By SwimSwam on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Bryant Athletics

Somerset, N.J. – The Bryant University women’s swimming and diving team was selected to finish first in the Northeast Conference by the organization on Wednesday.

The three-time NEC champion Bulldogs received six first-place votes, followed by Central Connecticut, who received three votes. Wagner is in third, followed by Long Island, Saint Francis, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary’s, and Merrimack.

Last season the Black and Gold won their third-straight NEC title, where they earned 22 total medals (11 gold, five silver, and six bronze). This will be head coach Katie Cameron’s 16th season at the helm.

Bryant will make its season debut on February 13th in a conference matchup against LIU in Smithfield.

NEC PRESEASON POLL

1. Bryant (6)
2. Central Connecticut (3)
3. Wagner
4. Long Island
5. Saint Francis
6. Sacred Heart
7. St. Francis Brooklyn
8. Mount St. Mary’s
9. Merrimack

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Bryant Women Sit Atop NEC Preseason Polls

By SwimSwam on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Iowa Athletics

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Iowa Travels North For Regular Season Finale

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

Amazon and Swimming Australia have struck a deal that will allow the Australian Swimming Championships to be broadcasted live on the company’s streaming platform for the next two years, Sport Business reported on Wednesday.

The exclusive two-year agreement will allow the various national championship meets to be streamed on Prime Video globally, including in Australia, beginning with June’s Olympic Trials.

Swimming Australia has been searching for a rights deal since its agreement with Seven Network, an Australian free-to-air broadcaster, was terminated after the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic Trials were cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

With the Olympic Games pushed back one year to the summer of 2021, the first event streamed on Prime Video will be the Australian Swimming Trials, June 12-17, at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre in Oaklands Park (near Adelaide).

Leading into Trials, Swimming Australia will continue to stream coverage of its events on its SwimTV platform.

“Sport is an intrinsic part of Australians’ lives, and Amazon Prime Video has already established itself as the home of captivating Australian sports docu-series including The Test and the upcoming AFL docu-series Making Their Mark,” said Hushidar Kharas, head of Prime Video Australia.

“The launch of live sports streaming on Prime Video in Australia is a natural progression for us, and we are proud to be partnering with Swimming Australia to bring the iconic and beloved sport to Prime Video customers.”

Amazon has been involved in several sports streaming deals recently, including submitting a bid for domestic broadcast rights to French football’s Ligue 1, according to Sport Business. It is also currently filming a behind-the-scenes series documenting the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 season.

“To be able to partner our sport with one of the biggest streaming services in the world provides us with fantastic opportunities to deliver premium live swimming content to Australians and a global Prime Video audience,” added Swimming Australia President Kieren Perkins.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Amazon Prime Secures Australian Championship Streaming Rights For Two Years

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Cooper Tyler from Louisville, Kentucky has announced his intention to swim at the University of Kentucky beginning in the fall of 2021.

“I’m ecstatic to announce my verbal commitment to continue swimming and study pre-med at the University of Kentucky. I am so thankful to everyone who has helped me get to this point, especially my parents who’ve made all this possible. Another special thanks to @lakesidehawks and @stxtigers , but also where I started with @triton_swimming. Go CATS! #BBN #catsby90”

Tyler is a senior at St. Xavier High School in Louisville; he swims year-round with Lakeside Swim Team. He specializes in freestyle and is a Futures qualifier in the 50/100/200 free. At the 2020 Kentucky High School State Swimming and Diving Championships, he contributed to St. X’s 32nd consecutive team title with a 3rd-place finish in the 100 free (46.69) and a 4th in the 200 free (1:41.69). He also led off the 200 free (21.70) and 400 free (47.28) relays in prelims. His 200 free time was a personal best. In December, Tyler competed at the 2020 CSC-Lakeside Winter Dual Meet and picked up a lifetime best in the 100 free. He also swam very close to his PBs in the 50 (21.85), 100 (46.74), 200 free (1:42.02) and 200 IM (2:01.25) times at the Nashville Aquatic Club tri-meet in January.

Tyler will join a class of 2025 that also includes Aidan Lohr, Colby Maupin, Jack Hamilton, Jackson Mussler, Mac Russell, Michael Belair, Nicholas Caruso, and Victor Martin Roig.

Best SCY times:

• 50 free – 21.33
• 100 free – 46.46
• 200 free – 1:46.69
• 500 free – 4:40.26
• 100 back – 52.75
• 200 back – 1:53.93
• 200 IM – 1:58.22
• 400 IM – 4:13.62

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lakeside Freestyler Cooper Tyler Commits to In-State Kentucky Wildcats

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced Wednesday the cancellation of its 2021 Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championships after it was learned the competition’s venue would be unable to fulfill its hosting obligations.

The meet was scheduled to take place at the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ga., with the women’s meet March 3-6 and the men’s March 10-13, and was called off after the facility “determined it would be unable to fulfill its hosting obligation due to COVID-19 concerns,” according to the NAIA press release.

The events were originally slated to be held in Knoxville, Tenn., but had to be relocated due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was also going to be the first (and only) time the competition split up the men’s and women’s meets due to the pandemic.

Due to the fact that the host site withdrew within 90 days of the championships (as of Feb. 3, the meet would’ve only been 28 days away), the meet is cancelled following a policy approved unanimously by the NAIA’s Council of Presidents in December. This is the first event cancelled under this guideline.

According to an email notice sent to NAIA members, the National Office first learned that the Columbus facility would be unable to host the event on Monday, Feb. 1. The association added that, since all 28 NAIA Championships are scheduled within a tight three-month window this year, “opting to reschedule championship dates would further exacerbate challenges for both conference and institutional resources.”

