USA Swimming Scholastic All-American Joseph Gutierrez from Las Vegas, Nevada has announced his verbal commitment to the University of Missouri for 2019-20. He will join Will Goodwin in the class of 2023.
“I am so incredibly proud to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Missouri. Thank you to my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and everyone else that has supported me in doing what I love. I’m so excited to be a Tiger!”
Gutierrez is a senior at Palo Verde High School; he swims year-round for Sandpipers of Nevada under coach Ronald Aitken and was recently named to the USA Swimming National Junior Team for 2018-19. Like many a Sandpiper, Gutierrez specializes in distance free, 400 IM and 200 fly. He finished third in the inaugural USA Swimming 5K Open Water Junior National Championships in the summer of 2017, touching in 1:01:43.7, a mere 1/10 out of second place. This year he finished 16th in the men’s 5K Nationals with 55:09.73, erasing 6 minutes and 34 seconds from his PB. In the 10K race he came in 15th with 1:49:36.80.
Gutierrez is one of the top distance swimmers of his age group in the pool, as well. He placed 8th in the 1650 free, 12th in the 500 free, and 11th in the 400 IM at 2017 Winter Juniors West. This summer he swam at Phillips 66 Nationals but finished the summer at NCSA Summer Championship. There he came in 4th in the 1500 free and 400 IM, 7th in the 400 free, and 23rd in the 200 free and 200 fly. He took home PBs in the 50 free, 200 back, and 400 IM.
Gutierrez will arrive at Mizzou for the changing of the guards as Jacob Wielinski will just be graduating. Wielinski was the Tigers’ top scorer in the 1650 and 500 at 2018 SEC Championships.
Top SCY times:
- 1650 free – 15:18.98
- 1000 free – 9:11.41
- 500 free – 4:25.13
- 200 free – 1:40.60
- 400 IM – 3:54.93
- 200 fly – 1:52.24
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
He’s gonna do amazing things there. The team really scored some major points with this commit!
Great pick up for Missou. They are a great program and this DUDE will fit nicely into the team! Congratulations!!!!