2023 USC Invite vs. UCSB, Hawaii and UCSD
- Oct. 13-14, 2023
- Uytengsu Aquatics Center
- Los Angeles, California
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2023 USC Invite”
Claire Tuggle seems to be adjusting just fine to her new home in Los Angeles.
The University of Virginia transfer tallied a nation-leading time of 4:39.16 in the 500 free on Friday during her second meet with USC, a two-day invite featuring UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii, and UC San Diego. Tuggle shaved more than a full second 0ff her previous-best 4:40.41 from last season’s ACC Championships, taking over the top spot in the NCAA rankings ahead of Florida junior Emma Weyant’s 4:39.22 from earlier in the day on Friday.
Tuggle has already posted three lifetime bests in two meets for the Trojans, the other two coming in the 200 IM (1:58.76) and 400 IM (4:12.12) at last week’s SMU Classic. Growing up in Pismo Beach, California, she burst onto the scene at just 12 years old by breaking a 40-year-old national age group (NAG) record in the 500 free (4:49.32) before falling into a five-year plateau that she finally overcame in February.
Tuggle isn’t the only USC swimmer who could be contending for NCAA points in the 500 free next March. Hungarian freshman Minna Abraham, 17, placed 2nd behind Tuggle with a time of 4:41.74, registering the fourth-fastest time nationally in her first time ever swimming the 500 free.
The Trojans also boast the top NCAA time in the men’s 500 free courtesy of Polish freshman Krzysztof Chmielewski, who blazed a 4:15.18 at last weekend’s SMU Classic. On Friday, he beat his twin brother, Michal (4:27.36), with a winning time of 4:16.53.
In other highlights from Friday’s action, the USC women’s 400 medley relay dipped well under the NCAA ‘A’ cut with a winning time of 3:28.33 — faster than the Trojans went at NCAAs last season (3:29.56).
Senior backstroke specialist Caroline Famous led off in 51.63, more than a second faster than Aria Bernal at NCAAs last season, after capturing the individual 100 back title in 51.74. Junior breaststroke ace Kaitlyn Dobler was slightly slower than her NCAA split (57.69 vs. 57.22), but senior Anicka Delgado dropped from 51.96 to 51.87 and Russian graduate student Vasilissa Buinaia anchored in 47.14 — more than half a second quicker than Hanna Henderson’s 47.74 freestyle split from NCAAs. USC would have placed 7th at NCAAs instead of 10th last season based on the quartet’s performance on Friday.
In the men’s 200 IM, Trojans junior Chris O’Grady triumphed in 1:45.65, improving on his 1:46.26 from last weekend. He now ranks fifth in the NCAA in the event.
In the women’s 200 IM, USC freshman Macky Hodges was the only swimmer under two minutes with a winning time of 1:59.18. Her lifetime best is a 1:58.53 from last December. Hodges hit the NCAA ‘B’ cut, but remains almost six seconds off the ‘A’ cut of 1:53.66.
Happy for Claire! But no one is talking about the real truth here. Outdoor pools are just better–ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS SUNNY ALL YEAR LONG. Settled science at this point.
Seems not reported yet, Summer Mcintosh raced 3:57.59 in 400IM SCY today, 7th fastest in history.
Let’s go Claire!!
I’m here to see all the triggered UVA fans commenting over two transfers being 1-2 in the nation in the 500 free.
It’s great to see Claire Tuggle doing well at USC. Sometimes there are times when a change is needed for personal, family or geographical preference reasons. Nothing wrong with young people making life choices this way. We are all rooting for you, Claire.
I’d like people to have that same energy towards Curzan for leaving Stanford for UVA rather than bashing Meehan. And yes, I’m also rooting for both of them.
As a Stanford fan, you might want to worry more about your trainwreck of a team rather than worry about UVA.
