USC Commit Alexei Sancov Drops 42/1:33/4:14 Free Times at Husky Invite

2017 HUSKY INVITE

• Results
• December 1-3, 2017
• Federal Way, WA
• Meet page

Alexei Sancov, who has committed to swim for USC next season and currently trains with the Terrapins Swim Team, swam his way to best times in several events at the 2017 Husky Invite last weekend.

Sancov is making a case for himself to be the fastest incoming freshman to the NCAA system– he posted times of 42.68 in the 100 free, 1:33.59 in the 200, and 4:14.25 in the 500.

His 100 and 500 times are .3 and 1.1 seconds, respectively, ahead of another elite high schooler: Drew Kibler. The Indiana native is committed to the University of Texas. Sancov’s also ahead of Michigan-bound Patrick Callan‘s 1:34.0/4:14.6 best times, as well as Florida-bound Trey Freeman‘s 1:34.9/4:16.9. As a whole, the 100/200/500 freestyle strength in the HS class of 2018 is pretty incredible, and Sancov’s performances this weekend only emphasize that.

In addition to his aforementioned swims, Sancov also split a 19.90 on the Terrapins’ 200 free relay, swam lifetime bests in the butterfly races (47.32/1:44.77), and hit a new PR in the 200 IM (1:47.43). The Moldovan Olympian only began training and racing in yards in late 2016, so it’s probable that he’ll continue to improve at spring championships (or later this month should he race suited up again).

Sancov’s 15-year-old Terrapins teammate Andrei Minakov swam a great meet over the weekend, too. Minakov is the 13-14 100m fly NAG record holder, and his 100y fly from this weekend (46.59) now ranks him 4th all-time in the 15-16 age group, not far from Michael Andrew‘s 46.23 NAG record. Minakov is still 15, too, so it seems as though it’s only a matter of time before he takes that down.

Minakov was also 20.43 in the 50 free, 43.94 in the 100 free, 49.03 in the 100 back to win the event, and he split a 20.95 swimming fly on the Terrapins’ 200 medley relay.

The UCSB men had a strong meet, too. Billy Mullis posted a 1:41.36 to win the 200 back, which would’ve been invited to the 2017 NCAA Championships. Mason Tittle went 19.61 to win the 50 free, three tenths or so off of last year’s invite cut, while Yoessef Tibazi was 46.31 in the 100 fly prelims and Logan Hotchkiss was 15:03.60 to dominate the 1650 free. Tibazi was about two tenths off of last year’s invite cut, while it was a 14:56 to make it to NCAAs in the mile last year.

16-year-old Chloe Clark from the Sierra Marlins had an impressive 4:16.44 to win the 400 IM, while UCSB got wins out of Emily Boggess in the 500 free (4:48.86) and the mile (16:34.74) and Heaven Quintana in the 100 breast (1:01.65) and the 200 fly (1:58.20).

The Husky Invitational has an exciting motive behind fundraising for the meet. Backed by the Husky Swimming Foundation, which aims to teach aquatic safety and foster competitive swimming in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, the meet also serves to raise money to fund a collegiate program at the University of Washington.

Below is an excerpt from the ‘About us’ page on the meet site.

The Husky Swimming Foundation will work towards the following goals:

1. Raise funds necessary to provide an annual operating budget for an intercollegiate swimming program at the University of Washington;
2. Build and operate a state of the art training and competition facility;
3. Create an endowment to provide annual scholarships for the collegiate swimmers at the University of Washington; and
4. Support swimming in the Pacific Northwest at all age-group levels.