SALT LAKE CITY – After a record-breaking conference championship, members of the University of Utah swim team will close out their season at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship in Ocala, Fla. beginning on March 13.
"We've got 15 swimmers going and they're hungry for more success," said head coach
Jonas Persson. "They want to compete at the national level and this is a step in the right direction. We're going to be competitive and it's going to be a lot of fun."
Previously in the pool
- At the Big 12 Championship, the aquatic Utes broke three program records in the first three days of competition and earned 39 top 10 times.
- Starting the five-day meet off with a bang, Nick Chirafisi, Jakub Walter, Jones Lambert and Evan VanBrocklin smashed the program's 11-year-old 800-free relay record with a new time of 6:18.04.
- Durgan McKean broke Utah's record in the 200-yard IM with a time of 1:43.33, finishing in third-place at day two of conference.
- VanBrocklin was the third and final record-breaker of the meet, touching his 100-fly in at 45.98.
- Collecting four personal bests at her first collegiate conference meet, Alexia Duncan earned a spot in finals in three of her races.
- Chirafisi earned three NCAA B-cuts and three personal bests at Big 12s after swimming the 200- 500- and 1650-yard freestyle events.
- Erin Palmer broke the Utes' 100-yard breaststroke record with a 1:00.40 swim in a dual meet against the University of Wyoming.
Looking Ahead
The divers are staying busy at NCAA Zones, while the swimmers finish out the week at the CSCAA Invite. After this week, the NCAA qualifiers will prepare to take the national stage in Federal Way, Wash. with the women's meet starting on March 19 and the men's on March 26.
Follow the Utes!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UTAHswimdive | Instagram: @utahswimdive | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahUtesSwimDive), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download
here.