After a season-and-a-half at the University of Miami, Russian native Ksenia Yuskova will transfer to the University of Houston next fall.
Yuskova’s best times in yards and meters:
- 50 free – 23.45/26.88
- 100 free – 49.77/56.25
- 200 free – 1:46.07/2:00.44
- 500y/400m free – 4:50.16/4:12.28
She joined the Hurricanes mid-season during 2014-2015 as a member of the Russian National Team program. She represented her home country at the 2012 World Short Course Championships where she placed 18th in the 400 free individually and won a silver medal as the anchor on Russia’s 800 free relay in finals.
She split a 1:56.07 to anchor that relay, which converts to a 1:44-mid in yards.
Yuskova will join a University of Houston team that will enter its second year under new head coach Ryan Wochomurka, who was formerly the associate head coach with the top 10 program at Louisville.
“Ksenia is a huge addition to an incoming group that has the ability to significantly sharpen our already upward trajectory as a program,” Wochomurka said. “Her experience on the collegiate and international level allows her to have an immediate and significant impact individually, and on our relays.”
Her presence will give a jolt to a rebuilding process after a tumultuous period for the program. The team lost its long-time coach Mark Taylor to a heart attack at the end of the 2010-2011 season, and last year Wochomurka became the 4th head in the 5 seasons since.
Houston placed 3rd out of 6 teams at the 2016 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championships, but scored only 6 of their 554 points in the 200 free – Yuskova’s best event. Her best times would’ve placed her 3rd in the 100 free, 2nd in the 200 free, and 3rd in the 500 free at last year’s AAC meet. The team is a little deeper in the longer freestyles, where Yuskova will join a group that includes the defending conference champion, and sophomore-to-be, Hannah Herbst.
The University of Houston swimming & diving program has a long history of success with Russian athletes, but it’s been primarily with divers. Their divers have won 6 Olympic medals representing Russia and two National Champions. Former University of Houston head diving coach Jane Figueroa, who is not working with Olympic champion Tom Daley in Houston, was a diving coach with the Russian Olympic Teams in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012.
With lots of room on their roster, she’ll join an incoming freshman class that includes 12 athletes: Hanna Blewett, Zarena Brown, Lauren Burrell, Gaby Jimenez, Peyton Kondis, Laura Laderoute, Sydney Larson, Claire Liptak, Emily Longfellow, Hannah Middleton, Victoria Roubique and Isabel Tank