As conference championship season in the NCAA begins to wind down, the domestic calendar in the U.S. starts to ramp up. Not only do we have the second leg of the 2023 Pro Swim Series on the docket this weekend in Fort Lauderdale, but there are also a host of other competitions that will feature top club swimmers from around the country.
Three Sectionals meets will take place in College Station (TX), Carlsbad and Novato (CA), while there will also be the annual Southern Premier meet in Nashville and the Virginia LSC Senior Champs in Richmond.
Below, all the info you need to follow along with each meet this weekend:
2023 Speedo Southern Premier
- March 3-5, 2023
- Nashville, TN
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheet
The Southern Premier meet will be hosted by Nashville Aquatic Club and feature several notable names, including NAG record holder Max Williamson.
Williamson, 16, is entered in the men’s 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free and 200 back as the top seed, and he’ll also contest the 200 breast and 200 fly.
Williamson currently holds the boys’ 15-16 NAG record in the 200 free (1:33.07) and 200 back (1:40.88), so he’ll have a shot at those marks this weekend (he also owns the 400 IM record but isn’t racing it).
Other names to watch for on the boys’ side include Williamson’s Lakeside Aquatic Club teammates Cooper Lucas and Johnny Crush, Baylor’s Drew Hitchcock and Lakeside Swim Team’s Will Scholtz.
The girls’ field will be highlighted by 14-year-old rising star Charlotte Crush, who will race six events, including the 100 back, where she owns the girls’ 13-14 NAG record at 51.01. Her Lakeside teammate Haley McDonald and Dynamo’s Sophie Brison will also be in the field.
2023 Virginia Swimming Senior Championships
- March 2-5, 2023
- Richmond, VA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
The story of the Virginia Senior Championships figures to revolve around age group superstar Thomas Heilman, who is reportedly tapering for the event given that he’ll be at the Junior National Team camp during YMCA Nationals next month.
The 16-year-old is entered in five events for the meet: 50 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 breast and 400 IM. Heilman owns three 15-16 NAG records in short course yards, but none of the ones he’s entered in this weekend, so we’ll see if he can get close in some races that would be considered his secondary events.
On paper, the 50 free is his best bet, with a lifetime best of 19.63 and the record sitting at 19.24 from Michael Andrew in 2015.
The meet will also feature names such as Lynchburg YMCA’s Brendan Whitfield and Heilman’s Cavalier teammate Will Browne on the boys’ side and NOVA’s Elle Scott and Gator’s Ali Pfaff for the girls’.
2023 Speedo Sectionals – College Station
- March 2-5, 2023
- College Station, TX
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
College Station Sectionals will feature some of the top clubs in Texas, with Nitro Swimming, Longhorn Aquatics and Texas Ford Aquatics in the lineup, while Palo Alto Stanford highlights those coming from out-of-state.
Longhorn Aquatics age group standout Jillian Cox and veteran Miranda Tucker will be in the women’s field, as will Morgan Scott, who ended her collegiate career with Alabama early this past January after suffering a torn labrum.
The men’s side will feature Stanford commit Ethan Harrington, breaststroker Adam Fusti-Molnar who departed the Texas Longhorns earlier this season, and comeback swimmer Jacob Molacek.
2023 Speedo Sectionals – Carlsbad
- March 2-5, 2023
- Carlsbad, CA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
The Carlsbad Sectionals will feature NAG record-breakers Teagan O’Dell and Kayla Han, while Bailey Hartman, Maggie Schalow and Raya Mellott will also be in the women’s field.
The men’s side will be headlined by #2 ranked recruit Rex Maurer, along with Marre Gattnar and Humberto Najera.
Maurer is entered and seeded first in seven events, including his specialities, the 200 and 500 free.
O’Dell will race the 200 IM, 200 free and 200 back as the top seed, and she’s also lurking down the psych sheets in the 400 IM with a long course entry time.
2023 Speedo Sectionals – Novato
- March 2-5, 2023
- Novato, CA
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
The Novato Sectionals meet will feature Sierra Marlins standouts Ava Chavez and Erica Jaffe, along with NAG record-breaking breaststroker Mikayla Tan and 15-year-old talent Brandon Ha from DART Swimming.
Veteran Brandon Fischer, 34, will also be in the field, as will Alto Swim Club’s Jonathan Cook, as they’ll go head-to-head as the top seeds in both the men’s 100 breast and 200 IM.
For some reason North Carolina had a nice Senior Champs meet too. What even is senior champs? Is it a coincidence that the elite LSCs have these?
Lot of talent coming from the golden bears at the novato meet, excited to see what they can throw down!
Lakeside Aquatic Club of Texas vs Lakeside Swim Club of Louisville.