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Phoenix, Arizona native Devin Esser has announced his verbal commitment to the University of California, San Diego for 2021-22. He will join Jackson Bernstein in the class of 2025.
“I am very excited to announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of California – San Diego! I am beyond thankful to Coach Marko and Coach Kirk for this opportunity and would like to thank my family, Coach Joe, and all of my coaches, friends and teammates for supporting me along the way. I am super excited to be a part of the Triton family – Go Tritons!!!”
Esser, a rising senior at Veritas Preparatory Academy, and his friends Keaton Jones and Tal Spector made names for themselves in June when they swam 25 miles in 24 hours to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts. In his junior season of high school swimming, Esser won the 200 free (1:41.50) and 500 free (4:37.42) at the 2019 AIA Division 3 State Championship last November. He then went on to the Arizona Meet of Champions and placed 4th in the 200 (1:44.20) and 2nd (to Jones) in the 500 (4:38.85).
Esser swims for the club team Swim Neptune. In February, he had a strong showing at the Arizona Senior Open Championships, finaling in the 200 free (6th), 500 free (5th), 1000 free (3rd), 200 fly (5th), 200 IM (8th), and 400 IM (13th). He went lifetime bests in the 500/1000. He also picked a trio of PBs in the 1650 free, 200 fly, and 400 IM last December at Neptune Holiday Classic. There, he won the 200 fly and 400 IM and place among the top 3 in the 200/500/1000/1650 freestyles. At last summer’s Mt. Hood Sectionals, he was a top-8 finisher in the 400 free and 400 IM; he also finaled in the 200 fly and 200 IM.
Top SCY times:
- 1650 free – 16:07.91
- 1000 free – 9:30.49
- 500 free – 4:34.75
- 200 free – 1:41.50
- 400 IM – 4:03.72
- 200 IM – 1:55.40
- 200 fly – 1:52.02
UC San Diego is transitioning from NCAA’s Division II to Division I. The Triton men finished fourth at the 2020 MPSF Championship with 484 points. Esser’s best times would have scored at conference in the top 16 of the 500 free, the 1650 free (11th), and the 400 IM. He will overlap with Graham Hauss (4:24.12), Hayden Johnson (4:25.06/15:32.40), Ivan Kurakin (4:25.24), Mitchell Stoddard (4:30.70), Davis Taylor (4:32.49/15:36.78), and Cade Brower (16:13.35).
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