Vols Win 2022 CSCAA National Invitational Championships, Lady Vols Finish Third

Thursday, March 10

Elkhart, IN

University of Tennessee

CSCAA National Invitational Championships

Vols Win 2022 CSCAA National Invitational Championships, Lady Vols Finish Third

March 13, 2022 | Swimming & Diving

Results

ELKHART, Ind. – A successful week at the 2022 CSCAA National Invitational Championships ended with Tennessee men's swimming & diving bringing home the title and the Lady Vols earning a top-three finish.

The two teams combined to win 19 medals during the week, including 12 golds, and set six new meet records. The Vols finished with seven gold, two silver and two bronze medals, while the Lady Vols earned five gold and three silver medals.

Lady Vol junior Claire Nguyen garnered NIC's Most Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet after winning three gold medals on the week and being a member of the silver medal winning 800 free relay. She won the individual title in the 500 free (4:45.30), 1000 free (9:51.53) and 1650 free (16:25.39). She broke the NIC meet record in the 1000 and 1650 freestyles.

On the men's side, sophomore Jake Narvid led the way behind a pair of titles in the 1000 free and 1650 free with times of 9:05.52 and 15:07.25, respectively. Sophomore Harrison Lierz won gold in the 50 back with a 22.11 mark, while senior Brett Champlin brought home the title in the 200 breast (1:55.43) and added a bronze in the 100 breast (52.90). The duo made up half of the UT's medley relays.

Lierz, Champlin, Luke Brice and Seth Thompson-Bailey took first in the 400 medley relay with a meet-record time of 3:09.64. Lierz, Champlin, Brice and Nolan Briggs won silver in the 200 medley relay (1:27.35). Thompson-Bailey brought home gold in a 200 free final that included three Vols thanks to a time of 1:35.27. Freshman Joaquin Vargas earned two medals on the week after finishing second in the 500 free (4:19.43) and third in the 200 free (1:35.52). Vargas joined Gus Rothrock, Jack Stelter and Rafael Ponce de Leon Castilla on the top 800 free relay, which set the meet record with a 6:28.36 mark.

"It was definitely our intention to go to Elkhart and put our best foot forward," associate head coach Rich Murphy said. "We were confident in the guys we brought up there and were optimistic that they could achieve something significant. We were intentional with our preparation and effort, and we were really pleased with the results. All in all, I am just really happy of how the guys supported each other and made the most of the opportunity.

"We really benefitted from the leadership of our older guys, in particular Nolan Briggs. The success of Jake Narvid was well earned. He's been working hard all season. Brett Champlin was coming off a really good SEC meet, and Joaquin and Harrison did a nice job of securing medals. Seth Thompson-Bailey did a really nice job in the 200 free. We had three guys back in the final and all three were right next to each other. Seth did a good job of putting out a great racing effort, and I am really happy for him to end the season with some big success in the 200 free."

Along with Nguyen's three titles, the Lady Vols also saw senior Emma Carlton and freshman Asia Minnes win gold medals. Carlton posted the top time of 23.55 in the 50 fly, while Minnes touched the wall first in the 100 IM thanks to a 54.74 mark. Carlton also added a silver medal in the 50 free with a 22.71 time.

Senior Danika Katzer rounded out the individual medalist with a silver in the 400 IM (1:59.53). The Lady Vols also won silver in the 800 free relay with a time of 7:17.25 from Kate McCarville, Katzer, Nguyen and Elle Caldow.

"I'm really proud of our Lady Vol team this week as a whole," associate head coach Ashley Jahn said. "We had some season-best competitive moments. This was largely a young group and was led by only a few upperclassmen and the goal was to compete. The NIC has provided a great opportunity for championship competition. Many of our women took advantage of the competitive opportunity, and it will make us stronger in the future. I'm proud of the competitive strides that Claire made this championship season. She did a great job competing and was honored as the NIC Female Swimmer of the Meet. I struggle with the words to describe how honored and proud I am of Emily Sykes and Danika Katzer. They have represented the Lady Vols for five and four years, respectively, and have modeled the competitiveness, grace and resilience of this team. I'm proud of how they competed, grew and led. I'm honored and humbled to have been able to be a part of their time at Tennessee."

For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee swimming & diving on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.

Gold Medals
Women
50 Fly – Emma Carlton (23.55) [Meet Record]
500 Free – Claire Nguyen (4:45.30)
1000 Free – Claire Nguyen (9:51.53) [Meet Record]
1650 Free – Claire Nguyen (16:25.39) [Meet Record]
100 IM – Asia Minnes (54.74) [Meet Record]

Men
50 Back – Harrison Lierz (22.11)
200 Free – Seth Thompson-Bailey (1:35.27)
1000 Free – Jake Narvid (9:05.52)
1650 Free – Jake Narvid (15:07.25)
200 Breast – Brett Champlin (1:55.43)
400 Medley Relay – Lierz, Champlin, Brice, Thompson-Bailey (3:09.64) [Meet Record]
800 Free Relay – Rothrock, Vargas, Stelter, Ponce de Leon (6:28.36) [Meet Record]

Silver Medals
Women
200 IM – Danika Katzer (1:59.53)
50 Free – Emma Carlton (22.71)
800 Free Relay – McCarville, Katzer, Nguyen, Caldow (7:17.25)

Men
500 Free – Joaquin Vargas (4:19.43)
200 Medley Relay – Lierz, Champlin, Brice, Briggs (1:27.35)

Bronze Medals
Men
200 Free – Joaquin Vargas (1:35.52)
100 Breast – Brett Champlin (52.90)