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University of Toronto Athletics

Swimming Selection Criteria

Updated: August 2025

The selection to the Varsity Blues swimming team is based on individual recorded best times. Prospective varsity swimmers are to contact the head coach and submit their resume with recent (past 12 months) best times. The head coach will inform the prospective student athlete if he/she will be able to make the team shortly after receiving the resume.
 
NUMBERS: The Varsity swim team is limited to 50 student-athletes, usually 25 men and 25 women. Only 18 of those swimmers (per gender) are permitted by league rules to compete at the conference championship and national championship meets.
 
 
Approximate Cut-off Times to Make the Varsity Blues Swimming Team:
All times are SCM:Men/Women 
100 free           52.0/57.5
400 free           4:01.0/4:21.0
100 back          57.0/1:03.0
100 fly              57.0/1:03.0
100 breast       1:03.0/1:11.5
200 IM              2:06.0/2:22.0
 
Definition of Terms:
 
Varsity Swim Team—the selected top (up to) 50 swimmers based on resumes.
Championship Squad—the top 18 male and female swimmers chosen from the Varsity Blues swimming team.
Travelling Squad—all those swimmers that have attained a U SPORTS national cut-off time;
However if the away trip involves some restrictions (eg flight /economics); the squad might be less; it could also include more depending on the circumstances.
 
All ranking of athletes will be based primarily on proven (ie past 12 months) performances that would score the most points at the national championships (first priority) and the conference championships (second priority).
 
The head coach reserves the right to use other factors in any decision—such as, but not limited to: training ; past performances; academic success; injury; seniority.
 
Coach Contact Information: Byron MacDonald byron.macdonald@utoronto.ca

*Final selection of team by Tuesday, September 9.