Georgia men’s swimming and diving team member Aidan Burns qualified for the 400-yard IM in next month’s NCAA Championships during the Bulldog Invitational Last Chance Meet at Gabrielsen Natatorium on Sunday.
 
 
Burns, a sophomore from Saratoga, California, posted a men’s 400-yard individual medley time of 3:41.56, which is the seventh-fastest effort in the nation this season. Georgia could have as many as five 400 individual medley entries at the NCAAs March 22-25 in Indianapolis.
 
 
“That was a breakthrough swim for Aidan,” Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said. “That was the swim of the meet. A performance like that is a big lift to all of the 400 IM group. That was far and away his best swim.”
 
 
Burns entered the weekend with a top time of 3:45.91 set last week at the SEC Championships. On Sunday, with cheering teammates surrounding all corners of the pool, Burns shaved more than four seconds off his time.
 
 
“It didn’t feel like it was that special as it was happening, but I was obviously thrilled when I saw the time,” Burns said. “I love competing for this team. Their support today gave me a huge confidence boost.”
 
 
The Bulldogs also will keep an eye on Powell Brooks’ 1:43.46 in the men’s 200-yard butterfly and Katherine Parker’s 52.54 in the women’s 100-yard backstroke. Bauerle classified each as “on the bubble.”
 
 
The official psych sheets for the NCAAs will be announced this week for the women (whose meet is March 15-18, also in Indianapolis) and the next for the men. Georgia can bring a maximum of 18 swimmers or 17 swimmers and one or two divers to the NCAAs. A swimmer at the NCAAs may enter a maximum of three individual events and compete on up to four relays. A diver may compete on all three boards once qualified.
 
 
The Zone B Diving Championships will be March 6-8 at Auburn. Georgia will have five women and three men attempting to qualify for the NCAAs.
 
 
Both Georgia teams were coming off second-place showings at the SECs in Knoxville, Tennessee ESPNU will air a recap of the men’s portion of the SEC Championships on Monday at 4 p.m., followed by the women’s meet at 5:30 p.m.
 
 
For the complete results from the Bulldog Invitational Last Chance Meet, CLICK HERE.