🏊‍♀️ Giele Goes Back-to-Back: Alabama Freshman Captures Second Straight SEC Weekly Honor

Tessa Giele powers Alabama’s 200 medley relay into the national top five, sets a pool record, and continues a breakout freshman surge.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. | The freshman wave in Tuscaloosa is gaining serious momentum.

Tessa Giele was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive time, the league announced Tuesday, after delivering another meet-defining performance for the Alabama Crimson Tide swimming and diving team.

Giele played a central role in Alabama’s emphatic dual-meet victory over Auburn last Friday, anchoring a record-setting 200 medley relay that now ranks fifth nationally and stands as the fastest time in the SEC this season.

The honor comes just one week after Giele claimed her first Freshman of the Week award following Alabama’s meet against Texas A&M, underscoring her rapid emergence as one of the conference’s most impactful first-year swimmers.

National Speed, Conference Statement

Swimming alongside Emily Jones, Jada Scott, and Cadence Vincent, Giele helped the Crimson Tide post a blistering 1:34.34 in the 200 medley relay — capturing the event by more than a second while also setting a new Alabama Aquatic Center record. The performance vaulted the relay into the national top five and sent a clear message ahead of the postseason stretch.

Giele wasn’t done there.

The freshman standout also claimed first place in the 100 butterfly for the second straight week, touching the wall in 51.67, more than half a second ahead of the field. Her versatility continued to shine in relay action, as she contributed to the 400 freestyle relay, which posted the fastest time of the dual meet at 3:13.22, winning by two seconds.

Individually, Giele added a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (22.08), finishing just behind teammate Cadence Vincent to complete a loaded night for the Crimson Tide.

A Freshman Making a National Impact

Back-to-back weekly honors are rare — and telling. Through the early portion of her collegiate career, Giele has already delivered elite times, record-setting performances, and high-pressure relay success, all while helping Alabama stack statement wins against conference rivals.

As the SEC season intensifies and national rankings sharpen, Alabama’s freshman phenom is quickly becoming a name to watch not just in the conference but across the NCAA landscape.

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-- By James W. Thomas

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