Rhianna Williams, the former two-time Colorado 5A state champion in the 50 and 100 free, is on the roster of the University of Utah’s Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, one year after having traded in her swim suit for a track suit.
A graduate of Fossil Ridge High School, Williams was Colorado 5A state champion in both the sprint freestyle events and track & field’s 400 meters. She ultimately chose to compete in track & field in college, signing a National Letter of Intent in February 2013 with University of Utah.
Both Williams’ parents were runners, which may have had some bearing on her choice to sign an NLI for track. And while it was difficult for her to give up swimming after her senior year at Fossil Ridge, she didn’t completely rule out the idea of coming back to the pool.
Enter new Utah head coach Joe Dykstra.
Dykstra, who has been building a formidable Pac-12 competitor since his arrival in April 2013, and Williams agreed to have a discussion after her first season as a one-sport athlete. With her 23.02 50 free and 49.90 100 free, Williams could be a real asset to the Utes’ sprint team. And now that her name appears on the official roster, it seems that the discussion worked to Dykstra’s advantage.
We are eager to see the talented sprinter back in action, and rumor has it that it could come as soon as this Friday, September 26, when the Utes’ host Stanford at the Ute Natatorium. If you plan to watch the season opener, get there early: the first 100 students get a free Utes tank top.
So happy to see someone at the collegiate level come back to swimming. Is she going to also try spring track still? Although with her swimming event specialties in the sprint frees they are easier to balance than say a butterflier or breastroker. It leaves me hopeful that my child doesn’t have to make a decision to cut to one sport at 12 or 13 if she wants to swim in college.
We couldn’t be happier at the fort collins area swim team to see Rhi back in the pool
I’m both happy for Rhi and the Utah swim team. Super athlete and a great girl