After dominating the college club swimming scene for the past three years, Georgia’s Thomas Askew is transferring his allegiance to the NCAA, having committed to swim for the University of Georgia’s Division I men’s varsity swim team beginning this fall.
Thomas Askew and his Georgia teammates at the 2024 Collegiate Club National Championships
The New Jersey native attended Dunellen High School before heading down south for college and swimming for the University of Georgia Swim Club and Athens Bulldog Swim Club.
“Getting on the varsity team means the world to me,” Askew said. “It had been a goal of mine since I first went to UGA as a freshman and there were a lot of times I didn’t think I’d make it. I should have 2 years of eligibility, I don’t really want to extend my undergraduate degree another year but I am definitely considering law school which should let me get my second year in.”
Askew blew the competition out of the water at the 2024 College Club Swimming National Championships; he won all four of his individual events and broke a CSS record every day of the meet, effectively sweeping both the national champion titles and national records in the butterfly events.
Askew’s nationals victories include the 50 fly (21.14), 100 fly (46.82), 200 fly (1:48.26) and 100 back (49.49). The results saw him defend his title in the 200 fly from the 2023 National Championships and claim three new national titles while he was at it.
Best Times SCY:
- 50 fly – 21.14
- 100 fly – 46.82
- 200 fly – 1:48.26
- 100 back – 49.49
- 200 back – 1:55.22
Askew’s best coming out of high school were 50.19 in the 100 fly and 1:50.94 in the 200 fly.
The University of Georgia is a Division I program in the Southeastern Conference. Led by head coach Neil Versfeld, the Bulldogs placed 3rd at the 2024 SEC Championships in February before sending 10 swimmers on to NCAAs, where they finished 11th overall.
Askew is poised to make a splash right away on UGA’s varsity swim team. Based on the times from the past season and the swimmers that the Bulldogs saw graduate in the spring, Askew will be the team’s 3rd-fastest 100 butterflyer and 4th-fastest 200 butterflyer, putting him in position to be a contributor.
Askew should also perform fairly well at the SEC Championships. To qualify for the finals at this past season’s championships, it took times of 47.06/1:45.84 in the 100/200 fly and 46.98 in the 100 back, meaning he should be able to final in at least one event.
Askew joined the team’s official roster for the 2024-2025 season, where he is listed as a junior.
This is awesome! Does anyone know his times before he started college? Would like to see his trajectory
Looks like he was 1:50.94 in the 200 fly coming out of high school and 50.19 in the 100 fly.
cool!
Nice! Honestly take a look at what mens swimming is gonna look like if it exists in the future. Mostly club teams feeding a handful of still sponsored mens teams
Those are some insane CCS times, good for him!
I knew this would happen!! Put some respect on CCS because we have seen in multiple occasions that things like this can happen! Go dawgs!
So awesome! GO Dawgs!!