It was a banner NCAA season for Texas’s Will Licon, but the rising junior has had a relatively quiet summer. He checked in with SwimSwam to talk summer training, NCAA time drops and goals for this coming summer.
“Training’s going well,” Licon said of his summer so far. “I ended up staying at Texas with Eddie and the crew.
We’ve got basically everybody still here from the college season, minus the graduated seniors. I’ts a great group of guys to train with and a great group of coaches.”
That group, of course, won the men’s NCAA title in dominant fashion, with Licon’s two individual wins a big part of the team’s points total.
We asked Licon to look back on his sophomore season and share some insights on what led to his explosive rise to NCAA stardom.
“I think a huge improvement came in the weight room,” Licon said of his sophomore year. Coming from a limited weight-lifting background in his club days, Licon says his freshman year was a learning experience in the weight room. But by last season, a more experience Licon was able to make major strides in terms of strength.
“I credit a lot of my improvement to my weight coaches, Trey and Todd,” he said.
Licon’s summer appearances have been few and far between, but the limited quantity has still produced some outstanding quality.
Last month, he took more than a full second off his lifetime-best in the 100 breast, going 1:01.50 at the Mission Viejo Swim Meet of Champions. And last week, he set a new lifetime-best in the 200 breast at the Senior Circuit meet in College Station, going 2:11.02.
Licon actually had the opportunity to swim for Team USA at a major international meet this summer, but elected to focus on U.S. Nationals instead.
“I actually qualified for Pan Ams as an alternate,” he said. “But I talked with [Texas coach] Eddie [Reese] and we decided not to go.”
Licon noted that Pan Ams (which happened last week) would have thrown a wrinkle into summer training, and that he would only have been able to swim the 200 breast, forcing a second taper meet to put up times in other events. (That’s been a factor for a few athletes already this summer.)
Instead, Licon will travel a few hours down the road to San Antonio later this summer for his taper meet, U.S. Nationals.
Licon plans to compete in both breaststrokes and both IMs in San Antonio, and could potentially add some butterfly races to his lineup. The 20-year-old hit lifetime-bests in both fly distances this past summer, going 54.81 in the 100 at the Texas Senior Circuit and 2:03.46 in the 200 in Mission Viejo.
“Honestly, I’m just looking to follow up college season with a good performance,” Licon says of his summer goals. “I want to go out there and swim well.”
He is one rising star in the making , that’s for sure . He is a serious contender in the 200 breast . The future of Usa breaststroke is safe with guys like Licon .
1.00 low/2.08 low on breastroke at nationals
1.58/4.14 on IM
Most important swim for him is the 200 breast, the event in which he can qualify for Rio next year.
Unlike many other college swimmers, he has already proved last year he could swim fast in long course.
2.11 in the 200 breast
Based on her huge SCY breaststroke progression since then, no reason he can’t convert that in the big pool.
If swimming is logical.
You all are soooooo cute.
The real Phil Jackson?
Agree completely Phil
Licon Nationals Predictions:
• 100 Breast- 1:00.3
• 200 Breast- 2:08.5
• 200 IM- 1:58.7
• 400 IM- 4:14..6
Before anyone says these are too optimistic, remember that Licon upset the American record-holders and NCAA champions in their signature events. (Cordes in the 200 Breast and Kalisz in the 400 IM)
Nolas was the undisputed king on SCY.. until now still waiting for results as good as SCY on LCM. I am not doubting his abilities before he has his chance to prove himself, but SCY is never a good parameter to estimate how good someone is on LCM..
Rafael, but a 2:11 last year at nationals when he was around 1:53 in yards isn’t too bad. This year a 1:49 should be a 2:08 mid to a 2:09.
Question for you younger current swimmers – what’s with this blossoming use of nose plugs? I see Mr. Licon wearing one above, and watched many of the swimmers (mostly, but not exclusively backstrokers) wear them in the Pan Am Games.
When did this start? When did they stop teaching inhale through the mouth, exhale through the nose? Do any of you wear them, and why? So curious to me – I don’t think I could have trained or raced wearing one of those.
I use it for back and IM. For backstroke, it helps because you don’t have to blow bubbles out, which wastes your oxygen, allowing you to travel underwater further. In IM, it helps with backstroke and the back-to-breast transition. For other strokes, some swimmers just prefer to focus on breathing only through the mouth.
I predict 2:08 at nationals
that’s bold. I don’ put it past him. But I say 2.09 mid.
It makes sense not to go to Pan Ams because of the second taper, cost and in Will’s case limited events he could swim. Wise choice!
Cost? I might be totally ignorant on this, but I assumed that if one qualifies for a major international meet team (like Pan Ams), all costs associated with traveling to the meet and staying there are covered by USA Swimming. True?
Thats true for all “National level competitions” (Juniors, Nationals, Pan Pacs, Pan Ams)
For sure the financial cost of Pan-Ams is covered.
USA swimming does cover the cost of these events for all Americans except those from Texas.
Will is at the top of my list to watch at Nationals in a couple weeks. He will be dangerous! Keep up the good work!