Minnesota Men Rebuilding Sprint Group With CO State Record Holder Turner

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The Golden Gophers have kicked off their recruiting season with a verbal commitment from Daryl Turner out of the elite program at Cherry Creek High School in suburban Denver as the men’s side of this class begins to heat up, as the women have been flaming-hot for the last week.

The Minnesota Men in 2011 had one of the best sprint groups in the country. Since then, though, they have been nailed by graduations, and only junior Derek Toomey is left (19.79/43.45) is left from that year’s two A-final sprint free relays.

This fall, they already have a very good freshman on board named Ryan Miksch, a four-year Nebraska State Champion in the 50 free with sprint bests of 20.64 and 44.51. Next fall, they’ll bring in another star in Turner, and all of a sudden this looks like the Gophers sprint group of two years ago again.

Turner has bests of 20.76 in the 50 and 44.19 in the 100. As a freshman, he should be on at least the 400 free relay, and probably the 200 free relay as well with those times.

He’s got the versatility to help out in other areas, too. He’s been a 48.18 in the 100 back and a 49.71 in the 100 fly. Nobody on the Minnesota team was within half-a-second of that 100 backstroke time last season, so that is arguably as significant of a time as his sprint freestyles are.

Last year, Turner broke the Colorado State Record in the 100 backstroke.