{"id":433200,"date":"2020-05-24T20:08:57","date_gmt":"2020-05-25T03:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=433200"},"modified":"2020-05-24T20:08:57","modified_gmt":"2020-05-25T03:08:57","slug":"sprint-freestyler-billy-cruz-zuniga-verbally-commits-to-southern-cal-for-next-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/sprint-freestyler-billy-cruz-zuniga-verbally-commits-to-southern-cal-for-next-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Sprint Freestyler Billy Cruz Zuniga Verbally Commits to Southern Cal For Next Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

The USC Trojans<\/a> picked up a big NJCAA transfer on Sunday night in\u00a0Billy Cruz Zuniga\u00a0<\/strong>out of Iowa Central Community College. Cruz is a sprint freestyler originally from Canada, who also represents Mexico internationally. His best times of 19.10 and 43.53 in the 50 and 100 freestyle should make him a valuable asset for the Trojans ahead of next year.<\/p>\n

Cruz would have the fastest 50 freestyle time of anyone at USC in the 2019-20 season and would be the third fastest 100 freestyler on this year’s team. USC qualified two swimmers individually to NCAAs in 2020 and just hired\u00a0new head coach\u00a0<\/a>Jeremy Kipp\u00a0<\/strong>to staff earlier this week, taking over for outgoing coach\u00a0Dave Salo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cruz also holds a solid best time in the 100 fly at 47.47. He would have qualified individually to NCAAs in 2020 with his best time in the 50 free, adding valuable relay depth for the Trojans next year, who finished sixth at this year’s Pac-12 Championships.<\/p>\n

Billy Cruz Zuniga will be joining the Trojans in January 2021, linking up with a freshman class that includes:<\/p>\n