BATON ROUGE, La. - LSU swimmers Michaela de Villiers and Jere Hribar each received SEC Swimmer of the Week selections for their performances against Auburn on Nov. 5, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
In her first meet this season, 5th-year senior Michaela de Villiers posted a pool record in the 50 freestyle, clocking a time of 21.85; it’s the 15th-fastest time in the NCAA this season. She also recorded the 23rd-fastest time in the 100 free (48.11). The Cape Town, South Africa native was also a member of the winning 200 medley relay team, touching the wall with a 21.33 split, and a member of the pool-record-setting 400 free relay squad, posting a 48.34 split. The selection was de Villiers' second in her collegiate career, with the first coming in January 2025.
“We are excited to have Michaela back with us for this season,” said head coach Rick Bishop. “She has been an outstanding leader in the pool and the weight room. Her drive for success for herself and for her teammates is everything that we could want. She has elevated those around her and helped push forward our team culture. In her first meet back against Auburn, she was fantastic, recording a pool record in her first swim.”
Her performance helped boost the Tigers to a 179.5-120.5 victory over Auburn - the program’s first win over Auburn since the 1990-91 season.
Hribar, who won SEC Swimmer of the Week earlier this season, was named this week’s SEC Men’s Co-Swimmer of the Week. Hribar improved his already-fastest-in-the-country 100 free time to 41.15, which is also a pool record. In the 100 fly, the senior notched a school record time of 44.84; it’s the second-fastest time in the NCAA this season. The Split, Croatia native also went 18.80 in the 50 free and recorded an incredible 17.97 split in the 200 medley relay. The selection is Hribar’s second this season and third in his collegiate career.
“Jere has been a man on a mission this year,” said Bishop. “He has some incredible goals, and he is putting in work like we have never seen. At the Auburn meet, he posted some of the fastest times in the country, and he is already approaching lifetime-best swims. His enthusiasm for his teammates, relays and his individual swims makes him exciting to watch.”
While the Tiger men fell to Auburn, 163-135, LSU won nine of the 14 swimming events that afternoon.
The Tigers will be back in action for the Georgia Invitational on Nov. 19-22. The Tigers will compete at the midseason meet against Alabama, Cal, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, and Georgia Tech.
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