It also mentioned that a similar situation arose last week, when the cheer and dance championships were able to be relocated within the 90-day window “because we had developed and identified, as a contingency plan, an experienced host available and ready to step in.”

However, the swimming & diving situation was unable to replicate this, mostly because Columbus was the event’s backup host.

“Unfortunately, with Columbus already serving as an alternate host, we don’t have that option with swim and dive,” said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. “High-quality, student-focused championships are at the core of the NAIA experience and cancelling is done only after all other viable options have been exhausted.

“In this case, we are simply out of time and possibilities with too much at stake related to the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff, and fans to move forward.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NAIA Cancels Swimming & Diving National Championships

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

Despite reports, rumors and speculation to the contrary, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reiterated once again last week that his nation’s intention is to indeed move forward with hosting the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Speaking to the World Economic Forum via teleconference last Friday, Suga stated, “We are holding the Olympics and Paralympics this summer. I am determined to achieve the games as a proof of human victory against the pandemic, a symbol of global solidarity and to give hope and courage around the world.”

Backing up this statement is the fact that the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee (Tokyo 2020) today published the first Playbook for member federations.

 The Playbook International Federations

The playbook is designed as a resource specifying the personal responsibilities key stakeholders must take on to ensure a safe Games in Tokyo.

Per the IOC, ‘the series of Playbooks provide a framework of basic principles that each key stakeholder group will follow before they travel to Japan, when entering Japan, during their time at the Games and when leaving the Games. They will provide direction and set parameters that will enable people and organisations to advance their planning at this stage.’

This playbook #1 is aimed at International Federations and Technical Officials, while the editions for athletes, media, and broadcasters are expected to come in the next few days.

Information concerning time in the Olympic and Paralympic Village, the amount of socializing permitted outside the village, as well as movement between venues, and more coronavirus-related topics are expected to be included for athletes.

As for this Playbook #1, there is specific language surrounding requirements for entering Japan, including providing evidence of a negative COVID-19 test and being ready to take an additional test upon arrival.

There are also graphical depictions regarding contact tracing:

Basic interaction guidelines are also included:

Speaking about the publication of the Playbooks, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi said: “The health and safety of everyone at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 are our top priority. We each have our part to play. That’s why these Playbooks have been created – with the rules that will make each and every one of us a sound, safe and active contributor to the Games. We know these Olympic Games will be different in a number of ways.

“For all Games participants, there will be some conditions and constraints that will require flexibility and understanding. We are providing the main directions at this stage, but naturally don’t have all the final details yet; an update will be published in the spring and may change as necessary even closer to the Games. We will make sure all the information needed is shared as quickly as possible to ensure we are fully prepared to protect all those coming to and residing in Japan during the Tokyo 2020 Games.”

He continued: “By committing to following the Playbooks we will be stronger together. In return, the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be remembered as a historic moment for humanity, the Olympic Movement and all those contributing to their success.”

CraigSpence, the IPC’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, said: “To ensure safe and successful Games this summer, every single stakeholder involved in, or attending the Games has a key role to play. Central to this are the Playbooks that form an integral part of a new and robust masterplan developed over the last 12 months to protect every Games stakeholder and, importantly, the people of Japan during Tokyo 2020.

“Since March 2020’s postponement we know much more about COVID-19, while the thousands of international sports events that have taken place safely over the last year have given us valuable learning experiences. Combining this new knowledge with existing know-how has enabled us to develop these Playbooks, which will be updated with greater detail ahead of the Games.”

Tokyo 2020 Games Delivery Officer Nakamura Hidemasa commented: “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the daily lives of people around the world, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games need to adapt accordingly. Safety and security have become everyone’s top priority, and this summer’s Games will be no different. Accordingly, Tokyo 2020, the IOC and the IPC have jointly published individual Playbooks for each stakeholder outlining the rules that need to be followed by all Games participants.

“The Playbooks were created from the perspective of the participants themselves, based on the interim summary that was published at the Coordination Meeting for COVID-19 countermeasures last December. They include not only the specific measures that need to be taken, but also details of the rules that need to be observed and the appointment of a single person to oversee COVID-19 countermeasures in each stakeholder group to ensure effectiveness. The purpose of this first edition is to communicate ‘what we know at this time’ to a large number of people in an easy-to-understand manner. The Playbooks will be updated to the second edition this spring as the situation changes.

“Through careful communication we would like to ensure that everyone involved in the Games around the world is aware of our plans. We hope thereby to assure them that, if each and every one of them follows the rules when participating in the Games, they can be held in a safe and secure manner. We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we would like to express our gratitude to the medical professionals, essential workers and everyone else who is working hard to ensure this. In the meantime, we will continue our preparations for ensuring safe and secure Games in the spirit of safety will be the number-one priority for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: First Of COVID-19 Playbooks Published For Tokyo Olympics & Paralympics

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

39th Speedo Greater Southwest Invitational

• January 29th-February 1st, 2021
• Lewisville ISD Aquatic Center, Lewisville, TX
• SCY (Short Course Yards)
• Results on MeetMobile, search “39th Speedo Greater Southwest Invitational”

James Fike, the founder of Fike Swim, competed in the 39th Speedo Greater Southwest Invitational in Lewisville, TX. Fike, 39, posted a lifetime best in the 200 breaststroke, and was near his personal bests in several other events over the course of the weekend.

Fike made news last year when he was setting lifetime bests at the age of 38, and again last fall, when he swam a personal best 100 breast after turning 39. Following his lifetime best 100 breast last fall, Fike provided SwimSwam with this article about shifts he has made in his training that have helped lead him to best times.

