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Lucas Hubbard of Los Angeles, California has announced his verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB). Hubbard is sticking close to home, as he will travel just over 100 miles northwest up the Pacific Coast this fall. He is currently a senior at El Segundo High School and competes year round with Alpha Aquatics.
“I am grateful and excited to announce my verbal commitment to study and swim at UC Santa Barbara. I would like to thank my parents, coaches, friends, teammates and family who have made this journey possible. Additionally I would like to thank the entire coaching staff and team at UCSB for giving me this opportunity! GO GAUCHOS!!!”
Hubbard is a mid-distance stroke specialist with his strongest times coming from 200 distances. He capped off his 2024 with his first individual appearance at a Junior National meet. He had previously made the trip to Winter and Summer Juniors as a relay-only swimmer.
At Winter Juniors – West, Hubbard made two finals appearances in the 200 back (1:44.95) and 200 free (1:37.83), finishing 10th and 19th respectively. Both times earned him his first Summer Juniors cuts. He also competed in the 500 free (4:33.42) and 200 fly (1:48.56), setting a personal best in the latter.
Less than a week later, Hubbard was back in action at the CA-NV December Sectionals, where he set a trio of best times in 100 yard events. The highlight of his meet was an event win in the 100 back (49.04), and he also lowered his times in the 100 free (46.25) and 100 fly (50.01). Hubbard also made A finals in the 200s he swam at Winter Juniors, but couldn’t quite match his performances from Austin.
Top SCY Times:
- 100 back – 49.04
- 200 back – 1:44.95
- 100 fly – 50.01
- 200 fly – 1:48.56
- 200 free – 1:37.83
UCSB is a Division 1 mid-major program that previously competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). This season, they will join the Big West Conference (BWC), which is sponsoring swimming and diving for the first time since 2010. It will be a slightly narrowed field compared to the MPSF, as only five of seven men’s teams will be making the jump. The Gaucho men placed 2nd at last year’s championships, 127 points behind Hawaii who have also moved to the BWC.
Hubbard’s backstroke abilities will help the Gauchos fill the gaps left by the graduation of seniors Matt Driscoll and Kyle Brill. The pair had UCSB’s top times in the 200 back last season, placing 3rd and 4th respectively at the MPSF Championships in 2024. Driscoll also won the 100 backstroke. Hubbard’s best times would have made A finals in the 100 back, 200 back, 200 fly, and 200 free at the 2024 MPSF Championships.
Hubbard joins fellow Californians Henry Heit and Aneesh Veeravatnam in UCSB’s incoming class.
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