Linfield swimmers advance to NCAAs

Kaelia Neal, Sports editor

The season ended for most Linfield swimmers at the Northwest Conference Championships on February 12, but a select few get a shot at making a splash at the NCAA DIII Championships. Four members of the men’s swim team have been selected to compete at nationals on March 15-18 at the Conroe ISD Natatorium in Shenandoah, Texas.

        Freshman star Noah Cutting will be competing in the 200-yard butterfly, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. Along with that, he is part of the Wildcat 200 medley relay that was also selected for nationals. Other members of the team include junior Victor Brasil, junior Matthew Hanson, and sophomore Neirton Oliveira.

        “I think the relay can make it into the top-eight. There’s only a second and half that separates second to 16th place, so anything can happen,” Brasil said. “Matt did an amazing split on our relay at conference. He deserves a lot of credit.”

        “Our goal for nationals is to try to get into the top eight or 16 in as many events as possible,” Hanson said.

        Since the 200 medley relay was selected for the championships, relay members are eligible to swim their B National Cuts.

        Brasil, whose name decorates the record board at Linfield, will be competing in the 100 breaststroke. “I want to try to sneak in the finals,” Brasil said. “I’ll have to swim better than my best. That’s going to be hard for me to do, but it’s going to be my last race. So I might wake up, have a good day and pull something out of the hat.”

Neirton will represent Linfield in the 100 backstroke and the 50 freestyle.