening day of the four-day collegiate meet in Athens, Georgia, the Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay Time Trial (Event 103) set the tone, with the NCAA standard clocked at 1:36.09. But it wasn’t until Day Two that the real fireworks began. Alabama’s quartet of Cadence Vincent, Emily Jones, Jada Scott, and Charlotte Rosendale blasted through the water in 1:26.90, shattering the NCAA standard of 1:28.26 and leaving rivals scrambling to catch up. That’s not just a win—it’s a statement.
Alabama’s Breakout Day Two
Wednesday, November 19, 2025, became the defining day of the invitational. While the opening day’s medley relay results were sparse—only the NCAA benchmark was confirmed—Day Two delivered clarity. Alabama’s women didn’t just win the 200 freestyle relay; they redefined what’s possible in early-season competition. Their 1:26.90 wasn’t just faster than the field—it was nearly a full second ahead of second place, a margin that’s practically a chasm in elite collegiate swimming. The team’s cohesion was evident: Vincent led off strong, Jones powered through the middle, Scott held the lead, and Rosendale sealed it with a blistering anchor leg. Their performance wasn’t a fluke. It was the product of months of early-morning drills, video analysis, and relentless focus.And it wasn’t just the relay. Emily Jones followed her relay win with a career-best 51.53 in the 100 butterfly, finishing second. Her teammate, Gaby Van Brunt, took first in the same event with a 51.01—her fastest time ever. Two Alabama swimmers in the top two of a premier butterfly race? That’s rare. That’s elite. That’s the kind of depth that turns good teams into championship contenders. By the end of Day Two, Alabama’s women sat fourth overall with 256 points, while their men’s team, led by Tommaso Baravelli (1:53.54 in an unspecified event) and Mackenzie Brandt, held fifth with 191 points. The Crimson Tide weren’t just competitive—they were building momentum.
The Broader Field: Georgia, FSU, and Tech Fight for Position
While Alabama stole headlines, the rest of the field didn’t roll over. The University of Georgia, hosting the event, had its own stars. Ieva Maluka turned in a 1:56.90 in the 200 IM, a solid time that kept Georgia in the hunt. Luca Urlando delivered in the men’s 200 IM with a 1:43.99, showing the Bulldogs still have Olympic-caliber depth. Meanwhile, Florida State University’s Mabry T. Bishop clocked 54.02 in the 100 backstroke, finishing just behind Georgia’s Emma G. Norton and ahead of Georgia Tech’s Phoebe Wright, who also swam 54.02. The tie was broken by hundredths—a reminder that in swimming, margins are microscopic.Even the Georgia Institute of Technology showed flashes. Their women’s team, though not in the top tier yet, demonstrated improved consistency. And let’s not forget Ahmed Jaouadi of the University of Florida, who swam a 4:10.72 in the 400 IM—a time that would’ve placed him in the top 15 nationally last season. This meet wasn’t just about Alabama. It was a snapshot of a deeply competitive landscape.
What This Means for the Season
Early-season meets like the UGA Fall Invitational aren’t about trophies. They’re about benchmarking. Coaches use them to identify strengths, test new strategies, and spot emerging talent. For Alabama, this invitational confirmed what their staff suspected: they’ve got a legitimate shot at the SEC Championships—and beyond. Their relay times are now among the fastest in the nation. Van Brunt and Jones in the butterfly? That’s a 1-2 punch that could dominate conference finals. The women’s team, sitting fourth after two days, is within striking distance of top-three finishers like LSU and Texas.For Georgia, it’s a wake-up call. Hosting the event and still trailing in points? That’s not a failure—it’s a roadmap. Their swimmers are fast, but they’re not yet clicking as a unit. The medley relay time trial on Day One? The results were incomplete, but the message was clear: the standard is 1:36.09. Georgia’s time? Unpublished. That’s the kind of silence that echoes louder than any clock.
What’s Next?
The invitational wrapped up on Friday, November 21, 2025, with final team standings cementing Alabama’s rise. While official team totals weren’t released in full, early projections suggest the Crimson Tide women finished in the top three overall. That’s a massive leap from last year’s mid-pack finish. The real test comes in December, when conference championships begin. SEC teams will now have Alabama’s relay times on their radar. Opponents will adjust training, tactics, even recruiting. And Alabama? They’ll keep grinding.Meanwhile, the NCAA is watching. With relay times like 1:26.90, Alabama isn’t just competing—they’re pushing the envelope. The 2026 NCAA Championships might not be until March, but the race for that podium started in Athens on November 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Alabama’s time in the Women’s 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, and why is it significant?
Alabama’s women’s 200-yard freestyle relay team clocked 1:26.90 on November 19, 2025, at the UGA Fall Invitational—nearly a full second faster than the NCAA standard of 1:28.26. That time ranks among the top five in the nation for the 2025 season and is the fastest early-season relay performance since 2023. It signals Alabama’s emergence as a national contender.
Who were the key swimmers for Alabama during the invitational?
Cadence Vincent, Emily Jones, Jada Scott, and Charlotte Rosendale led the winning 200 freestyle relay. Jones also placed second in the 100 butterfly with a career-best 51.53, while Gaby Van Brunt won the same event in 51.01—both times among the fastest in the country. Their dual dominance in freestyle and butterfly gives Alabama unmatched versatility.
How did the University of Georgia perform compared to expectations?
Georgia’s individual swimmers like Luca Urlando and Ieva Maluka posted strong times, but their relay performances—especially the medley relay—were underwhelming or unreported. Hosting the event and finishing behind Alabama suggests the team is still finding cohesion. Their NCAA standard for the medley relay (1:36.09) was met, but not exceeded, raising questions about their readiness for SEC finals.
What impact does this invitational have on NCAA Championship seeding?
Times from this meet directly influence NCAA seeding. Alabama’s 1:26.90 relay and Van Brunt’s 51.01 butterfly are now automatic qualifiers for the 2026 NCAA Championships. Georgia’s lack of relay results may hurt their seeding, while Florida State and Georgia Tech’s solid individual performances keep them in contention for at-large bids. The invitational acted as a de facto qualifier.
Why weren’t all relay results published on Day One?
The opening day’s Women’s 200 Medley Relay Time Trial (Event 103) was labeled a “time trial,” meaning it was primarily used for seeding and internal benchmarking rather than official competition. As a result, only the NCAA standard was published. Full results were likely withheld to avoid influencing team strategy ahead of the more competitive relays on Days Two and Three.
How does this compare to previous years’ UGA Fall Invitationals?
The 2025 edition saw significantly faster times than 2024, particularly in freestyle and butterfly events. Alabama’s relay time in 2025 was 1.8 seconds faster than their 2024 result, and the overall field averaged 1.2 seconds faster across relays. This reflects broader improvements in collegiate training, early-season conditioning, and increased specialization in relay exchanges—a trend that’s accelerating since 2022.