Fike dropped twice in the 100 breast this past fall, ultimately lowering his best mark to 54.33. This past weekend he started making moves in the 200 breast as well, posting a 2:01.29. The swim marked Fike’s first sub 2:02 performance. He was in place to potentially break 2:00 in the swim through the first 150 of the race, but faded just a tad coming home. Fike hit the 150 mark in 1:28.80, then came home in 32.49, 1.01 seconds slower than his 3rd 50 split of 31.48.

Fike also swam the 100 fly and 100 breast at the meet, finishing close t0 his personal bests in both. In the 100 fly, Fike swam a 50.07, coming in just .28 seconds off his lifetime best of 49.79. Even though he was that close to his personal best, the swim still comes in as his 5th-fastest performance ever. In the 100 breast, Fike clocked a 55.14, less than a second off his 54.33 mark he set in November.

Nitro Swimming’s Paula Warren, 15, had a breakout weekend. Warren kicked off her meet by posting a massive personal best in prelims of the 100 free. She swam a 53.38 in the morning, marking the first time in her career she broke 56 seconds. Warren had a previous best of 56.01, which she swam last year. She went on to swim a 53.72 in final, which was still over 2 seconds faster than she’d ever been in her life before that morning.

Warren then swam the 200 back, winning the event in finals with a 1:59.58. That swim was Warren’s first under 2:00, as she came into the meet with a lifetime best of 2:00.61. She then backed that swim up by dropping over 2 seconds in the 100 back to win the race in 55.07. Again, that swim was considerably under her previous mark of 57.19.

Warren finished her meet by swimming the 200 free, where, like the 100, she swam a best time in prelims. She posted a 1:56.48 in the morning session, yet again coming in way faster than her best time of 1:59.14. She went on to swim a 1:57.63 in finals.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Fike Swim Founder James Fike Hits Lifetime Best 200 BR in Lewisville at Age 39

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Arlington, Virginia’s Lauren Hartel has announced her verbal commitment to Ohio University’s class of 2026. She will head to Athens in the fall of 2022.

“I am super excited to announce my verbal commitment to Ohio University! Thank you so much to my family and coaches for their support. I look forward to growing as a person, swimmer, and student at OU! Go Bobcats!”

Hartel is a junior at Yorktown High School. At the 2020 VHSL Class 6 State Swimming and Diving Championships in her sophomore season, she placed 4th in the 500 free with 5:02.73. Her best time in the event came in the fall of her freshman year at the 2019 TAC Big Southern Classic.

Hartel does her year-round swimming with Arlington Aquatic Club. She earned a number of best times last spring, beginning with February’s Potomac Valley Swimming February Distance Meet where she clocked a PB in the 1650 free. It marked a 5.1-second improvement off a month-old PB that was, in turn, a 3.6-second drop from her previous best performance. The following month she competed at the Potomac Valley Short Course Junior Championships and logged PBs in the 50 free and 100 back, while placing 16th in the latter. Hartel had another strong meet at the Sport Fair Winter Classic in December 2019. She finaled in the 200 free, 500 free, 200 back, and 400 IM and left the meet with new times in the 1000 free, 200 back, and 400 IM.

Top SCY times:

• 1650 free – 17:12.23
• 1000 free – 10:09.58
• 500 free – 4:58.49
• 200 free – 1:54.39
• 100 free – 54.90
• 50 free – 24.95
• 400 IM – 4:35.62
• 200 IM – 2:13.37
• 200 back – 2:09.77
• 100 back – 1:01.35

Katie Garrity. Her best 500 time would have scored in the B final (with Garrity). Hartel will overlap a year with Emma Fortman, who was an A finalist in the 500 (4th with 4:51.19) and 200 free (3rd with 1:47.81), and a B finalist in the 200 back (11th with 2:01.55). She will also swim with Morgan Croaning, MadelineMarks, and Grace Riddle.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

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^{FFT is a SwimSwam partner.}

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Distance Freestyler Lauren Hartel (2022) Gives Verbal Pledge to Ohio Bobcats

By Robert Gibbs on SwimSwam

We’re kicking off the year 2021 with a countdown of the top 100 women and top 100 men in world-level swimming heading into the Olympic year. We’ll break down the list into multiple installments, so stay tuned as we continue with our lists.

We’ve placed a heavy priority on individual Olympic medal potential and world record potential, but we’ve also weighed potential for impact at other world-level events like Short Course Worlds, the ISL season, and the World Cup. These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Men’s #21-30

We’ve got a little bit of everything in this tier. We’re still not up the point where anyone is the favorite for gold medal, but the flip side is the most of the men in this group could be in the mix for Olympic medals in multiple events.

The further into the list we get, the more heavily we way recent performances, generally, so one thing that most of these ten guys have in common is that they had solid 2020 seasons, whether at big domestic meets, or in the ISL. The few guys who didn’t do anything hugely noteworthy in 2020 are guys who track record or trajectory still makes them serious contenders, but who would probably be a few rungs higher had they gotten to swim more at bigger meets this year.

Like we said, there’s a pretty even mix across the disciplines here, with three mid/distance freestylers, two backstrokers, two breaststrokers, an IMer, a sprint freestyler, and a free/fly type. An interesting note about this group of ten is that, collectively, they could challenge for an Olympic medal in every event except the 200 fly, and it definitely wouldn’t be surprising if more than one was to come away with Olympic gold.

