Riley Gaines Named SEC Female Co-Swimmer of the Week
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Following an impressive showing in the University of Kentucky swimming and diving team’s home victory over Marshall on Jan. 12, senior Riley Gaines has been tabbed the Southeastern Conference Female Co-Swimmer of the Week. This is the second such honor of her career.
A native of Gallatin, Tennessee, Gaines led the No. 13 Wildcat women to a convincing 159-92 victory over The Herd in the first dual meet of the new year. She won all three individual events she competed in, taking the top spot in the 50 free (22.92), 100 free (49.66), and 200 free (1:46.68) by impressive margins. She also anchored the winning 200 medley relay in 22.79.
Her wins against Marshall marked her 10th, 11th, and 12th individual dual meet victories of the 2021-22 season. She has remained undefeated in the 100 free so far this season in dual meet action, also placing either first or second in both the 50 free and 200 free each time she has raced those events.
Gaines had a stellar performance at the Ohio State Invitational on Nov. 18-20, helping the Wildcats to a second-place team finish. In Columbus, she won the 200 free (1:43.81) and 200 fly (1:54.84) while earning the runner-up spot in the 100 free (48.43). She also split 1:44.06 on UK’s 800 free relay that placed first.
She currently ranks fifth in the nation in the 200 free, 14th in the 200 fly, and 15th in the 100 free with her times from the mid-season invitational.
No stranger to the UK record book, Gaines owns the school standard in the 100 free, 200 free, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay, and 800 free relay. She also ranks third in the 200 fly and fourth in the 50 free.
This marks Kentucky’s second SEC honor of the year as Kyndal Knight was named the league’s co-diver of the week on Oct. 19. Gaines shares this week’s honor with 2020 U.S. Olympian Rhyan White of Alabama.
Gaines earned the first SEC Female Swimmer of the Week accolade of her career on Jan. 26, 2021, after leading Kentucky past in-state rival Louisville while breaking two school records. She and the Wildcats are back in action on Jan. 22 to face the No. 11/15 Cardinals in Louisville at the Ralph Wright Natatorium.
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
