{"id":404668,"date":"2019-12-03T15:19:42","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T22:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=404668"},"modified":"2019-12-03T15:30:43","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T22:30:43","slug":"texas-cal-to-clash-in-minnesota-invite-in-biggest-invitational-of-the-year-nine-races-you-will-not-want-to-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/texas-cal-to-clash-in-minnesota-invite-in-biggest-invitational-of-the-year-nine-races-you-will-not-want-to-miss\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas, Cal to Clash in Minnesota Invite in Biggest Invitational of the Year: Nine Races You Will Not Want to Miss"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each year in the NCAA Division I swimming and diving landscape, the number of big-time invitationals seems split between the week before Thanksgiving and the week after. This year however with Thanksgiving being so late, most of the power five Division I schools elected to swim at invites the week before Thanksgiving, leaving only one major invite for the first week of December, and that in itself a pretty big one: the Minnesota Invitational.<\/p>\n

The Twin Cities will play host to Cal and Texas, two of the best men’s programs this entire decade, who have placed first and second at men’s NCAAs in some order every year since 2010 except one. The only other team to win in that stretch was Michigan in 2013, and they will be present in Minneapolis this weekend as well. It is safe to say this is the biggest invite of the year and maybe the biggest meet this season after NCAAs including all the conference championships.<\/p>\n

Texas usually hosts its own invite this time of year, but with Stanford and Arizona backing out of the meet because of final exams falling the immediate week after, the Longhorns wanted a chance to see Cal early in the season.<\/p>\n

Arizona, Harvard, Iowa, Minnesota and Utah will also be present, and it is safe to say that a majority of the races this weekend will produce the nation-leading time thus far this season.<\/p>\n

We have highlighted below 9 races that will be can’t-miss for swimming fans, but in all reality the entire meet will be a can’t-miss opportunity for fans of the sport with many of the best amateur swimmers in the world on display.<\/p>\n

\"dave-durden-\"

Dave Durden; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

\"eddie-reese-\"

Eddie Reese; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

Minnesota Invite: Details<\/h3>\n

When:\u00a0<\/strong>December 4 – December 7<\/p>\n

Where:\u00a0<\/strong>Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, Minneapolis, MN<\/p>\n

Tickets:\u00a0<\/strong>Available for purchase here<\/a><\/p>\n

What is at stake:\u00a0<\/strong>Texas returns to the site where they won the 2018 NCAA title in thrilling fashion over Cal as both teams have dominated this decade in NCAA Division I men’s swimming. The Cal women will have a chance to show what they are made of as there does not seem to be a clear favorite on the women’s side in who will win the national title this year. Led by\u00a0Abbey Weitzeil<\/strong>, the Golden Bears will be able to put the rest of the country on notice as they gear up for their first national title since 2015.<\/p>\n

The meet will start Wednesday night with the 200 medley and 800 free relays, simulating what most of the conference championships will look like in February.<\/p>\n

Last 10 NCAA team champions (Men’s Swimming)<\/strong><\/p>\n