#30: Chase Kalisz, United States – If we had make this list two years ago, Kalisz probably would’ve been ranked in the top ten. Michael Phelps’ former training partner dominated the IM events for the first two years of the quad, sweeping golds at 2017 Worlds and 2018 Pan Pacs. But he looked much less dominant in 2019, settling for a bronze in the 200 IM and 10th in the 400 IM in Gwanju. Still, we’ve seen plenty of US swimmers experience a down year the year before the Olympics, then pull it together when it counts, and with Kalisz having been 1:57/4:13 in December 2019, and with a pretty wide open IM field, Kalisz stands as good a chance of anyone in this discipline to pull down multiple medals.

#29: Elijah Winnington, Australia – He was one of many Australians to sit out the ISL season, but that didn’t stop him from hitting some great SCM times, becoming the 3rd-fastest Aussie ever with his 3:37 in the short course 400 free. Additionally, he hit long course lifetime bests of 1:45.79 in the 200 free and 3:43.90 in the 400, potentially moving him into contention for a spot on Australia’s 4×200 free relay, which is likely to earn a medal, as well into medal contention in the 400 free.

#28: Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine – The Ukrainian has been as consistent as just about anyone else in the 1500m over the last few years, netting silver medals at 2017 and 2019 Worlds, and then posting the 2nd-fastest time in the world in 2020 with his 14:41.63 last March, just before the pandemic started shutting things down. His 7:43.90 from March could also put him in the running for a medal in the 800 free.

#27: Maxime Rooney, United States – There’s a solid argument for ranking Rooney higher, even though he didn’t compete, let alone win a medal, at the World Championships in 2019. He hit lifetime bests in the 100 fly (50.68), 100 free (47.61), and 200 free (1:46.68) at the 2019 USA Summer Nationals. Those 100 fly and 100 free times would’ve netted him silver and bronze, respectively, at 2019 Worlds. His 200 free time gives him an outside shot at the USA 4×200 free relay team as well. He also had a solid ISL season, helping the LA Current to a 4th-place finish. All together, Rooney has a realistic shot at three relay medals and an individual medal this summer. The counter-argument, though, is that Rooney had a similar breakout meet at 2015 Summer Nationals and was unable to crack the USA’s 2016 Olympic team, and that the USA’s depth is so great, that there’s no guarantee he’ll make the team in any of those events, despite the world-class times.

#26: Matthew Wilson, Australia – It feels tough to have a guy who tied the 200 breast world record in 2019 ranked this low, but such is the depth in the 200 breast right now. He just missed the final in the 100 breast at 2019 Worlds, but he set a new Oceanic record in the 100 breast (SCM) with his 56.89 last November, so if he can find a little more speed in long course version, he stands an outside chance at picking up a minor medal in that event as well.

#25: Florent Manaudou, France – Like several other top swimmers, the pandemic has complicated his training, but he still had an outstanding 2020 ISL season, contributing in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 IM for Energy Standard. Now, he’ll be training exclusively in France, back with CNM, the same club he was swimming with when he earned Olympic gold in 2012. He clocked a 21.56 in the long course 50 free at the beginning of 2020, just 0.06s behind Vladimir Morozov for the fastest time in the world last calendar year. We saw Anthony Ervin win gold in Rio after a long break from swimming, and right now Manaudou may be the best bet to upset Caeleb Dressel in the 50 free.

#24: Gabriele Detti– “Mr. Bronze” has secured 3rd-place in the 400m freestyle at the last three major worldwide long course meets: the 2016 Olympics and the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. With the fastest long course time in the world in 2020 in the 400 free (3:43.73) and the 3rd-fastest time in the 800 free (7:46.04) and his track record of consistency, it feels like we should be able to pencil Detti for at least one minor medal this summer.

#23: Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia – He won the 2018 Swammy for World Swimmer of the Year, thanks to standout performances at the European Championships, the Youth Olympic Games, and the Short Course World Championships. Since then, he’s arguably taken a bit of a backseat to Russian teammate Evgeny Rylov on the long course side, part in thanks to a shoulder injury that limited his performance at 2019 Worlds. But Kolesnikov could still be in line for two relays medals as part of Russia’s 4×100 free and medley relays, and he’s riding high after a great ISL season which saw him break the World Record in the short course 100 back.

#22: Ryosuke Irie, Japan – If you were to just glance at international medals over the last few years, your first thought might be that the veteran backstroker is too high on this list; he didn’t medal in the Olympics, or at the last three World Championships. But the 31 year-old started 2020 by going 52.59/1:55.35, which ended up as the #1 and #2 times worldwide in 2020, hit a lifetime best of 49.91 in the 100 back (SCM) in ISL competition, and then wrapped up 2020 with yet another long course 1:55, meaning he is very much in the medal conversation heading into this summer, especially when you figure in the excitement that comes with swimming at home for the Olympics.

#21: Ilya Shymanovich, Belarus– Shymanovich is an elite sprint breaststroker who ended up 12th overall in MVP points across the 2020 ISL season. He followed that up less than a month later by smashing the world record in the short course 100 meter breaststroke. Most of Shymanovich’s medal production internationally has come in short course – and of course, the long course sprint breaststrokes have one pretty big obstacle to Shymanovich’s gold medal potential. But Shymanovich (58.2 in the long course 100 breast in 2019) is the #2 performer in all of history in the long course 100 breast, and was one bad semifinals swim away from a silver medal at 2019 Worlds. He has as good a shot as anyone to become just the second man ever under 58 seconds in the event.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Top 100 for 2021: Men’s #21 – #30

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced Wednesday the cancellation of its 2021 Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championships after it was learned the competition’s venue would be unable to fulfill its hosting obligations.

The meet was scheduled to take place at the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ga., with the women’s meet March 3-6 and the men’s March 10-13, and was called off after the facility “determined it would be unable to fulfill its hosting obligation due to COVID-19 concerns,” according to the NAIA press release.

