Port Moody swimmer Lauren Swistak is one of a handful of Simon Fraser University athletes chosen to race in the 2017 NCAA Div. II National Championship in Birmingham, Ala., next month.
Swistak is the lone female All-American in the 200-yard butterfly event and will join nine other SFU competitors from both the men’s and the women’s team.
“It’s a sign of remarkable growth for this program,” said Clan head coach Liam Donnelly. “Four years ago, when we went the first time, we took about four or five girls and no guys to nationals. To have the depth and talent we have now with 10 athletes selected to go, it’s a phenomenal sign and validation of the work that has been put into growing this program.”
Swistak will be seeded 14th for the 200-yard butterfly after earning her selection to the event with a time of 2:02.80. She will also swim both the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle.
She is not the only Tri-City athlete that will compete in the nationals.
On the men’s side, Tim Woinoski picked up a selection in the 1,650-yard freestyle. He will also hit the pool for the 1,000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.
Coquitlam’s Rolando Hernandez is expected to join SFU’s 4x200-yard freestyle relay along with teammates Adrian VanderHelm, Gabriel Lee and MacKenzie Hamill. Swistak will also compete in the relay with teammates Jessica Gibson, Kristen Olvet and Lauren Diehl.
“We’re not just satisfied with just qualifying,” said Donnelly. “We have the expectation that these athletes will push themselves to try and make it as far as they possibly can against the best, and with the talent they’ve got, that could be pretty far.”
More than 1,000 student-athletes will travel to Birmingham to compete in five NCAA winter championships between March 7 and 11.
