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Moving to California from Colorado this fall, Cole Nero has announced his decision to attend and swim at California State, Bakersfield as a member of the class 0f 2027. Nero is currently finishing his senior year at Fossil Ridge High School while swimming club with the Fort Collins Area Swim Team.
Nero won’t be the first member of his family to swim at the Division 1 level as both his sister and mother were high-level swimmers. His sister, Bailey Nero, was a member of the Junior National Team and swam at Auburn while his mom Krista was a Junior National champion.
“I chose Cal State Bakersfield because the team felt like a family and I felt like a part of the team as soon as I met everyone.”
In March, Nero was a multiple-event finalist at the Sectionals meet held in Federal Way. His top finish came in the 400 IM where he took 23rd in 4:06.72. He was slightly faster during prelims of the event, touching in a lifetime best of 4:05.31. He also added a lifetime best in the 100 fly (53.07) to finish 86th in prelims.
As a junior, Nero was a finalist in the 200 IM at the 2022 CHSAA 5A Swimming and Diving State Championships last May. He took 18th in the 200 IM, touching in a lifetime best of 1:56.76.
Fossil Ridge finished 6th ats a team at the Colorado State Championship meet, and is that team’s only graduating senior who competed in the state finals.
Top SCY Times
- 100 back – 53.17
- 200 back – 1:53.92
- 100 fly – 53.07
- 200 fly – 1:54.85
- 200 IM – 1:55.91
- 400 IM – 4:05.31
In 2023, CSUB took 6th out of 8 teams at the 2023 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Swimming and Diving Championships. The team was led by MPSF Freshman of the Year Vili Sivec, who won the 200 free in 1:34.72 and took second in the 200 fly (1:44.81).
Nero will give the Roadrunners solid depth in all of his event when he joins the program this fall. His lifetime bests would already have put him close to scoring range at the conference championships. He’d have been closest to scoring in the 400 IM, where the 16th fastest swimmer in prelims touched in 4:03.84. His lifetime best in the 200 back would have also been the program’s fastest by nearly a second last season.
Nero will be joined in next year’s freshman class by CJ Manuel. Like Nero, Manuel will also arrive on campus with the ability to contribute to the program in the backstroke events. He’s already been as fast as 1:53.87 in the 200 back and 51.41 in the 100 back.
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