SWIMMING: Jordan Crooks wins 2023 NCAA Division I 50 yard free crown

Swimming: Jordan Crooks of Tennessee and the Cayman Islands secured victory in 2023 NCAA Division I 50 yard free crown in 18.32 and won another sprint title. Lifespan 007 open water swim took to Facebook and stated that Jordan Jets to Another Sprint Title. Crooks wins 2023 NCAA Division I 50 yard free crown in 18.32.

According to Lifesapn, in 2022 Jordan Crooks of Tennessee and the Cayman Islands came to the NCAA Championships as the number one seed with a time of 18.53. In the heats he went to 18.60 (split time 8.85) to be the second joint fastest going into the final . In Minnesota he would be the man heading to medal race splitting 8.81 to a time of 18.25.

In Minnesota he went out in exactly the same split as 2022 8.98. But the last 25 yards would not be freshman Jordan Crooks instead it would be the reigning World Short Course 50 metre Champion Jordan Crooks and he came in 9.32 to win the NCAA Gold in 18.32.

This is a historic swim for many reasons. He becomes the first Volunteer since Andy Coan in 1980 to win this race. Jordan becomes just the third Volunteer Champion in the event as David Edgar took the hattrick of wins from 1970 to 1972.

Crooks is the first swimmer representing a CARIFTA region nation to capture this crown. He is now the first CARIFTA region swimmer to hold a World Short Course and NCAA title simultaneously.

Jordan now adds to a growing Caymanian Islands legacy of success at the NCAA Division I Champs. This marks the fifth individual NCAA title the nation has won. Legendary Olympic siblings Shaune and Brett who represented Florida are responsible for the first four.  Older brother Shaune won the 200 yard butterfly titles in 2009 and 2010.Shaune had taken 200 yard freestyle crown in 2009. Two years later Brett would win the same race.

Jordan now has joined the CARIFTA roster of NCAA 50 yard free Champions. OlympianHilton Woods of the Netherland Antilles and Oakland University in Division II in from 1988 to 1990. Olympian Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of The Bahamas and Auburn in 2011. 

For the 2023 season the CARIFTA region has captured two of the three Division titles as Bahamian Commonwealth Games finalist Lamar Taylor won the Division II title.

The win is also the third fastest Gold medal performance behind American Olympic Gold medallist Caeleb Dressel’s times of 18.20 and 18.23 in 2016 and 2017.Jordan ends the season as the second fastest performer of all time with his CARIFTA region best time of 17.93