Lehigh University
US AT&T Winter Nationals
Three Mountain Hawks to Compete at US National Championships
12/2/2015 4:53:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Three Lehigh men's swimmers will compete this week at the U.S. AT&T Winter National Championships, hosted by USA Swimming. Juniors Jacob Moyar, Jamal Willis and Justin White will make the trip to Federal Way, Washington from Thursday thru Saturday, Dec. 3-5. The event will serve as a FINA-approved competition for swimmers to compete for qualifying times for the 2016 Olympic Trials next summer.
Approximately 700 swimmers are expected to compete at the meet, including the likes of Olympic champions Missy Franklin, Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin and Nathan Adrian among others.
"This meet is so important for the future of our team," head coach Rob Herb said. "We want recruits to know that our athletes are competing and representing Lehigh at the highest levels.Our guys are on the national stage, recruits look to this meet."
This season, the trio of Lehigh swimmers have helped the team to a 4-3 start to the season, including three wins in a row.
Willis and White will both compete on Thursday in the 50 meter freestyle. Willis holds both the Lehigh program (20.07) and Jacobs Pool (20.60) records in the 50 yard sprint event, which he has won four of the five races he has competed in this season. White has been victorious six times so far this fall, collecting four wins in the 100 yard free and a pair in the 200 yard free. Both swimmers have also been a part of three winning relay teams.
Last year, Willis made his first appearance at the winter nationals, placing in the top half (46th/101) of the field in the 50 meter freestyle. This year will be White's first trip to nationals.
Moyar will be the final Mountain Hawk to enter the pool on Saturday in the 200 meter butterfly. Moyar owns the school record in the event (1:47.18) and the Jacobs Pool benchmark (1:49.25), both of which he has set since the spring. He also helped set school records in the 400 and 800 yard freestyle relays last season. This will be Moyar's second trip to nationals, where last year he competed in three events and qualified for the 'C' final in the 200 meter fly. He placed fourth (1:49.65) in his heat in the consolation final, after coming in 22nd of 63 in prelims (1:49.13).
"This year we have seen all these guys grow in the pool and as leaders," Herb added. "The impact has been dramatic. We have a young team and they all see the work it takes and are willing to follow Justin, Jacob and Jamal."
For more meet information, including psych sheets, times and more, click here.
Players Mentioned
