GCU swimmers set records enroute to qualifying for NCAAs

Grand Canyon University will be sending more swimmers to the national championships next month.  And the ‘Lopes set some records in the process.

The Antelopes finished third at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference swimming championships, but added four more swimmers who will be eligible for the championships.

Freshmen Johan Ivarsson and junior Artem Tretiakov qualified for the NCAAs earlier this season, but now there are six.  Two of the latest to swim qualifying times are local products: freshman Rickie Krzyzanowski from Pinnacle HS (Scottsdale) and junior Charles Woodruff from Central HS (Phoenix).  The remaining qualifiers are Ralph Herberg from Germany and Ben Hewitt from Oregon.

Krzyzanowski set a new RMAC record in winning the 200 Butterfly in a time of 1:52.25, while teammate Tretiakov set a new conference mark in winning the 100 Freestyle in 45.14.  In the 400 Freestyle Relay, Tretiakov, Herberg, Woodruff, and Ivarsson broke the meet record with a time of 3:05.60.

The third-place finish was GCU’s highest in the three years it has been competing in the championships.

(Photo of Richie Krzyzanowski by Tim Koors)