Someone struck a nerve. Facts-Emma Weyant, Caroline Pennington and now Claire Tuggle are flourishing after leaving UVA. Stanford has had only one transfer leave the school Claire Curzan who will continue flourishing as she did at Stanford last year. (Only one less point than Alex Walsh scored at NCAAs). Stanford will continue to be at the top of swimming 5/10/20 years from now. UVA will have a difficult time staying a top 10 program in the years to come. UVA men’s program success will be what to expect in the future. By the way, my daughter attends UVA, and it is just a realization that the school does not support athletics. Characterization of Stanford as a trainwreck is silly as… Read more »
Caroline Pennington Was at USC not UBA
This is insanely off base and just laughable. Facts: Pennington is at her third school in 2-3 years and swimming decent times I guess??but “flourishing” is an exaggeration. Tuggle and Weyant swam one meet and swam decent times too (congrats to them!). It’s *extremely* early in the season though…a lot can happen. I’d save use of “flourishing” at least until after invites or conference meets have occurred. No SwimSwam commenter has claimed Stanford has a transfer problem. They have a problem with a lot of their swimmers under-performing and blowing expectations once they start training there. Stanford women may not even finish in the top 10 this year. Hardly “at the top.” UVA is heavily favored to win. Are you… Read more »
There is so much stupidity in your comment that there is no use arguing with you.
Actually since it is 6:00 AM and everyone is still asleep I will argue with you:
Here are some actual facts for you:
1) Pennington was at UVA for less than a week, decided it wasn’t for her and then left.
2) Weyant and Tuggle spent 1 year at UVA and had success. They both look like they are succeeding in their new environments. UVA fans continue to hope and cheer for their success both in/out of the pool.
3) Claire Curzan was an elite swimmer out of HS, with NCAA final times in like half the events. If she did not score a butt ton of points at NCAAs, then something went horribly wrong.
4) Seems you forgot… Read more »
Re: Pennington- (and the SS comment police may not like me saying this) but she’s at her third school in like 2 years so…I’d hardly classify her situation as UVA’s problem, regardless of how short a time she was there.
UVA also just finished 4th in the Directors Cup and is building a state-of-the-art Olympic sports complex on grounds so this guy saying UVA doesn’t support athletics when he probably pays his daughter’s tuition to go there, which also supports UVA athletics, is laughable.
Its actually not a “problem” at all. She decided the schools she went to weren’t a fit for her and decided to move. It is not our place to judge them. I do not really enjoy the SwimSwam comment sections when a big name transfers because its full of nonsense either attacking the program or the swimmer without any knowledge as to why they are leaving. I get emotions are involved and people want to have a cheap shot at programs/coaches they don’t like but its kind of ridiculous the things that get said in these comments from people with little to no knowledge.
I appreciate someone who grasps the big picture as opposed to frantically overreacting to recency. Expecting Virginia to remain on top indefinitely in swimming is the same genius as Clemson permanent as national championship contender in football and likewise Miami earlier.
Blue blood programs spit out trends
I’ve never seen a single UVA fan speak ill of Claire Tuggle in the comments on here. In fact I’ve only seen them praise her, root for her, and wish her the best. Also, let’s rehash this *yet again* – Weyant left to be closer to her family and boyfriend and tbh, she probably did not like having to compete hard against 2 teammates (Alex Walsh and Ella Nelson) who always got the best of her in her signature event. Tuggle left to be closer to home and family due to well documented mental health struggles, as she herself said in multiple interviews. It seems you’re maliciously manufacturing drama here.
Never did i think that Claire Tuggle would go a faster 500 time than Ledecky on a particular day.
Ledecky was probably sick or going thru a tough training period. Did you see her 200 free?
Does anyone know if Claire trained at USC over the summer? Seems to have adjusted very quickly!
She swam meets for Arroyo Grande Aquatic club, close to her hometown.
Really happy for Claire Tuggle. She’s been in the news since she was a 9-10 year old, and it can’t always have been easy. Hoping for a breakthrough season with the Trojans
Lots of informed comments. Best of luck to both Emma and Claire. For the record: they both still root for their former teammates when they are not competing against them.