Cal, Texas Among Eight Teams Confirmed For Minnesota Invite

2022 Minnesota Invite

  • November 30 – December 3, 2022
  • Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
  • SCY (25 yards)

There are some big invites in college swimming this weekend, but maybe the biggest, at least on the men’s side, is still to come: #1 vs #2, for the last decade, Cal and Texas, at the Minnesota Invite.

The Golden Bears and Longhorns will be two of eight teams competing at the event, which will take place in two weeks’ time, with a one-week gap following this weekend’s onslaught of meets due to U.S. Thanksgiving.

CONFIRMED TEAMS (8)

  • Minnesota (host)
  • Cal
  • Texas
  • Harvard
  • Arizona
  • Pitt
  • Wisconsin
  • UNLV

The Minnesota Invite has consistently produced some incredibly fast times. In 2019, Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil became the first swimmer to break 21 seconds in the women’s 50 freestyle, setting the all-time record in 20.90.

That same year, Michigan’s Maggie MacNeil tied the NCAA and U.S. Open Record in the women’s 100 fly (49.26), and we also saw Texas’ Drew Kibler join the elusive sub-1:31 club in the men’s 200 freestyle for the first time.

At last year’s edition, we saw several NCAA ‘A’ cuts achieved, highlighted by MacNeil’s 49.97 in the women’s 100 fly, Texas’ Carson Foster‘s 3:37.35 in the men’s 400 IM, and fellow Longhorn Luke Hobson shattering the boys’ 17-18 NAG record in the 500 free (4:09.72).

The Cal women and Texas men came out on top at the 2021 Minnesota Invite, but this year, it’s the Golden Bear men and Longhorn women coming in with momentum on their side.

The Texas women are coming off a breakthrough performance at the 2022 NCAAs, upending Stanford to place second, and have been performing well so far this season, with a notable injection of talent in transfer Dakota Luther and freshman Olympic gold medalist Lydia Jacoby.

The Bears, on the other hand, have rebounded well considering the uncertainty surrounding the program in the offseason with the Teri McKeever situation, though we still don’t know if Izzy Ivey will compete for them this season.

The Cal men, coming off a national championship title in March, are the odds-on favorite to repeat this season, while some are doubting the Longhorns’ ability to hold on to a top-two spot at NCAAs after some departures from their roster early this season.

Among the remaining teams, notable competitors include reigning NCAA champions Max McHugh (Minnesota) in the men’s 100 breast and Paige McKenna (Wisconsin) in the women’s 1650 free, plus fellow Badger Phoebe Bacon, the 2021 national champ in the women’s 200 back.

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PittDad
2 years ago

Will this meet sell out?

BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

What are some of the factors a coach would consider when choosing which midseason invite meet to attend?
Expected level of competition and geographical location are two I can think of off the top of my head. What are others I’m not thinking of.

Waterbear13
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Seems like Cal has more often than not, found an invite to attend at that years’ NCAA host site, or at least something in the same time zone.

Admin
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Those things. I think in a lot of cases, intrapersonal relationships play a part – coaches go back to their old programs, etc.

Weather.

NCAA Championship hosts always draw a crowd.

Somewhere different.

Recruiting – Washington State at Texas A&M is a good example of this. Washington St. has a lot of swimmers from the Houston area.

NCAA>ISL
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Most common are trying to get into the location of the teams conference meet that year, or the location NCAAs will be that year.

Andrew
2 years ago

If anyone has followed college swimming in the last 10 years, Cal doesnt swim as fast as anticipated at mid season invites because they don’t have to, and don’t care to.

NCs is their goal and despite how lackluster in season times may be, they show up when it matters most

Thomas
Reply to  Andrew
2 years ago

I really think you could say that about a number of programs. Texas appears to be resting more in recent years, but they’re a special case since they can train through Big 12s.

John Hueth
2 years ago

If Michael Andrew was swimming in this meet, he could smoke anyone in the sprints because he can swim fast year-round. It’s only a matter of time before colleges learn how to do this.

tallswimmer
Reply to  John Hueth
2 years ago

If if’s and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a very merry Christmas…

Age of Winters
Reply to  John Hueth
2 years ago

Yea but will we then see swimmers coming home in 31 seconds on their 200 IM.

geo durin
Reply to  John Hueth
2 years ago

Although it would be fun to watch I don’t think MA would be as dominate today as you think. He hasn’t swum SCY sense 2018 and his recent SCM times have not be impressive. He swam horrible at last year’s SCM World Championships resulting in him leaving the meet early and he never met expectations during his time competing in ISL. I think his focus and efforts have sense been on LCM.

With that being said I often find myself thinking about what he could have done in the colligate scene. I don’t know of many recruits, if any who had times like his as an 18-19 year old.

50 Free: 18.88100 Free: 42.56100 Back: 46.50100 Breast: 51.18100 Fly: 45.47200… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by geo durin
Ghost
Reply to  John Hueth
2 years ago

How did MA swim at WC a couple weeks ago? Just saying

Taa
2 years ago

Texas has been resting at mid season last couples years so expect some big swims out of Hobson and Johnson and of course the fosters

Austinpoolboy
Reply to  Taa
2 years ago

Carson & Corbeau have A cuts already, so they don’t really need to

JeahBrah
Reply to  Austinpoolboy
2 years ago

I’d guess both will rest for SC worlds instead

Binky
Reply to  Austinpoolboy
2 years ago

When people downvote verifiable facts, you know the education system in this country is broken. As an aside, Corbeau will not be at Minnesota, as he will be in NL for a LCM Worlds qualifier…

Caleb
Reply to  Taa
2 years ago

i pick Alec Enyeart as this year’s December “surprise” – could easily see him around 4:10

Seth
2 years ago

The Minnesota Invite always has big talent.
I’m curious as to the format of this meet.
I swam as a USA swimmer at this meet in 2018 when the competition was open to college and club swimmers. This was a great way to race fast swimmers.

Maybe I will get a chance to swim at this meet again in the future if they open up to USA swimmers.

Crimson chin
Reply to  Seth
2 years ago

It’s only for the alpha males of the NCAA sorry lil buddy

Caleb
Reply to  Crimson chin
2 years ago

+ Arizona

Meeeee
Reply to  Seth
2 years ago

it was a grand prix meet for a number of years

austinpoolboy
2 years ago

Cal hasn’t really shown their cards yet, anticipating some real firepower at this meet. Great precursor/preview to NCAA’s

Grant Drukker
Reply to  austinpoolboy
2 years ago

Cal tends to always get better as the season goes. So I’m not expecting anything particularly exciting out of them.

Shimmyy
Reply to  austinpoolboy
2 years ago

more like flower power

Robbie
2 years ago

Very exciting. Looking ahead to some fast swims.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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