COLLEGE STATION, TX -- Seven swimmers of the Texas A&M men's swimming and diving team will travel to Federal Way, Wash. to compete in the 2012 NCAA Championships after the NCAA announced Div. I invitations Wednesday.
Seniors John Ariens, Amini Fonua, Boris Loncaric, juniors John Dalton and John Wagner, and sophomores Kyle Troskot and Paul-Marc Schweitzer were all invited following their performances at the Big 12 Championships on Feb. 22-25 in Columbia, Mo.
The Aggies qualified for three relay finals at NCAAs, in each of the 200-yard medley, 400-yard medley and 800-yard freestyle relays.
The A&M 800 relay team of Schweitzer, Dalton, Loncaric and Wagner turned in a blazing time at the Big 12 Championships, breaking the A&M school record by more than 3 seconds with a time of 6:21.88.
Ariens, Fonua, Loncaric and Dalton teamed up that same meet to claim first place in the 400 medley relay with a season-best time of 3:08.92.
The Aggies' 200 medley relay finished in runner-up fashion behind Texas at the Big 12s with a similar season-best time of 1:25.87. The combination of Ariens, Fonua and Loncaric will add Troskot in the freestyle leg.
The Aggies' received two individual event invites for the NCAA meet as Dalton will compete in the 100-yard freestyle and Loncaric will swim the 100-yard butterfly.
Dalton led the Aggies in the 400-freestyle relay with the fastest 100-yard freestyle split recorded these season for A&M, a blistering time of 43.01. Dalton also finished in third place individually at Big 12s with a time of 44.30.
Loncaric received the other individual invitation to the meet and will swim in the 100-yard burrtfly event alongside his relay races. Loncaric's time of 46.72 at Big 12s earned the A&M one of its two individual wins at the conference championship.
The NCAA Championship meet begins Thursday, March 22 and will continue until Saturday, March 24.
