USC Invite: Dobler Puts Up 57.9 100 Breast, Helps 3 USC Relays to NCAA ‘A’ Cuts

USC Trojan Invitational

• Friday & Saturday, October 15 & 16, 2021
• Uytengsu Aquatics Center
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results

Combined Team Scoring

1. USC – 1741.5
2. UNLV – 1233.5
3. TCU – 1098
4. UC San Diego – 982

USC hosted their annual Trojan Invite this past weeked at the Uytengsu Aquatic Center. The hosting Trojans also won the meet, which featured UNLV, TCU, and UCSD. This was a test for USC, as it was their first meet since head coach Jeremy Kipp was placed on administrative leave.

Calypso Sheridan, who followed Kipp to USC from Northwestern, had a great first meet with the Trojans, winning all 3 of her individual events, and swimming a personal best. Sheridan, one of the top IMers in the NCAA this season, swept the women’s IMs this past weekend. She clocked a very quick October time of 1:55.76 in the 200 IM, getting out to a brutally fast 53.51 on the first 100. She then swam a 4:07.52 to win the 400 IM by over 6 seconds.

Sheridan also won the 200 fly, clocking a 1:56.65. The swim marks a lifetime best for Sheridan, whose previous best was 1:56.91 from 2019.

USC had 3 women’s relays hit NCAA ‘A’ cuts at the meet. All 3 relays were made up by Sheridan, Kaitlyn Dobler, Laticia Transom, and Anicka Delgado. The quartet swam a 1:28.00 to win the 200 free relay, featuring a 21.66 2nd-leg split from Sheridan. In the 200 medley relay, Sheridan led off in 24.04, Dobler split 26.59 on breast, Delgado split 23.45 on fly, and Transom swam 21.93 on free for a 1:36.01 final time. They swam the same order in the 400 medley relay, splitting 51.79, 58.15, 52.42, and 47.38 respectively, clocking a 3:29.74. The time would have finished 4th at NCAAs last season.

Kaitlyn Dobler was on fire in the women’s breast events, blowing away the field in the 100 breast with a 57.95. She got out to a blistering-fast start, splitting 27.35 on the first 50 of the race. The 57.95 marks an NCAA ‘A’ cut, meaning she’s automatically qualified to swim the event at NCAAs now. Additionally, USC now has an individual ‘A’ cut coupled with a relay ‘A’ cut, which means that the Trojans will now be eligible to swim any relay in which they have a ‘B’ cut at NCAAs. Dobler then went on to swim a 2:11.63 in the 200 breast, finishing 2nd to teammate Isabelle Odgers (2:09.27).

Laticia Transom swept the women’s sprint free events. She first won the 50 free, clocking a 22.43, while Dobler came in 2nd in 22.45, and Anicka Delgado took 3rd in 22.48. Transom then swam a 1:43.98 to win the 200 free decisively. She swam an excellent race, splitting 26.38, 26.67, and 26.45 on the final 3 50s. Transom made it a sweep by taking the 100 free in 48.41, while Delgado took 2nd in 49.77. Delgado went on to win the 100 fly in 53.09.

TCU’s Geremia Freri was phenomenal over the course of the weekend, winning 3 events, breaking 3 TCU school records, and nearly breaking a 4th. Freri kicked off his racing with a 4:17.71 to win the men’s 500 free by 2 seconds. Freri’s time ripped the previous TCU record by 4.66 seconds, as he became the first Horned Frog to break 4:20 in the event. He would go on to win the men’s 1650 with a very speedy early season 15:04.35, again winning the race  by 2 seconds. This swim absolutely demolished the previous TCU record of 15:23.38, which had stood since 2012. Freri split 9:08.94 at the 1000 mark, also setting a new TCU record. He also won the 400 IM with a 3:49.52, touching just 0.03 seconds off the TCU record. Freri is 21 years old, although the Italy-native is just a freshman for TCU.

USC’s Nikola Miljenic picked up 3 wins for the Trojans. He first picked up a win in the men’s 50 free with a 19.74. USC had another guy under 20 seconds, as Artem Selin took 2nd in 19.89. Miljenic clocked a decisive victory in the 100 fly, swimming a 46.75. He was incredibly fast on the first 50 of the race, splitting 21.47. He went on to win the 100 free in 44.02.