AUSTIN, Tex. – Seven Gaucho swimmers traveled to Texas over the weekend to compete at the AT&T Winter National Championships. The event included elite swimmers from around the country, including many Olympic Champions, and was held at Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at the University of Texas.
Sophia Yamauchi, Andrea Ward, Emma Hunt and Marissa Neel, Randy Aakhus, Wade Allen and Tim Freeman made the trip to represent UCSB at the meet.
Freeman had a successful weekend after setting the school record in the 100 breastroke with a time of 53.60. He broke his own record of 53.90 that he set in 2010. His school record time was good enough to place him in the ‘A’ Final where he would finish eighth with a time of 53.81. Freeman also swam in the 200 breaststroke and advanced to the ‘B’ Final where he saw another eighth place finish (1:59.26).
Allen advanced to the finals in all three of his events. After advancing to the ‘A’ Final in the 100 butterfly, he finished eighth with a time of 47.56. In the 50 freestyle Allen advanced to the ‘C’ Final and finished fifth (20.15). In the 100 freestyle he would take another fifth place finish in the ‘C’ Final (44.31).
Yamauchi also advanced to three finals in all three of her events. In the 200 IM she would place fifth in the ‘B’ Final with her time of 1:59.49. She placed eighth in yet another ‘B’ Final appearance, this time in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.80). In her last individual event, Yamauchi would qualify for the ‘C’ Final and finished in second place (2:12.78).
Ward and Aakhus each advanced to one final of their own. Ward advanced to the ‘B’ Final in the 100 butterfly where she would touch the wall in fifth place with a mark of 54.12. Aakhus made it to the ‘B’ Final in the tough 400 IM and came away in eighth place (3:56.52).
The Gaucho women also competed in the 4×50 relay. The team of Neel, Yamauchi, Ward and Hunt advanced to the ‘B’ Final and finished in third place (1:44.12).
Out of 13 colleges and universities that competed, the UCSB men finished in seventh place and the women finished in eighth.
UCSB is back in action at Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 15.
