American Short Course Championship Results-Day 3

AUSTIN, Texas – Payton Sorenson led BYU as the Cougars wrapped a successful week at the American Short Course Championship Saturday morning at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.

“Everything went really well today,” BYU head coach John Brooks said. “Payton was very impressive with his time in the 50 free and his 100 free split. That 50 free time solidifies his spot in the NCAA Championships. We also were able to have almost all of our swimmers get a season-best or lifetime-best in their events, so overall it was a great day.”

Sorenson clocked an impressive 42.86 100 freestyle split in the 200 free preliminary, then turned around and swam the 50 free in 19.23, a top 10 time in the country. That 50 free solidified his spot in the NCAA Championships later this month. BYU ended the week by meeting four 2016 Olympic Trial cuts. Sorenson made the cut in the 100-meter freestyle. Stephen Richards also met his cut in the 100-meter breaststroke. Preston Jenkins earned two cuts during the week, meeting the time in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke.

In the first event of the morning, Kelly Hatanaka clocked a 2:04.84 in the women’s 200-yard individual medley, good enough for eighth.

Lauren Shaw Taylor placed fifth in the women’s 200 free, posting a 1:49.59 finish.

Stephen Richards was the top BYU finisher in the men’s 100 breaststroke, swimming a 55.24 for eighth.

In the women’s 50 free, Katie Smith posted a 23.70, good enough for eleventh place. Payton Sorenson took first in the men’s preliminary, clocking a 19.23.

BYU will continue its postseason run next with qualified divers competing in the NCAA Zone E Diving Championships Mar. 9-11. 

PROVO, Utah – BYU swim will compete in the American Short Course Championship this Thursday through Saturday at the Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center in Austin, Texas.

“This meet is all about opportunity,” BYU head coach John Brooks said. “This will be the last chance for our men’s team to make NCAA cuts, so hopefully all goes well. This is one last shot and you have to want it more than air.”

A select group of swimmers will be traveling from the men’s and women’s teams to compete in the championships. The meet will give members from the men's team a last chance to qualify for the NCAA championships. The women's championship qualification period has already finished.Thursday and Friday will include long course events, with preliminaries starting at 9:15 a.m. CST and finals for each day’s events picking up at 6 p.m. CST. The Cougars will only compete in the preliminaries on Saturday morning, which will feature short course events beginning at 9:15 a.m. CST.

Results from the meet will be posted at the conclusion of each day’s events on the men’s and women’s schedule pages.