Dutch-Born, American-Trained, Owen van Krimpen Commits to CSU-Bakersfield

Dutch distance swimmer Owen van Krimpen, who trains in the United States at NCAP under coach Jeremy Linn, has verbally committed to California State University Bakersfield (CSUB).

In yards, his best times are:

• 100 free – 46.87
• 200 free – 1:41.28
• 500 free – 4:29.57
• 1000 free – 9:15.51
• 1650 free – 15:32.71
• 100 fly – 50.27

Van Krimpen also is very good in long course, where his bests are:

• 200 free – 1:55.46
• 400 free – 4:01.22
• 1500 free – 16:06.81

The 17-year old was born in the Netherlands, and while he’s spent much of his youth living in the United States, he does not have dual American citizenship.

“The thing I liked best (about CSUB) was how close the team was and how the coach didn’t seem like a coach to the swimmers; more like a family member,” van Krimpen said of why he chose the RoadRunners.

While he won’t enter as CSUB’s best middle-distance freestyler, he should have an immediate impact in the tough WAC Conference. His 500 free time would’ve been 16th-best in the conference last season, and his 1650 free time would’ve been 7th, making him an immediate individual scorer at that level.

CSUB has been as successful as any mid-major, as well as most of the top-25-type programs, at developing distance freestylers, including Mitchell Huxhold, who scored at NCAA’s last year. Huxhold and van Krimpen’s undergraduate careers will miss each other by a season, and in fact the team’s three best 200 freestylers from last season will all be gone before Krimpen arrives. That means that he will be counted on in short order to at least contribute to the CSUB 800 free relay, if not more than that, as a freshman.

While not his specialty, van Krimpen may also be called upon to pitch in on the shorter relays as well.