Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Owen Berry, a Speedo Summer Juniors qualifier from San Ramon, California, has announced his decision to remain in-state with his recent commitment to the University of California, Santa Barbara. Berry is entering his senior year at California High School (San Ramon), and is set to arrive in Santa Barbara ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
I am super thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to swim at the University of California Santa Barbara! It has been a lifelong dream of mine to be a Gaucho, and I am excited that it is becoming a reality. Go Gauchos!
Berry currently trains and competes with the Crow Canyon Country Club Sharks in Danville, California. He is primarily a freestyler, specializing in the sprint to mid-distance events.
Best Times SCY:
- 50 free- 21.38
- 100 free- 45.87
- 200 free- 1:38.48
- 500 free- 4:29.83
At the 2022 CIF State Championships in May, Berry competed in the 200 and 500 yard freestyles. In the 500, he just barely missed a chance to swim in finals, placing 17th. He swam a 4:33.46, around three and a half seconds slower than his personal best. He did qualify for finals in the 200, coming in 16th in prelims and finishing 10th overall. He raced to a 1:38.63, only .15 seconds off his personal best which was set the previous weekend.
Recently, Berry swam at the Speedo Junior National Championships. He raced the 100 free, 200 free, and 400 free, and time trialed the 100 and 200 butterfly (all LCM). Berry set a new personal best in every race. His highest finish of the meet was 28th, which he achieved in both the 200 and 400. In the 200, he shaved off .01 seconds to go 1:53.51, and in the 400 he took off over three seconds to finish in 4:01.25.
Berry’s 100 freestyle was a 52.46, a new best time by .43 seconds. He went 57.30 in the 100 fly, dropping nearly three seconds from his previous best, which was set in the summer of 2021. He also dropped over three seconds in the 200 fly, posting a 2:07.22
UCSB competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships (MPSF) Conference. At the 2022 championships, the Gauchos finished 2nd, only behind BYU.
With another year of high school still to go, Berry possesses times that would place him comfortably in the B-final at MPSF Championships, giving him the opportunity to score points for the Gauchos. In the 200, he would have finished 10th overall and second for UCSB. In the 500, his best time would place him 11th overall and fourth for UCSB. He would also have made finals in the 100 free, finishing 21st overall.
When Berry arrives on campus in 2023, he will be joined by fellow Californians Bryden Thielenhaus and Jack Hendrick.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
FFT SOCIAL
Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster
FFT is a SwimSwam partner.