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Collegiate Stars Emerge, Teams Return
by Alyssa Jacobs
It has been an energizing start for collegiate artistic swimming programs across the country, particularly the institutions that have kicked off the season with January competitions. The season culminates on March 24th at the U.S. Collegiate Championship. The Buckeyes will have the home-pool advantage this year, as the event travels to Columbus, Ohio. After a year where only three teams were permitted to compete due to COVID-19, USAAS is excited to welcome clubs and teams from across the country back to the championship.
The collegiate landscape is looking extremely strong this season. In 2021, Wheaton, Stanford, University of Incarnate Word and Texas Woman’s University joined the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in an effort to create a conference home for the sport. This conference has allowed for increased competition during the season and has resulted in the creation of a conference championship competition. The MPSF conference championship is slated for February 12th and will serve as a great preview for the Collegiate Championship. This season will also mark the first competitive season for the new varsity program at TWU that has recruited a blended mix of international and domestic talent.
It’s not just the varsity programs that are making a comeback, the Florida Gators and the Arizona Wildcats will host meets of their own this season, welcoming teams to their campuses. The two programs have historically operated at an extremely high level and Arizona has a rich history of success at the Collegiate Championship. Additionally, Michigan appears to have one of its largest teams by numbers in recent memory. The squad traveled to Columbus in mid-January to compete against the Buckeyes. The College of William & Mary and University of Richmond have demonstrated their commitment to technique by participating in a figure meet early in the fall to kick off their seasons.
TEAMS BEGINNING AND TEAMS RETURNING:
It’s not just the varsity programs that are making a comeback, the Florida Gators and the Arizona Wildcats will host meets of their own this season, welcoming teams to their campuses. The two programs have historically operated at an extremely high level and Arizona has a rich history of success at the Collegiate Championship. Additionally, Michigan appears to have one of its largest teams by numbers in recent memory. The squad traveled to Columbus in mid-January to compete against the Buckeyes. The College of William & Mary and University of Richmond have demonstrated their commitment to technique by participating in a figure meet early in the fall to kick off their seasons.
WHAT’S UP NEXT:
February is a busy month for collegiate artistic swimming. Catch some of the action at the universities below.
Jessica Beck Invitational (Columbus, Ohio) - February 5
MPSF Championship (Stanford, Calif.) - February 12-13
University of Richmond (Richmond, Va.) - February 12
College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, Va.) – February 13
University of Arizona Collegiate Open (Tucson, Ariz.) – February 18-19
Wheaton College Invitational (Norton, Mass.) – February 19
University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.) – February 19
Jessica Beck Invitational (Columbus, Ohio) - February 5
MPSF Championship (Stanford, Calif.) - February 12-13
University of Richmond (Richmond, Va.) - February 12
College of William and Mary (Williamsburg, Va.) – February 13
University of Arizona Collegiate Open (Tucson, Ariz.) – February 18-19
Wheaton College Invitational (Norton, Mass.) – February 19
University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.) – February 19
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