Thirteen TCU swimmers made the NCAA ‘B’ cuts at the three day USA Swimming Winter Nationals.
The swimmers also made personal bests during the meet.
“To see TCU on the podium at a big USA Swimming event is a special feeling,” head swimming and diving coach Richard Sybesma said.
The first Frog to make it in the cut four times was Sabine Rasch. Her 50 free times were 22.93 on the 200 free relay team, which qualified for the ‘A’ finals, 22.69 in prelims, 22.83 in another 200 free relay event and 22.89 in the 50 free.
“Anytime you get into an ‘A’ final and get to walk in and race with the best is great,” Sybesma said.
Rasch swam with Katie Scarsella, Mikayla Winkler and Parris Schoppa, the team that earned the ‘A’ finals cut in their 200 free relay. They qualified in 1:33.53.
The group that became the third-fastest relay team in TCU history included, Rasch, Ashley Alspaugh, Gabi Korac and Ali Bleasdell in the 200 free relay. The women swam the 200 medley relay in 1:43.63 but then came back to swim the 200 free relay in 1:33.37.
The men’s 200 free relay qualified 12th in 1:23.59 that put the Frogs in a ‘B’ final in the competition. The group then swam to 10th place in 1:22.58. The relay squad consisted of Adam Szilagyi, Corey Nix, Cooper Robinson and Devin Price.
“The key to that race was that all four guys were under 21 seconds,” Sybesma said.
Finishing seventh in the men’s 400 medley relay were Szilagyi, Harrison Bui, Luiz Azarias and Price. The men swam the race in 3:19.47.
Szilagyi became the fourth fastest 100 backstroker in TCU history with a time of 48.75. He also swam the 100 butterfly in 48.76, putting him as the third fastest flier in TCU history.
The men’s 500 free was where Sebastian Arispe swam in 4:28.70, qualifying him for the ‘C’ final. Arispe tied for 19th place with 4:28.18.
The women’s 500 free let Sara Brzozowski shave off two seconds of her fastest time at TCU, making her the second fastest 500 free swimmer in TCU history. Brzozowski finished in 4:51.26.
“[Arispe and Brzozowski] were both tough and finished the race tough,” Sybesma said.
The Frogs headed into the second day of competition taking three ‘B’ cut swimmers.
Mitch Adshead qualified 12th in the 400 IM with a time of 3:51.78. He then swam in the finals for a time of 3:51.18, ending 11th overall. Adshead is one second behind the All-American Walter Soza’s 400 IM time of 3:50.18, which he set in 1994. Adshead is now second in TCU history for the 400 IM.
“[Adshead] has really moved himself into an elite-level swimmer,” Sybesma said. “He came out and was not intimidated by anyone.”
Szilagyi improved his prelim time of 47.83 in the 100 back. He finished sixth in the ‘B’ final and 14th overall with a 47.78. Szilagyi is ranked second in TCU history.
The women’s 800 free relay team is second fastest in TCU history. Rasch, Scarsella, Brzozowski and Winkler ended up seventh in 7:19.36.
Rasch led the Frogs in the 800 relay with a 200 free leg, finishing in 1:49.41. That is the fastest Horned Frog time this season.
“[The TCU 800 free relay swimmers] had three 1:48s and a 1:50 on the splits, so we are pleased with the direction that the relay is heading,” Sybesma said.
The men’s 800 free relay team finished in eighth place in 6:43.44. The members were Thor Stenfjord, Arispe, Ryker Saunders and Josh Mangus.
Two TCU relay teams swam in the men’s 200 medley relay. Szilagyi, Bui, Corey Nix and Price won the ‘B’ final and finished ninth overall. They had a time of 1:31.47.
The second team of Cooper Robinson, Bui, Szilagyi and Nix finished the prelims in 1:33.02 for 12th place.
Bleasdell qualified for the ‘B’ finals with 4:23.28 that put her in 16th place. At finals, she improved to seventh place and 15th overall with a time of 4:23.38.
The final day of the competition ended with 13 NCAA ‘B’ cut finals for the Frogs.
Robinson qualified for the ‘B’ finals in tenth with a time of 1:44.39. He finished 12th in the finals for the 200 back. Robinson holds the TCU record in the 200 back and he improved his time with a 1:44.13.
“[Cooper] was three seconds fasters in the 200 back than he was at this time last season, which speaks to the progress he can make toward the end of the season,” Sybesma said.
Azarias ended up 15th in the 200 fly. His prelim ‘B’ cut time was 1:47.66 and finals time was 1:47.87.
Michelle Fleming swam the 200 breast in 2:16.09 for her personal best this season.
The distance races continued towards the end of the day with Brzozowski finishing 20th in the 1650 free in 16:45.22. She is second in TCU history in the 500, 1000 and 1650 free.
In the 1000 free, Stenfjord, Arispe and Michael Franz finished 9:25.11, 9:27.43 and 9:34,63 respectively. Stenfjord swam his fastest mile in 15:32.82 finishing 11th in the 1650 free. Arispe finished 15th in 15:39.31 and Franz finished 19th in 16:04.47.
“[TCU] ended the meet on a very good note,” Sybesma said. “It was a good final day for the Frogs.”
The Frogs next competition will be the San Antonio Classic, Dec. 15-17.
