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One of the top swimmers in the state of Arizona, class of 2023 member Sydney Blackhurst has announced that she will be joining the Alabama Crimson Tide after her high school graduation. Blackhurst swims for the Scottsdale Aquatic Club as well as for Campo Verde High School.
I am beyond excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and swimming careers at the University of Alabama! A huge thank you to all my family, friends, and coaches who made this all possible. ROLL TIDE!!
As a high school freshman, Blackhurst was a two-event A-finalist at the 2019 AIA Division II Girls Swimming and Diving State Championship. At that meet, she took third in the 100 breast (1:04.88) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:09.50). Only a year later, Blackhurst dropped over a second in the 100 breast to secure her first state title. In 2020 she finished in 1:03.70.
More recently, Blackhurst competed in the A-final of three events at the Arizona Senior State Championships in March of 2021. There, before having even finished her sophomore year of high school, she came away with a second-place medal in the 200 breast and third place in the 100 breast. In the 200 breast, her time of 2:14.79 was the fastest time from a high schooler, as the only athlete to best her was Nora Deleske, who is currently in her fifth year at Arizona State University. In the 100 breast the only two athletes to touch faster than her time of 1:03.16 were both ASU athletes, with Deleske and Pilar McCann both besting her. She also added a fifth-place finish in the 200 IM (2:04.50).
Top SCY Times
- 100 breast – 1:02.28
- 200 breast – 2:12.84
- 200 IM – 2:04.50
- 400 IM – 4:26.10
While Blackhurst still has two years of high school to improve, her times would provide depth to the Alabama roster even now. Last year the Crimson Tide was led by a freshman in the 100 breast, Bulgarian Olympian Diana Petkova. Petkova took third in the event at the Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships before taking 20th in the event at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
The Alabama team is also adding a big pickup this season in the breaststroke events, with Avery Wiseman joining heading to Tuscaloosa to begin her NCAA career. After converting her LCM times to SCY, her lifetime bests would make her an SEC ‘A’ finalist in both breaststroke events and give her a chance at making the top-16 at the NCAA Championships.
Alabama is currently in it’s first year under new head coach Margo Geer, who took over the program this season. Geer was announced as the replacement for Coley Stickels last December, although associate head coach Ozzie Quevedo held the title in an interim role prior to this season.
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