The events were originally slated to be held in Knoxville, Tenn., but had to be relocated due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was also going to be the first (and only) time the competition split up the men’s and women’s meets due to the pandemic.

Due to the fact that the host site withdrew within 90 days of the championships (as of Feb. 3, the meet would’ve only been 28 days away), the meet is cancelled following a policy approved unanimously by the NAIA’s Council of Presidents in December. This is the first event cancelled under this guideline.

According to an email notice sent to NAIA members, the National Office first learned that the Columbus facility would be unable to host the event on Monday, Feb. 1. The association added that, since all 28 NAIA Championships are scheduled within a tight three-month window this year, “opting to reschedule championship dates would further exacerbate challenges for both conference and institutional resources.”

It also mentioned that a similar situation arose last week, when the cheer and dance championships were able to be relocated within the 90-day window “because we had developed and identified, as a contingency plan, an experienced host available and ready to step in.”

However, the swimming & diving situation was unable to replicate this, mostly because Columbus was the event’s backup host.

“Unfortunately, with Columbus already serving as an alternate host, we don’t have that option with swim and dive,” said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. “High-quality, student-focused championships are at the core of the NAIA experience and cancelling is done only after all other viable options have been exhausted.

“In this case, we are simply out of time and possibilities with too much at stake related to the health and safety of our student-athletes, staff, and fans to move forward.”

According to a source inside the NAIA, there were “multiple options” presented to the national office with facilities willing to host and facilitate the meet, but these requests were not listened to.

Columbus hosted four straight championship meets from 2016-2019 before Knoxville held last season’s competition. Keiser University are three-time defending NAIA champions on the men’s side, while SCAD Savannah have won three straight titles for the women.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NAIA Cancels Swimming & Diving National Championships

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Olivia Hovorka from the Columbus suburb of New Albany, Ohio has announced her verbal commitment to the University of California, Santa Barbara for 2022-23 and beyond. Hovorka will return to her (parents’) California roots: her mother attended UCSB and her father played volleyball at USC.

“I am so happy to announce my commitment to further my academic and athletic career as a second generation Gaucho at the University of California, Santa Barbara! Big thank you to all of the amazing people who have helped and supported me. Go Gauchos!

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Virginia High School League – District Championships

• January 28-31, 2021
• Short Course Yards

The opening round of the Virginia High School swimming& diving post-season began last weekend with district championship meets.

This is the first rung of a 3-step process: schools have until February 9 to complete Region meets. The top 4 finishers in each individual event and relay event at each Regional meet will advance to one of the 5 State Championship meets, ranging from a Class 1 & 2 combined meet, for the states smallest schools, to Class 6, for the state’s largest schools.

Each Class has 4 regions, meaning 16 qualifiers per event at the State Championship meet.

The two fastest district meets from last weekend were the Concorde District and the Liberty District, with no team scores being publicized for any (and some being described this year as “invitationals” rather than “championships.”

Concorde District

The Concorde District features Oakton High School, who were last year’s Class 6 3rd-place finishing teams in both the boys’ and girls’ meet, and the defending Class 6 girls’ champions James Madison High.

Among the highlight swimmers for Oakton is Anthony Grimm, the #1-ranked recruit in the high school class of 2021 who is headed to the University of Texas next season.

Grimm topped both of his individual events, winning the 50 free in 20.39 and the 100 breaststroke in 54.87. Neither swim is a best time for the defending Class 6 Champion in both races.

He also split 24.39 on the breaststroke leg of a 200 medley relay, where Oakton was upended by a surprising veteran Centreville relay by two seconds; and anchored Oakton’s winning 200 free relay in 1:25.93.

Swimmers are not bound to the Regional or State meets by their district event choices – so it’s worth noting that last year at this meet, the supremely-versatile Grimm swam the 50 free and 100 back before switching to the 100 breaststroke for his state title hunt.

Grimm’s understudy, of sorts, at Oakton is junior Graham Evers, who won both the 200 free (1:42.94) and 100 free (47.35). For Evers, who has not announced a college decision yet, those are both lifetime best swims. He was the runner-up in both events at this meet in 2020 as a sophomore, but was 7-tenths better in the 100 free and 8-tenths better in the 200 free this season.

The top performer on the girls’ side of the meet was Alexandra Dicks from the defending state champs at James Madison. She won the 50 free in 22.87 and the 100 free in 50.32. Last year, she was the runner-up in the 50 free (behind US National Teamer Torri Huske, who we’ll discuss later in the Liberty District), and 3rd in the 100 free, at the Class 6 State Meet, and she’s already close to her best times in both swims at this District event.

She also led off James Madison’s winning 200 free relay and 400 free relay.

Dicks’ teammate Erica Rice, committed to swim at Division III school Case Western, won both the 100 back (56.69) and 200 IM (2:07.44), which are both huge best times for her.

Other Concorde District Highlights:

• The Centreville boys, a team with a lot of depth, went 1-2-3 in the boys’ 100 backstroke, led by a 51.48 from Thomas Soh. The runner-up in that race, Jett Lee, won the 100 fly in 50.65 to defend his title. That’s three-tenths faster than he was at this meet last season, and almost asz fast as he was at last year’s state meet.
• Chantilly High senior Justin Lee, a Boston University commit, won the 200 IM in 1:56.36 and finished 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, behind Grimm, in 56.77. The former is a new lifetime best, and the latter is faster than anybody on the Boston University team swam last season.

