University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
Trojans Travel to Utah for Final Dual of the Season
February 21, 2020 | Men's Swimming & Diving, Features
USC looking for first dual win of the season.
The Trojans are seeking their first dual meet win this season after an 0-5 start, including losses to Arizona, California and Stanford. The Utes are 2-4 but seek their first Pac-12 dual meet win of the season after losses to Arizona and Arizona State.
Most recently the Trojans hosted No. 16 Stanford where USC honored seven athletes prior to the start of the meet for Senior Day. Against the Cardinal, Mark Jurek, Nikola Miljenic and Alexei Sancov each posted individual wins.
This Season
Sophomore Alexei Sancov has been USC's top swimmer during the 2019-2020 campaign. He was named Pac-12 Swimmer of the Month in November after breaking a pair of USC records in the Art Adamson Invitational at Texas A&M. He shattered the school mark in the 200y fly in 1:42.20 while also lowering the Trojan standard in the 200y IM in 1:43.92.
He was named Pac-12 Men's Swimmer of the Week (Jan. after posting a two-win meet against Minnesota in mid-January, taking the 200y free (1:38.07) and the 200y IM (1:50.81).
Sancov's top time this year in the 200y free (1:32.95) is fourth nationally, his 1:42.20 in the 200y fly is seventh and his 1:43.92 in the 200y IM is 10th.
Sophomore Victor Johansson has also been strong. His 14:47.27 in the 1650y free is seventh nationally.
Senior diver Henry Fusaro, who missed the postseason last season after suffering an injury in the spring semester, is in top form again. He posted wins on the 1- and 3-meter at both the Trojan and Utah Diving Invitationals and was second on both boards at the Bruin Invite. He swept the springboards against Arizona and was second on both against Arizona State.
He was named Pac-12 Men's Diver of the Week (Feb. 12) after winning three times during the Trojans' dual meets against California and Stanford (Feb. 7-8).
TOP TIMES
A handful of Trojans boast NCAA B cuts. Sophomore Alexei Sancov leads USC with four cuts in the 100y (43.74) and 200y free (1:32.95, Pac-12 best) as well as in the 200y fly (1:42.20) and the 200y IM (1:43.92) – both second-best in the Pac-12 … Junior Nikola Miljenic has three in the 50y (19.64) and the 100y free (43.24) and the 100y fly (46.80) … Victor Johansson has a pair in the 500y (4:18.22) and 1650y free (14:47.27) while freshman Jack Kirby has them in the 100y (47.46) and 200y back (1:43.66).
Others with B cuts include senior Mark Jurek in the 200y fly (1:46.10), sophomore Thomas Finello in the 50y free (19.93), freshman Ivan Puskovitch in the 1650y free (15:11.92), freshman David Mertz in the 1650y free (15:17.23) and freshman Dominic Margarino in the 500y free (4:22.08).
SEASON NOTES
Captains for this year's Trojans are seniors Thomas Reed and Mark Jurek and senior diver Henry Fusaro.
Junior Nikola Miljenic, a two-time Pac-12 finalist and NCAA relay scorer, and sophomore Victor Johansson, the 2019 Pac-12 champion in the 500-yard free and an NCAA scorer in the 1650-yard free, are among the key veterans returning for the Trojans. Fusaro is a 2018 Pac-12 champion on 3-meter and a two-time NCAA scorer. Sophomore Alexei Sancov is also set for a big second season.
The Trojan men feature 12 talented newcomers, led by freshman Jack Kirby (Barbados) and Ivan Puskovitch (West Chester, Penn.)
