JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.- Carson-Newman swimming is headed to the 2024 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships in Geneva, Ohio to compete for All-American status beginning tomorrow, Mar. 13 at 10:00 a.m.
"I'm incredibly proud of the ones who are here, and I'm excited to see them race," head swim coach Ben Young said. "The amount of work they have put in this season is amazing, and the way they led this team in and out of the pool speaks a lot to who they are as athletes and as people".
The Eagles will send 11 swimmers to compete at this season's national meet. Carson-Newman swim grabbed five individual selections, and six other Eagles will attend the meet to compete in qualifying relay events. The championships begin today, Mar. 12 at 6:00 p.m. with the 800-yard freestyle relay. However, the Eagles will join the competition tomorrow, Mar. 13 at 10:00 a.m.
"We've talked a lot about extending the season as far as we can," Young said. "This group has done that, and I'm just really excited to see these guys race one last time this season".
Chrisman Rand will compete tomorrow, Mar. 13 in the women's 200-yard IM trials at 10:00 a.m. Rand will continue to race in the 50-yard freestyle trials during the morning session. Arthur Gluzman will compete in the men's 50-yard freestyle trials during the morning session as well. The finals for both events will take place during an evening session that begins at 5:30 p.m. The full meet schedule can be found HERE.
"We are looking to obviously finish the season on a high note," Young said. "I know they all want personal bests. They want to swim fast. They have put in the work and set themselves up nicely to do that. I want to see them get in there and get after it. We have to push through to have the best races possible".
C-N swim will compete in the men's and women's 200-yard medley relays during the evening session at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Mar. 13. Kyla Blakemore, Breanna Belcher, Kennadi King, and Rand will compete in the finals for the women. The men's 200 medley relay team consists of Gluzman, Daniel Ribeiro, Daniel de Oliveira, and Asger Hartvig. Live results can be found HERE.
"All season, I've been telling the team to stop chasing the time they want. It's more about chasing the perfect race," Young said. "In the world of swimming, it's all based on time. I believe that the more they focus on time, the more mistakes they make. If you chase the perfect race and focus on those details, the time takes care of itself".
Tomorrow will mark the second day of the five-day national meet. The rest of C-N swim's selected athletes will compete throughout the following sessions. Gluzman and Rand will compete again in the 100 fly trials during the morning session on Thursday, Mar. 14. De Oliveira will join Gluzman in the 100-yard butterfly trials as well. He will also compete in the men's 200-yard freestyle trials during the same session. The men's and women's 400-yard medley relays will take place Thursday, Mar. 14 during the evening session at 5:30 p.m.
"It's a great atmosphere," Young said. "We are excited to be here, and I'm just happy to be part of their journey in the world of swimming. We are ready to get racing".
Carson-Newman swim will compete tomorrow, Mar. 13, in the 2024 NCAA DII Swimming & Diving Championships at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Stay up to date on cneagles.com.