Liberty District

In the Liberty District, it was Stanford commit and US National Team member Torri Huske who earned top honors. Huske swam the 100 fly and 200 IM in times of 51.34 and 1:58.80, respectively. Last season, Huske broke the National Public High School Record in the 100 fly at the Class 6 Championship meet.

Huske last season swam the 200 and 500 freestyles at the Liberty District Championships before changing her events on a march to two individual state titles. While Huske is unlikely to be seriously challenged in the 100 fly at this year’s state meet, she does have Dicks to think about in the 50 free and James River’s Grace Sheble to think about in the 200 IM when making event selections.

With Yorktown High finishing 2nd at last year’s Class 6 State Championships, they’ll have to choose wisely with their superstar swimmer.

Huske also split 49.39 on a 400 free relay rolling start (though Langley High actually beat Yorktown in that event), and anchored the winning 200 free relay (no split – touchpad error).

Other Liberty District Highlights:

• McLean High School freshman Catherine Hughes, who trains with Huske at the Arlington Aquatic Club, made a big splash in her high school post-season debut. Hughes won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.26 and was 2nd to Huske in the 200 IM in 2:07.48. Neither was a personal best, but in a meet that was dominated by juniors and seniors, Hughes was a standout rookie performer.
• On the boys’ side, Yorktown freshman Nolan Dunkel mirrored Hughes’ introduction to the league, winning both the 100 fly in 49.89 and the 100 back in 50.56. That 100 fly swim was his first time under 50 seconds in the race. With only Junoir National Teamer Landon Gentry and the aforementioned Jett Lee returning from last year’s state final in the boys’ 100 fly, Dunkel has a clear lane to at least a top 3 finish at this year’s Class 6 meet.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: High School Stars Torri Huske, Anthony Grimm Win Titles in VHSL District Meets

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

The Big Ten Conference is moving to a four-and-a-half day championship format for the 2021 men’s and women’s swimming & diving championships that begin later this month.

Last week, Ohio State announced via a press release that the Big Ten men’s championships would be held from March 2 – 6. This spans 5 days of competition, which is a day longer than the meet is usually held.

Initially, SwimSwam assumed this was an error. But, after a spokesperson from the school verified that those were the dates received from the conference, SwimSwam was able to confirm with multiple conference coaches that the present plan is to host four-and-a-half day championships.

Meets will be held Tuesday through Saturday, with the first day being an evening-only session, and continuing into four days of competition. Coaches are meeting on Wednesday to try to nail down the exact schedule, but are planning to somewhat mirror the 5-day SEC Championship format that has been used for the last few seasons in that conference, though there are expected to be some deviations.

Coaches have told SwimSwam that the idea behind stretching out the conference championship meet is to reduce the number of individuals in the building at any given time amid the COVID-19 safety protocols. At present, the change is being planned as a temporary shift for this season only to deal with the complications of the pandemic.

Updated 2021 Big Ten Conference Championship Schedule:

• Big Ten Men’s & Women’s Diving Championships – February 24-27 – Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana
• Big Ten Women’s Swimming Championships – February 23-27 – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Big Ten Men’s Swimming Championships – March 2-6 – Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Ironically, the SEC this season will move to a more traditional 4-day championship format, which includes splitting their men’s and women’s meets (they usually hold a combined-gender event).

The Michigan men won the 2020 Big Ten Championship, ending a 3-year Indiana title streak. On the women’s side, Ohio State pulled off a surprisingly-dominant victory over arch-rivals Michigan.

The Indiana men and Ohio State women were scheduled to return the most points for this season from last year’s conference rosters, based on eligibility, though a number of other factors in the pandemic season will impact the outcomes.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Big Ten Plans to Move to 4.5 Day Format for 2021 Swimming Championships

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

2021 GEORGIA HS 4-5A STATE CHAMPS

• February 3, 2021
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Live Results on Meet Mobile: ‘2021 GHSA 4-5A State Swimming & Diving Meet’

After taking third place overall at this meet last year, the Marist girls took the Georgia 1-3A team title by a mere two points over St. Pius X. Marist was propelled by their team depth, as 11 of their athletes scored 15 or more points individually, led by double A-finalists Ella Anchors, Kate Masters and Ava Westfall.

The meet this morning was run in timed finals.

TOP TEAM FINISHES

1. Marist – 325
2. St. Pius X – 323
3. Chamblee – 312
4. Starr’s Mill – 278
5. North Oconee – 277

Swimmer Morgan Jenny and diver Julia Herring, both sophomores, led a St. Pius X team that nearly took down Marist. Jenny first swam the 200 IM, posting a 2:06.13 to destroy her old best of 2:10.66. In the 500 free, she was just off of her best by a few seconds, dominating the field by almost ten seconds with a 5:03.12.

In the 1-meter diving, meanwhile, Herring was a marvel. Scoring a whopping 616.40 points, she won by 99 points, defending her 2020 title and doing so with a better score by over 20 points. With that 616.40, she becomes one of the best divers in state history; Elizabeth Kaye held the state record at 611.45, but this week at the 1-3A meet, Kaye scored 635.60 to cement her slot as the state’s best-ever. Herring still appears to be the second-best performer in Georgia high school history.

Chamblee was buoyed by junior and Auburn commit Kyla Maloney, who won the 100 back title (54.85) and touched second in the 200 free (1:51.06). In the 200 free, Maloney lopped just over a second off of her old best. Senior Mary Adam led a Chamblee 1-2 finish in the 100 breast, going 1:04.80 to touch ahead of sophomore teammate Evelyn Entrekin (1:05.49) as both clocked lifetime bests by just under a second each.

Chamblee also claimed victories in the 200 medley relay (1:46.93) and 400 free relay (3:35.24), getting a 51.59 lead-off from Maloney in the 400 free relay and a 26.18 back leg from her in the medley.

