Swimmer of the Week: Alicia Caldwell
Alicia Caldwell (Courtesy: Rice Athletics)
Alicia Caldwell, of Rice University, was named the Swimmer of the Week by Conference USA for her performance in this past weekend’s Phill Hansel Invite- hosted by the University of Houston. This is the first time that the sophomore has won this award. She’s the third Owl to win this season (Kiley Beall and Kaitlyn Swinney are previous winners).
Caldwell led the Owls to a commanding team victory this weekend. In addition to being a member of four relays, she also finished first in both the 100 and 200 back (54.43, 1:57.19). Both races were won in NCAA “B” cuts fashion, and her time in the longer discipline was a new school record. To round out her individual races, she also placed second in the 200 free (1:48.62) and sixth in the 50 free (23.61).
Caldwell is positioning herself to be a stand out star at this year’s Conference USA Championships. She currently holds the fastest time in Conference USA in four of the five events that she’s competed in this season:
- 100 back- first by half a second- the second fastest time is owned by teammate Beall.
- 200 back– she’s on top by over 1.5 seconds, with teammate Swinney holding the second fastest time.
- 100 free– fastest by about half a second, the second fastest time belongs to Bianca Bocsa of North Texas
- 200 free- fasted by 3/10 of a second. She’s followed by the Mean Green’s Isabelle Morris
- 50 free– Caldwell holds the second fastest time in the Conference by less than 2/10 to Bocsa
Caldwell is a sophomore, competing in her first full season for the Owls. She came to Rice from The University of New South Wales in January 2015, and specializes in sprint free and backstrokes. Caldwell hit the ground running upon joining the Rice roster last spring helping the Owls to earn their first NCAA qualifying time in a relay at the Conference USA Championships last February.
Caldwell and the Owls return to action on December 5th when they host the Texas A&M Aggies.