STANFORD, Calif. — Nineteen University of Kentucky swimmers – eight men and 11 women – are set to compete in the nation’s biggest swimming event at the 2019 Phillips 66 National Championships in Stanford, California. The nation’s fastest swimmers will compete across 34 events in the 20,000-sq. ft Toyota Aqua Zone, July 31-Aug. 4.
“This is the last major long-course meet ahead of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials next summer,” said head coach Lars Jorgensen. “This is a great opportunity for the men and women to see where they stand among an elite field. It’s been a terrific summer, but we look to perform even better at Nationals this week.”
Fifteen of the 19 Kentucky swimmers competing at Nationals qualified to compete in more than one event. Incoming freshman Lauren Poole and rising senior Asia Seidt led UK’s national team in number of qualified events, earning qualification into five events each.
Of the five events Seidt is slated to compete in, she is seeded in the top 10 in four of those events. The Louisville native is the No. 3 seed in the 200-meter backstroke field, just one month after setting a personal best and school record in the event in 2:08.56 at the World University Games to earn Team USA a silver medal. Leading the 200-meter backstroke field at Nationals is 17-year-old Raegan Smith, who set the world record in 2:03.35 last week at the FINA World Championships.
Four Wildcats have top-10 seed times – Bridgette Alexander (100m and 200m back), Bailey Bonnett (200m breast), Geena Freriks (400m free) and Asia Seidt (100m back, 200m back, 200m fly, 200m IM).
The meet schedule can be found here. The same format is followed each day of the meet, with the preliminary heats beginning at noon ET and finals beginning at 8 p.m. The streaming and TV schedule can be found here.
The Phillips 66 National Championships serves as an opportunity for swimmers to earn 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trial cut times. The Team Trials, hosted in Omaha, Nebraska, June 21-28, is the sole opportunity for swimmers to earn a spot on Team USA for the 2020 Olympics.
The University of Kentucky swimmers competing at Nationals are as follows:
Wyatt Amdor – 100 breast, 200 breast
Bridgette Alexander – 100 back, 200 back
Connor Blandford – 100 back, 200 back, 400 IM
Bailey Bonnett – 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM, 400 IM
Glen Brown – 200 IM
Caitlin Brooks – 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly
Lauren Edelman – 200 fly, 400 IM
Gillian Davey – 100 breast, 200 breast, 400 IM
Geena Freriks – 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 1500 free
Jason Head – 100 free, 200 free
Riley Gaines – 200 free
Izzy Gati – 100 fly, 200 fly
John Mitchell – 50 free, 100 free, 200 free
Daniel Orcutt – 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 fly
Lauren Poole – 200 breast, 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, 400 IM
Asia Seidt – 100 back, 200 back, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM
Hank Seifert – 200 free, 400 free
Sophie Sorenson – 100 back, 200 back
Mason Wilby – 200 fly
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDiveon Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