For Starr’s Mill, senior Avery McFaddin doubled up for wins in the 50 free (23.31) and 100 fly (54.65). McFaddin, who will attend Pitt this fall, broke 24 for the first time in the 50 free, while she dropped just over a second in the fly.

Senior Karen Zhao, a UChicago commit, blazed her way to wins in the 200 free (1:50.61) and 100 free (51.47), defending her state titles in both. She also anchored both of North Oconee’s free relays to third-place finishes, a huge push for them as they took fifth overall.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Marist Wins Georgia 4-5A Title by 2 Points, McFaddin Wins 50 FR/100 FL Double

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

The 2021 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships have been cancelled, the NCAA announced on Wednesday after a meeting of hte Division III Administration Committee.

The committee also announced the cancelation of post-season competition in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and men’s and women’s wrestling.

The NCAA established thresholds of minimum teams competing at 60% of teams competing in basketball, swimming and diving, and track and field, with a 70% threshold in hockey and wrestling.

Among the impacted sports, men’s and women’s swimming had the lowest percentage of programs committing to compete this season. Wrestling had the highest at 61.8%.

“Today, we made the difficult decision to cancel our Division III winter championships. While some institutions have been able to safely return to sport, the recent declaration form data show that more than half of our division has not returned to winter sport practice and competition to be in a position for NCAA national championship participation,” said Fayneese Miller, chair of the Presidents Council and president at Hamline. “This was a very difficult decision to make, and we are saddened to do so. However, none of our winter sports meet the Championships Committee’s established thresholds of participation to hold a championship. We are committed to ensuring that our student-athletes have the best possible experience, and, for us, this means having a meaningful number of competitions. We hope this is possible for our spring championship.”

Earlier in the day, the NAIA also announced that they were canceling their swimming & diving championship meets this season. NCAA Division II and Division I have not made any announcements about the future of their championship meets.

This marks the second straight season that the meet won’t take place after the 2020 edition was called off less than a week out from the competition when the coronavirus pandemic first hit the United States.

The competition was scheduled to take place March 17-20 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., hosted by Pacific Lutheran University, in what was going to be the first time that the championships took place on the West Coast since its inception in 1975.

The Division III Committee had confirmed multiple format changes to the meet back in October in light of the pandemic, including reducing the meet capacity down to 75% of its usual numbers (allowing 239 women and 195 men to compete) and pushing back the selection announcement date to March 10.  In August, the committee cancelled all championships for fall sports.

In what has been a very trying 10 months for collegiate programs around the country, several top-tier D3 swimming & diving teams opted out of competing during the 2020-21 season, though at least one, Denison, recently announced a competition schedule.

The 2021 Pac-12 Swimming & Diving Championships were also scheduled to take place in Federal Way, but have since been moved to Houston.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2021 NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships Cancelled

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

2021 GEORGIA HS 4-5A STATE CHAMPS

• February 3, 2021
• McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, GA
• Short Course Yards (SCY)
• Live Results on Meet Mobile: ‘2021 GHSA 4-5A State Swimming & Diving Meet’

The first of four Georgia high school championships wrapped today, as the Marist girls (this morning) and boys (this evening) claiming state titles in the 4-5A meet.

Tomorrow will be the 1-3A championships, followed by 6A on Friday and 7A on Saturday. Due to COVID-19, the meets have been split to limit the total number of swimmers in every session; usually, the 1-5A meet is combined into one, as is the 6-7A meet.

TOP TEAM FINISHES

1. Marist 321
2. Woodward Academy 284
3. Calhoun 271
4. St. Pius X 258
5. Starr’s Mill 204

Marist, who won by almost 150 points in a landslide victory in 2020, defended their title (though not by as much). Their overall depth, as well as a win in the 200 free relay (1:29.12), propelled them to victory by a comfortable 37 points.

In the 200 IM, Loganville’s Anderson Holcomb tangled with St. Pius X’s Henry Halloran, coming out on top by a half-second. Emory commit Holcomb was 1:53.02, a good seven seconds faster than his seed, while Villanova commit Halloran took second in 1:53.65. For Holcomb, it was a huge best, dropping over three seconds from his old PR of 1:56.64 from this meet last year. He followed that up with a triumphant win in the 100 breast, going 56.56 and winning by almost two seconds.

Halloran posted another runner-up touch for St. Pius X in the 500 free (4:40.15), beat out by Clarke Central senior Will Foggin (4:38.70).

Georgia commit TJ Pittenger, a Northgate senior, claimed the sprint double with wins in the 50 free and 100 free. He was 20.46 in the 50 and 45.59 in the 100, slicing .03 off his old best in the 50 and just over two-tenths off his 100.

McIntosh’s Andrew Bleuez, a sophomore, posted a 49.93 in the 100 fly to take down Star’s Mill junior Seth Roach (50.25). For Bleuez, that’s a drop of over 2.5 seconds, a huge swim for him, while Roach shaved two-tenths off of his old best. Roach would go on to win the 100 back, posting a 50.68 for a new lifetime best by over a second.

OTHER WINNERS

• St. Pius X took the 200 medley relay (1:36.54) in a close victory over Calhoun (1:36.74).
• North Oconee’s Gavin Jones, a junior, clocked a 1:41.91 to win the 200 free by almost two full seconds. He took almost a full second off of his old best, a 1:42.86 from this meet last year.
• Woodward Academy took a slim win over Star’s Mill in the 400 free relay, 3:13.53 to 3:14.08. Michael Tucker was 46.25 leading off and Roach 46.26 anchoring for Star’s Mill.
• Grady freshman Thomas Lyman won the 1-meter diving with a score of 518.25.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Marist Wins, UGA Commit TJ Pittenger Posts 20.4/45.5 FR at Georgia 4-5A Champs

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced major changes to its championship schedule for winter sports today, including the cancellation of the MAAC Swimming & Diving Championships. The changes impact men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball, but the most severe changes are to swimming & diving.

