2024 NCAA qualifier Yordan Yanchev of Florida State has announced on Instagram that he will return for his fifth year.
As a freshman, Yanchev helped lead the team at ACCs with 34 individual points. He was highlighted by a 5th place finishing in the 500 free. He earned an invite to 2021 NCAAs as he swam in prelims of the 100, 200, and 500 freestyles. He finished 23rd in the 500 in a 4:15.85 and was 37th in the 200 and 50th in the 100.
In his sophomore season, he won the ‘B’ final of the 500 free at ACCs in a personal best time 4:14.16. He went on to swim individually at NCAAs as he was 29th in the 500 and 46th in the 200. He also led off the team’s 800 free relay in a personal best time of a 1:34.95.
He made huge strides as a junior and led the team with 63 individual points at 2023 ACCs. There he finished 3rd int he 500 free, 8th in the 1650 free with an event change, and 13th in the 200 free. He swam personal best times in all three events as well. At 2023 NCAAs, he swam a personal best in the 1650 free with a 14:56.18 to finish 25th. He also was 40th in the 200 free and 45th in the 500 free.
This past season he scored 38 individual points at ACCs and went on to swim at 2024 NCAAs. At NCAAs, he finished 39th in the 200 free and 36th in the 500 free. He was one of four individual NCAA qualifiers for the team this past season as they went on to finish 21st with 34 points.
Yanchev’s best times are:
- 100 free: 44.18
- 200 free: 1:33.77
- 500 free: 4:12.97
- 1650 free: 14:56.18
The return of Yanchev is key especially as the team only had four individual NCAA qualifiers and one of them was grad student Peter Vajarsi meaning he will not return. Vajarsi was the only individual scorer for the team with four points. Yanchev was also not the only senior as Mason Herbet also finished his senior season at NCAAs.
Yanchev competes for Bulgaria at the international level. In February just before ACCs, he competed at the 2024 World Championships in Doha finishing 41st in the 200 free and swimming on two relays.