CMU Intermountain Shootout gets 2023-24 Started for Swim & Dive

Friday, September 29

Grand Junction, CO

University of Utah

CMU Intermountain Shootout

Photo by: Axe Tang/Utah Athletics

CMU Intermountain Shootout gets 2023-24 Started for Swim & Dive

9/27/2023 11:25 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Persson’s people travel to Colorado for first meet of new season

SALT LAKE CITY – After more than six months of waiting, the 2023-24 season is finally about to get underway for the University of Utah swimming and diving team and that brand new campaign will get underway on Friday and Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo., the site of the CMU Intermountain Shootout.

This will be the Utes' first trip to this event since the 2016-17 season and it's the first time a Utah squad has opened the season in Colorado since the men's squad participated in its first meet of the season at the 2014 Intermountain Shootout.

"I'm excited to see the swimmers compete this weekend," said head coach Jonas Persson. "It's a great way to start off the season and we will see everyone swim in a lot of events in a fast pool. We will be able to tell how training is going and what we need to change or adjust moving forward. I bet the swimmers are just as excited to get things started and get some races in. They love to compete, so I'm glad we are able to start so soon."

In the Pool
The list of returners who will be back in the pool for Utah in Grand Junction include Jaek Horner and Evan VanBrocklin on the men's side and Summer Stanfield and Hilja Schimmel for the women's squad.

Horner's 2023 campaign ended at the NCAA Championships, where he earned the chance to compete in the 200 individual medley, the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. Horner garnered spots at nationals in both breaststroke events by breaking the program record in each race during the 2023 season and his best time in the 200 IM was also good enough to tie him for second in the Utah record book. Horner earned a bronze medal at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships as well as part of Utah's 200 medley relay team.

VanBrocklin spent his first year as a Ute piling up victories, including a three-win performance against BYU in January that led to him being named Pac-12 Male Swimmer of the Week. VanBrocklin piled up 11 total victories during his freshman season, which ended at the Pac-12 Championships, where he collected three top-20 finishes. The Salt Lake City native also posted top 10 times in three different events during 2022-23.

Stanfield added multiple new times to the program record book a season ago, posting Utah's second-fastest mark in the 200 backstroke and the 400 IM. Her list of accomplishments included a slew of victories as well, three of which came on Jan. 20 against Washington State, when she swam into first place in the 200 free, 100 fly and 200 IM to help secure a 156-99 Utah triumph. She snagged four more first place finished in one weekend against Colorado Mesa in early January, which earned her the Pac-12's Female Swimmer of the Week award.

Schimmel introduced two new top 10 times into the school record book during the 2022-23 season, recording personal bests in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Schimmel also helped Utah earn relay triumphs over UNLV and BYU and contributed to her team's win over WSU by snagging a first place finish in the 100 breast.

The list of returning swimmers who own top 10 times in Utah history also includes Maddie Woznick, Reagan Cathcart, Taylor Kabacy, Kyla Yetter, Anelise Hedges, Marlene Sandberg, Krystal Lieu, Marko Kovacic, Brandon Miller, Preston Planells, Parker McOmber, Dylan Becker and Baylor Lewis.

Looking Ahead
The next meet on the docket for the Utes will be the squad's home opener against LSU, which is scheduled Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. inside the Ute Natatorium.

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