Seidt, Jorgensen Set to Represent United States on U.S. World University Games Team
NAPLES, Italy – USA Swimming National Team member and University of Kentucky swimmer Asia Seidt is set to represent the United States at the 2019 World University Games hosted in Naples, Italy, July 4-11. UK swimming and diving head coach Lars Jorgensen will join Seidt as one of eight assistant coaches.
Invited to compete in the 200-meter backstroke field for the second time in her career, Seidt will join 28 swimmers from a combined 21 countries. The semifinals event is July 4 at 6:46 p.m. ET, and the finals event is July 5 at 1:14 p.m. ET. Both events are hosted at the Piscina Scandone swimming center in Naples.
“We are very excited to get the World University Games underway tomorrow,” Jorgensen said. “Asia is having a great summer, and we would like to continue that with a great performance tomorrow in the semifinals.”
Seidt is one of two swimmers in the 200-meter backstroke field representing the USA, joining former Texas A&M swimmer Lisa Bratton. Behind Bratton, Seidt boasts the second-best seedtime – 2:08.91 – in the semifinals field, and she will swim in the fourth lane in the third heat on Thursday.
The rising senior earned her career-best time of 2:08.91 at the 2018 Columbus PSS. It is the current long-course school record.
“I’m really excited to be representing the United States,” Seidt said. “I made the team last summer, so the anticipation has been a while and it’s finally here. I’m really happy Lars is coming with me. I’m able to train with him up until competition. It’s an honor to represent the United States again. I was able to do it in 2017, and to have the American flag on my cap again is an amazing feeling.”
Becoming the three-time defending Southeastern Conference Champion in the 200-yard backstroke during the 2018-19 season, Seidt also reset school records in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke as a junior (100 BK – 50.68; 200 BK – 1:48.65). In the process, the Louisville native earned a bronze medal at the 2019 NCAA Championships in the 200-yard backstroke for her school-record time of 1:48.65.
Meanwhile at the national meet, Seidt became an eight-time First Team All-American – 16-time All-American – the most in program history (male or female). During the 2018-19 season, Seidt earned the prestigious ELITE 90 award and was named the Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year. The senior is a second-season USA Swimming National Team member.
Entering his seventh season as the head coach of the UK swimming and diving program, Jorgensen has been selected as a U.S. team assistant coach at the World University Games three times in his career, coaching former UK swimmers Tina Bechtel (2015), Bridgette Alexander (2017) and Seidt (2017, 2019).
The 52-member swim team representing the U.S. this week is made up of swimmers from 17 college programs. The Games’ organizing committee invited 202 countries to attend the biannual event. In 2017, it attracted 145 countries.
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
