UCLA to Send Seven Swimmers to 2021 NCAA Championships

LOS ANGELES – Seven UCLA swimmers earned invites to the 2021 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships on Wednesday as the NCAA announced its selections for this year's meet.

UCLA's invited swimmers included freshman Sam Baron, sophomore Gabby Dang, junior Claire Grover, and junior Ella Kirschke. Sophomores Sophia Kosturos and Brooke Schaffer and junior Delaney Smith will also head to NCAAs – being held this year in Greensboro, N.C. – as relay alternates.

The Bruins have a chance to earn additional invites on the diving side, whose selections are earned with regional Zone Championships. UCLA divers are set to compete at the Zone E Diving Championships in Flagstaff, Ariz. from Mar. 8-10.

Leading UCLA's NCAA qualifiers were Baron and Grover, who both earned double qualification.

Baron will compete in both the butterfly events. She set a school record in the 100 fly at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships with a time of 51.65 to earn the No. 11 seed in that event. She will also be the No. 21 seed in the 200 fly after posting a season-best time of 1:55.66.

Grover qualified in both the 50 free (22.24) and 100 breast (59.23), giving her the fifth and sixth individual NCAA qualifications of her career. She was a triple-qualifier as a freshman at the 2019 NCAAs.

Dang (100 fly; 52.58) and Kirschke (200 free; 1:46.15) both earned individual NCAA qualification for the first time in their careers.

The 2021 NCAA Championships will take place from Mar. 17-20.

Stay tuned to @UCLASwimAndDive on Twitter for all team updates.