The Missouri Tigers men’s breaststroke group is not only that programs best stroke group, it’s becoming one of the best-known men’s breaststroking groups in the country.
That trend looks to continue with the commitment today of Jordy Groters to the Missouri Tigers.
“Mizzou is an amazing place!” Groters said of his future school. “I love the facility and campus. I was very interested in them because of their phenomenal breaststroke success, 4 breaststrokers at NCAA’s alone is amazing. But what really got me was the team atmosphere. I loved the guys on the team and the coaches were awesome.They are very serious and yet at the same time they are very relaxed and it really shows. It was the perfect atmosphere I wanted to be in. I’m really looking forward to joining the amazing breaststroke program they have, and also adding to their sprint freestyle program.”
Groters, who lives in Florida, benefited from that state having such an early state meet. At this year’s 1A Championship, his stock skyrocketed when he won 1A state titles in both the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.
Groters, who swims for University High School, swam a 54.76 in the 100 yard breaststroke and a 20.69 in the 50 yard freestyle (he was as fast as 20.46 in prelims). He also split a 44.3 in the 100 yard free on an anchor for his team’s 3rd-place 400 free relay. His best 200 breaststroke is a 2:04.7 from a mid-season meet in October of 2012, but expect him to be closer to the two-minute mark if he takes a good crack at it the rest of this season.
Given that when recruiting season opened this year, he had much more modest, mid-major type best times of 21.4 and 56.9 in those two events, that state meet was especially significant for him.
Groters, as he mentioned, will join an extremely deep breaststroke group that sent four to last year’s NCAA Championships, and three of them were underclassmen. As a freshman, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to wrench away medley relay breaststroke spots from Sam Tierney and Igor Kozloskij (both who will be seniors when Groters is a freshman), but he has a very good shot at making an immediate relay impact in the 200 and 400 free relays.
Groters does his club training with the Davie Nadadores in south Florida.
Jordy trains with Pine Crest now.
Jordy is an awesome breastroker. I have had the opportunity to race him every summer and he is amazing!
Congrats to Jordy, what a pimp