A lot of the focus on the American Short Course Championships has been surrounding the meet’s function as a last-chance NCAA qualifying meet for the male swimmers.
Meanwhile, though, sprinter Abbey Weitzeil from the Canyons Aquatic Club in California has swooped in and stolen the show. Her latest quest: a lifetime best in the 100 yard freestyle with a 47.59 to win the women’s race on Saturday.
Headed into this short course season, she had only been a 48.8; she dipped into the range of 47’s for the first time at Winter Juniors, and now has improved her best again at this meet.
Another impressive female swimmer at this meet so far has been the locally-trained Laura Sogar, who avenged her runner-up finish in the 100 breast with a 2:07.61 in the 200 breast on Saturday. That beat out Abby Duncan, who took 2nd in 2:09.34.
But with those two at the back of everyone’s mind, the NCAA qualifying was still a very important part of Saturday’s final session, and interestingly, another non-collegiate swimmer may have played into that.
Michael McBroom, a part of the Texas post-grad group, took the win in the 1650 free in 15:00.06. It almost looked as though, intentionally or not, he was pacing Texas undergrad Nic Munoz in that race, as the two were stroke-for-stroke almost the whole way. Munoz wound up in 15:02.04, which is his best time and moves him up to 26th place in the country so far, which should get him to NCAA’s.
Note that this was the only race McBroom swam in the entire meet, and the two were seeded to swim in lanes 4 and 5 respectively.
TCU’s Cooper Robinson took a shot at improving his chances of qualification in the 200 back with a win over Texas’ Austin Vacek (two swimmers who swam most of their pre-collegiate careers for the same club – Katy Aquatics). Robinson’s time was just shy of a season-best, though, in 1:42.65, meaning his Big 12’s mark will leave him 29th prior to any last minute last chance swims on Sunday. Last year, 29 swimmers were invited.
Texas’ Will Licon locked up his spot at NCAA’s in the 200 breaststroke, swimming a 1:54.37. Though that’s short of the sure-thing Automatic Qualifying standard, it does place him 15th in the country this year, which will have no problem being invited to NCAA’s.
That was about the extent of the relevant NCAA qualifier swims, but there’s two more highlights from the junior ranks to hit. Karling Hemstreet, a 16-year old from the local Nitro program was a 1:58.48 to win the 200 yard backstroke, and 15-year old Alexis Margett of Brea Aquatics in California took the 200 fly in 1:58.41.
Hemstreet improved her lifetime best in the 200 back by a full second throughout the day, and Margett did so by two full seconds.
Will Licon is a freshman people….. Come on now
Was I right about him going faster? Dropped 6 seconds in his 400i.m. to finish 5th overall as a Freshman, dropped nearly 3 seconds in his 2im to score in B final, dropped another second in his 2breast and missed the A final by 0.02 but still scored. People had Texas finishing outside the top 5 because they were going based off their conference times where they were not tapered at all. Don’t ever count Eddie out, the man is still a legend!
Licon is a True Freshman. He graduated High School this past May and he will go even faster at NCAAS because Texas never has to rest that much for Big 12s and I expect him to make the A final
Hans, trolljegeren(trollhunter):
‘Troll!’
Everyone is getting trolled here lol.
That must be incorrect because I was there. I saw what Will did. And you know what he said? – “Can we get some girls in here?”
Not to mention that Licon’s time before that swim was pretty safe into the meet.
Hate to break it to all of you guys but will Licon is a sophmore. He swam one meet last year before he was injured and couldn’t swim that season and lost an entire year of eligibility. Making the most of his comeback though for sure. Congrats Will!
Texas has him listed as a freshman on their official roster, which implies that they expect to have him for this year plus three more.
Licon is a True Freshman. He graduated High School this past May and he will go even faster at NCAAS because Texas never has to rest that much for Big 12s and I expect him to make the A final
Things people should know:
1-Will Licon is a freshmen at Texas
2- Will Licon qualified for NCAA with a 1:54.40 in the 200 breast.
Thanks for sharing SwimFan! That brings tears to my eyes to hear about a senior never giving up like that. He definitely should’ve been the headline, I agree. Kinda reminds me of Tom shields, senior from cal last year, that qualified for ncaas at a last chance meet for the first time in his career. Really touching stuff.
Again, Licon is a freshman, not a senior. He has three more opportunities to qualify for NCAA’s. This is not Licon’s last chance at NCAA’s.
I don’t want to sound like I’m arguing with you all, as I’ve clearly agreed that Licon was the story that was worthy of the headline, but the information that Licon is a senior is incorrect.
If this wasn’t Licon’s last chance to qualify for NCAA’s, then why was the meet called a
‘last chance meet”?
I’m assuming you’re a troll… But if not:
These meets are called last chance meets because they’re at the very end of the season after Conference Championships and allow swimmers to get one last chance at qualifying for NCAA’s. Last Chance based on the year, not based on their age. Will Licon is a freshman.
I’m assuming you meant to say season and not year? Cause if it were the last chance if the year to qualify wouldn’t it be in December? Sorry I’m new at this.
major trolling going on on this post
Erle craven, do you even swim? You squirrel.
Dude, Will Licon is a freshmen…
Tom Shields won numerous NCAA titles, it was not his first time when we qualified as a senior.
Good lord. Master troll.