LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior Asia Seidt was selected to the 2019 World University Games Team, announced by USA Swimming on Thursday. The 52-member squad is made up of swimmers from 17 college programs, which will represent the United Stated in Naples, Italy, July 4-10, 2019.
“I’m very excited to be chosen for the World University team,” Seidt said. “It is an amazing feeling to represent the United States and Kentucky on an international stage. I can’t thank my coaches and teammates enough for helping me reach this opportunity. I look forward to some fast racing next summer.”
The 2019 Games will feature 18 sports and events over the course of 11 days. In addition to swimming, archery, athletics, basketball, diving, fencing, football, gymnastics (artistic), gymnastics (rhythmic), judo, rugby sevens, sailing, shooting sport, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball and water polo will be featured events.
The Games’ organizing committee invited 202 countries to attend the bi-annual event. In 2017, it attracted 145 countries. The Games are expected to bring 170 participating countries in 2019.
USA Swimming is the official selection committee for swimmers to represent the United States team.
Seidt is selected to the 2019 World University Games Team following an impressionable sophomore season and her recent accomplishment, being selected to the USA Swimming National Team. Seidt clocked the second-best time in the country in the 2017-18 season with a 200-yard backstroke time of 1:49:24, also earning silver at the 2018 NCAA Championships. Her time also set a new program record.
The Louisville native leads Kentucky in another discipline, Seidt recorded 1:53:04 in the 200-yard IM at the 2018 Southeastern Conference Championships, while also earning two SEC titles in the same year – 100-yard backstroke (50.86) and 200-yard backstroke (1:49.65).
The 10-time All-American took care of business in the season opener Wednesday, Oct. 10 rallying two first-place finishes versus highly ranked Indiana (No. 6) and Notre Dame (No. 18) – 100-yard backstroke (54.23) and 200-yard IM (2:00.51). She won the IM by more than two full seconds.
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter, on Facebook at Facebook.com/UKSwimDive, and on the web at UKathletics.com.
