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The University of Tennessee will add another international freestyle specialist next season: the 18-year-old Australian. Koby Bujak-Upton.
Bujak-Upton is coming off a successful Australian Age Championships in April in which she set lifetime bests in the 50 free (23.20), 100 free (50.26), 200 free (1:49.65) and 400 free (3: 56.50). He placed 2nd in the 100 freestyle behind. Flynn Southam and 3rd in the 200 freestyle behind Anders McAlpine and Southam, who medaled in the event at last year’s World Junior Championships.
The Knox Pymble Swim Club standout announced his verbal commitment to the Volunteers last month.
“I am excited and proud to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Tennessee (sic),” Bujak-Upton wrote on Instagram. “I look forward to continuing and excelling in my academic and athletic endeavors. I am very grateful for everything my coaches, my family and my teammates have done to help me in my career so far. LET’S GO VOLS🍊🍊”
Best LCM times (converted from SCY)
- 50 free – 23.20 (20.18)
- 100 free – 50.26 (43.83)
- 200 free – 1:49.65 (1:35.90)
- 400 free – 3:56.50 (4:24.98)
Bujak-Upton’s converted best times would still not be recorded at the SEC Championships, but she is just a half-second shy of the C final range in the 200 free. At last season’s SEC Championship, the Cayman Islands star Jordan Thieves placed third in the 200 freestyle, freshman from Trinidad and Tobago Nikoli Blackman reached the final B, and the Peruvian junior Joaquin Vargas reached the C final. Tennessee’s freestyle group also includes Brazilian sprinter Gui Caribe.
The Volunteer men placed fifth at the SEC Championships in February before finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships in March. Coach Matt Kredich has led the program since 2005. The SEC should become even more competitive next season with Texas joining the conference from the Big 12 this summer.
An interesting detail is that Bujak-Upton has signed with an Australian modeling agency. You could risk losing your F-1 student visa if you make name, image and likeness (NIL) agreements on US soil, but there is a loophole that allows international college athletes to benefit from their publicity rights outside the country .
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