NCAA champ Caeleb Dressel and a number of top Florida Gators no longer appear on the heat sheets for U.S. Winter Nationals in what the athletic department says is a coaching decision.
Dressel disappeared from the Winter Nationals psych sheets this morning, where he was the top-seeded 50 freestyler by a longshot. Also gone are Mitch D’Arrigo, Savanna Faulconer and Alex Lebed. You can read more about that here. Florida’s athletic department mentioned Dressel’s previous performances (some automatic NCAA qualifying times at the Georgia Tech Invite last month) as reason for passing up another big winter invite.
Dressel currently has NCAA A cuts in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. He was in line to swim both the 50 and 100 frees this week, plus some “off” events – the 200 free, 200 IM and 100 breast. Perhaps one more wrinkle was that the Georgia Tech Invite took place in the very same Atlanta pool that is hosting Winter Nationals. So any Gators who competed at the college invite would be returning to the same venue for another mid-season rest invite.
A handful of Gators are still entered, and the athletic department says coach Gregg Troy saw Winter Nationals as “an opportunity to get one-on-one with a handful of swimmers.”
I knew when he performed really well two weeks ago that there would be zero incentive in swimming another meet just weeks away from finals and the Christmas break. I’m glad he has a coach that is will to put Caeleb’s needs first. Guys this is a non NCAA meet and he has the top times in the country in four events. I would have loved to watch him race… but, I completely understand their decision.
Aww… I was really looking forward to seeing Dressel in the pool especially in his non-trademark events.
Same here…So disappointed right now.