Video courtesy of Joshua Wroblewski on YouTube.
The UConn Huskies finished with a 6-2-1 dual meet record and took 4th (men) and 6th (women) at the 2020 American Athletic Conference championships. Senior Will Kearsey was named Most Outstanding Swimmer for the conference.
You can check out the team’s season hype video below, along with a press release from the school after the AAC Champs:
Men’s release:
HOUSTON, Texas – Senior Will Kearsey was named the men’s Most Outstanding Swimmer at the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championships. Kearsey finished the week with four medals, including three gold, two conference records, and multiple school records.
“It was a good week and I’m feeling good, but I could have never expected to walk away with three golds, this award, two conference records, school records. It’s a great honor,” said Kearsey.
“I couldn’t have done it without my amazing teammates, pushing me to go faster every day. The coaches have been great pushing me along all year so it’s nice to see the work pay off. Hopefully we can get to NCAA’s and add another one to the list.”
Kearsey currently holds the 14th overall time in the NCAA in the 50 yard freestyle event, with his school record time of 45.93. The senior spoke about the last four years after the meet.
“We were here four years ago and rounding it all out in Houston this year is pretty special. I still get texts from guys that were with me in the first years here. Being able to close it out with the guys I came in with is pretty special.”
Freshman Gavin Moak earned his first medal of the championship meet in the men’s 1650 yard freestyle. Moak placed third in the event finals with a personal best time of 15:07.59. The freshman spoke afterward about the joy of winning, but the drive to improve.
“I felt pretty good, wasn’t too nervous even though it was a conference championship. I was a few seconds off the school record for the mile, so I’m gonna get that record next year,” said Moak.
“It was really fun, an interesting first conference experience for sure. It was my first American conference champs and my last, and I’m glad I got a medal out of it.”
Junior Joseph Homan competed in the men’s 200 yard backstroke, where he took eighth place with a time of 1:50.07. In the men’s 200 breaststroke, freshman Will Regan took second in the console finals with a personal best time of 1:59.96. Junior Rowan King took third in the event, coming in with the same time he recorded in the prelim, 2:00.10. Sophomore Joshua Bryant took seventh and also set a new personal best with a time of 2:05.52.
In the 100 yard freestyle, Will Kearsey finished with the top overall time of 42.64, a personal best and school record. Junior Kyle Dunlap finished eighth overall with a time of 44.74. Sophomore Jack Muratori set a new personal best time in the event console finals, coming in at 45.02.
The men’s 400 yard freestyle relay team of Will Kearsey, Kyle Dunlap, Joshua Wroblewski, and Jack Muratori broke the school record with a time of 2:56.77, coming in fourth overall.
Women’s release:
HOUSTON, Texas – Senior Brazil Rule finishes her career in style as she set a lifetime best time as the lead-off for the women’s 400 yard freestyle relay team. Rule’s 100 free time came in at 51.49.
“It hasn’t really set in yet that that was my last ever swim with the team. I feel really good though, finishing with a lifetime best time was an awesome way to close things out,” said senior Brazil Rule.
“My time here has tested me and pushed me for sure. But it has made me into the strong woman I am today and gave me the best relationships and friends I could ask. I’m so glad I chose to swim here.”
The relay team of Brazil Rule, junior Jennie Novak, freshman Charlotte Proceller, and senior Megan Wenman set a season best time, finishing at 3:26.58 and sixth overall.
Senior Kate Breault competed in the women’s 200 backstroke console finals, her final race of her career, finishing with a time of 2:01.21. Sophomore Catherine Fazio also took part in the console finals, finishing second in the race with a time of 1:59.64, a personal best time.
In the women’s 100 freestyle console finals, senior Megan Wenman took sixth in the race with a time of 51.09.
Sophomore Katelyn Walsh took fifth in the women’s 200 yard breaststroke with a time of 2:15.17. Fellow sophomore Anna Mecca finished second in the event console finals with a personal best time of 2:19.78.
In the women’s 200 yard butterfly console finals, sophomore Grace Ali took first, ninth overall, with a personal best time of 2:00.61. Fellow sophomore Linnea Anderson finished eighth in the race with a time of 2:03.99.
Junior Ryan Dulaney finished sixth in the women’s 1650 yard freestyle console finals and ninth overall with a time of 16:53.23.