In its press release, the conference states that the decision was made today by the Council of presidents following feedback from the coaches, as well as a recommendation from the MAAC Swimming & Diving Committee. The MAAC also noted that they will begin conversations on potentially running a virtual swim & dive championship, where each program would be able to race at their own pools. Although no decision has been made on a virtual championship as of yet, a virtual championships would allow swimmers some form of an end-of-season championship meet.

There are 10 universities with swimming & diving programs in the MAAC. All 10 universities sponsor both men’s and women’s swimming.

MAAC Swimming & Diving Teams

• Fairfield
• Iona
• Marist
• Canisius
• Rider
• Monmouth
• Niagara
• Siena
• St. Peter’s
• Manhattan

Last year at the 2020 MAAC Championships, the Rider men’s team record its 9th-straight conference title, while the Fairfield women won their 3rd-straight.

The decision to cancel the swimming & diving championships is somewhat out of step with what we’ve seen so far from other NCAA Division I mid-major conferences. Mid-Major conferences are those DI conferences outside the Power 5 (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC). Many other mid-major conferences have moved their swimming & diving championships to April, after the NCAA DI Championships.

Full statement on swimming & diving from MAAC:

“Following feedback from the swimming and diving coaches and a recommendation from the MAAC Swimming and Diving Sport Committee, endorsed by the MAAC COAA, the Council of Presidents have voted to cancel the 2021 MAAC Swimming and Diving Championships. The sport committee will begin the process of considering a virtual invitational for MAAC teams, which would be held remotely and provide student-athletes with a culmination event for a truncated pandemic related season.”

To read the full MAAC press release, click here.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: MAAC Cancels 2021 Swimming & Diving Championships, Virtual Champs a Possibility

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, a silver medal club in Tucson, Arizona, has named Emma Munsch as the program’s new head coach. Munsch officially took up the post about a month ago, and fills the spot previously held by Paul Stafford – who resigned from the position last summer.

In the interim, current Arizona assistant Peter Richardson acted as the program’s head coach.

Munsch, formerly Emma Darlington, is a Tucson native and somewhat of a local legend in the area swimming community.

Darlington, who was a 2019 inductee into the Pina County Sports Hall of Fame, swam in high school at Salpointe Catholic. During her career there, from 2004 through 2007, she won a pair of state championships, both as a junior in 2005 (50 & 100 free). Throughout her high school career, she never finished lower than 5th place at the state championship meet in an individual event.

After high school, she swam for the University of Arizona, also in Tucson, where as a freshman she was a member of the program’s first-ever NCAA team championship. Darlington qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four years of her college swimming career, earning All-America honors in the 200 free relay in 2009, 2010, and 2011.

After graduating from Arizona, she began teaching history at her alma mater, Sailpointe Catholic, in the 2012-2013 school year. In February of 2014, she began coaching at Tucson Ford, eventually working her way up to Lead Senior Group Coach and Team Administrator. She stopped teaching in 2016 to work full-time with the USA Swimming club.

Tucson Ford has long been one of the ‘golden circle’ clubs in USA Swimming, producing a number of US National Teamers and Olympians. Among the better-known names to come out of the club’s age group ranks in the 2000s are Olympic medalist and former World Record holder Lacey Nymeyer, current Arizona State assistant coach Herbie Behm, Arizona All-American Bryan O’Connor, and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the 200 IM Caitlin Leverenz.

That’s in addition to a number of University of Arizona undergrads and post-grads that have represented the club in national competition.

Tucson Ford has won 9 Arizona LSC Senior Championships since 2010, including most recently the long course title in 2019.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Emma (Darlington) Munsch Named New Head Coach at Tucson Ford

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2021 JAPAN OPEN

• Thursday, February 4th – Sunday, February 7th
• Tokyo Aquatics Centre
• LCM (50m)
• Entry List (in Japanese)
• SwimSwam Preview
• Results

The 2021 Japan Open may not be a selection meet but the caliber of talent descending upon Tokyo Aquatics Centre makes the meet a must-see regardless.

For instance, we’re set to see a head-to-head battle in the men’s 400m IM final between Olympic champion Kosuke Hagino and his bronze medal teammate from Rio Daiya Seto.

The pair haven’t dueled in over a year due to Seto’s suspension from competition due to an ethics violation stemming from an extramarital affair. Seto has already qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games courtesy of his 200m IM and 400m IM gold medal-winning performances produced at the 2019 FINA World Championships.

Already in the prelims of the men’s 400m IM here in Tokyo, both Seto and Hagino made it into the final, capturing the 2nd and 6th seeds, respectively.

Seto clocked a morning swim of 4:14.98 to flank event leader So Ogata, the 17-year-old who logged a mark of 4:14.14 to land lane 4 for tonight’s final. Hagino put up a morning time of 4:17.16 to also make the medal contest.

In the men’s 100m free, it was national record holder Katsumi Nakamura who clocked the fastest mark, leading the pack in a time of 49.22. World Championships silver medalist Katsuo Matsumoto was near the top with a morning swim of 49.42 as the 3rd fastest swimmer, while Shinri Shioura missed the final, settling for 12th place in 50.09.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2021 Japan Open: Seto & Hagino Headed To Heated 400 IM Final