This post was updated Nov. 19 at 3:27 p.m.
Although a packed schedule with multiple tournaments in one week may burden a team, it also brings more opportunities to record victories.
No. 24 UCLA swim and dive (0-1-1) may convert those opportunities into triumphs when it competes at the Ohio State Invitational in Columbus, Ohio, from Tuesday to Friday. The Bruins will have an immediate turnaround – with a day of overlap – when they return to Los Angeles for the USC Diving Invite, which takes place from Thursday to Saturday.
The Ohio State Invitational features a crop of Big Ten opponents in No. 7 Indiana, Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern, along with nonconference foes Cincinnati, Kentucky, Louisville, Yale, Pittsburgh and Miami. UCLA’s swim group will compete in Columbus while its diving counterpart will remain in Los Angeles.
The Ohio State Invitational will begin with two relay events on Tuesday before featuring seven or eight different competitions on each of the following three days.
Although UCLA is coming off head-to-head matchups against both Arizona State and Arizona without capturing a victory – with one draw and one loss – key performances presented optimistic outlooks going forward with the season. Coach Jordan Cordry reflected on her squad’s goals heading into the week-long array of competitions.
“Our top athletes have set some really high standards,” Cordry said. “So, (our goal) – it’s get some people firmly qualified for NCAAs, get some relays firmly qualified, see if we can break some team records. Build some confidence, sharpen up some skills and go out there and race with some of the best in the conference.”
Among the highlight performances was senior Rosie Murphy, who set a program record for the 200 backstroke against No. 18 ASU with a time of 1:52.39 – good for the 10th-best mark in the country. She also accumulated four event wins, including the 200 backstroke and 200 IM – both of which she’ll race again Friday.
The Sacramento local’s weekend performance earned her Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors.
“I definitely knew I could do that,” Murphy said. “I think I have a lot more in the tank. I know that I’ve been working really hard, and our whole team has been working so hard. I’ve just been so inspired by everyone around me.”
Freshman Jade Duncan earned a Big Ten Freshman of the Week selection after winning five events across the two dual meets. The Rocklin, California, local picked up the 50 and 100 freestyle titles against ASU and won both the 100 freestyle and butterfly against Arizona.
Duncan will also have a chance to build on her 400 medley win at ASU, with the event scheduled again for Thursday.
“It makes me super proud to see the freshmen taking on such dominant positions and dominant roles on our team,” Murphy said. “It makes me feel really satisfied that, once I leave, the team will carry on well. I just try to take them under my wing and give them the knowledge I have, having been here four years.”
Murphy added that the upcoming invitational is a key opportunity for both personal and teamwide growth.
She noted that the relay events, in particular, could be an area of improvement for the squad in Columbus.
“Ohio State (the Ohio State Invitational) is going to be really great for us,” Murphy said. “Personally, I would love to just go for best times. … Teamwise, we should get some good relays out of Ohio State. I think a lot of people have a lot of really good swims building up.”
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