February 13, 2010
Wilson County, TN....CCongrats to county resident, John Barnes, for coaching two swimmers to Top 16 individual event finishes at the State High School Swimming Championships this weekend. Both girls train with Excel Aquatics in Gallatin year round. In the last 6 years with Excel Aquatics, Coach Barnes trained 8 State finalists, more than any other coach from eastern Wilson County.
February 13, 2010
Wilson County, TN....Congrats to the MJHS Boy's 200 Freestyle relay for finishing 13th in the State at the High School Championships. What a great achievement, MJHS was the only High School in the County to score at State.
January 23, 2010
Wilson County, TN....Swimmers from Excel Aquatics who live in Wilson County had the opportunity to swim with Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Lochte on Saturday, Jan 23rd. Lochte hosted a Stroke Clinic for Excel Aquatics, and after a brief talk to the 200+ swimmers in attendance, Ryan got in the water and demonstrated some stroke drills with an explanation of why he works those drills. Then the team divided up, and got in the water with Ryan. Ryan and the Excel Coaches, put the swimmers through the drills, while Ryan remained in the water, moving from lane to lane stopping some swimmers and giving them one on one instruction. It was a great experience for the kids, an experience only provided by Excel Aquatics. In 2008 Excel brought in Ian Crocker, in 2010 Excel brought in Ryan Lochte. Who will it be in 2012?
January 16, 2010
Wilson County, TN....The Excel High School Invitational was today, and county residents representing Mt Juliet HS and Pope John Paul II HS were in entered in this highly competitive meet. Mt Juliet's Golden Bear Tommy Bailey made a State qualifying time in the 50 Free, Golden Bear Spencer Bracey attained State cuts in the 50 Free and 100 Free; while Golden Bear Nathan Curtis attained State cuts in the 200 Free and 100 Free. Lebanon resident Austin Barnes, swimming for the Pope John Paul II H2O Knights attained a State cut in the 500 Free. Congrats to all.
January 16, 2010
Wilson County, TN....24 Swimmers who train with Excel in Gallatin have qualified for High School Region Meet in 109 events. 11 of those swimmers have qualified for High School State Meet in 47 events. Congrats to all for their hard work. Excel Aquatics - No Excuses, Just Results. How does your team stack up? Expect More!
November 9, 2009
Wilson County TN...On November 11 the Early Signing Period begins for NCAA Division I Swimming Programs. Lebanon High School's Bradley Gillilan is expected to sign a national letter of intent during this period. A verbal commitment has been made. SwimWilsonCounty will post the decision when the papers are signed, so stay tuned....
October 15, 2009
Wilson County TN...Lebanon High School Senior, Bradley Gillilan is heading off this coming weekend on his second of three scheduled official visits to universities. Gillilan is the most highly recruited swimmer from Wilson County since Andrew Davidson signed with Texas in 2001. Things are heating up, stay tuned, Fall Signing is not too far off....
October 15, 2009
Wilson County TN...This is a delayed announcement, however SWC Press Releases have accounted for 200 published news articles in the papers in Wilson County in the last 8 years!!! Those associated with Excel Aquatics believe that your swimmers deserve publicity and recognition for their hard work!!!
September 28, 2009
Wilson County TN...Swimmers from Wilson County participated in the Excel Aquatics Fall Fest Swim Meet this past weekend. Bradley Gillilan led the group with a first place finish in both the senior boy's 1,650 Free and 500 Free. Alek Nochowicz, Taylor Moses, Makensie Moses, Anna Zikovich, and Caroline Allen also participated in the meet.
July 26, 2009
Wilson County TN...On Saturday of the SES LC Championships, Bradley Gillilan placed 8th in the 400 Meter Free in Finals. During Prelims Gillilan dropped 8.97 seconds in the 200 Meter Butterfly, finishing in 2:17.46 and placing 16th in the event, however he opted to scratch out of the event for Finals because it was right ahead of the 400 Meter Free. On Sunday Bradley swam in the 1,500 Meter Freestyle, and won in convincing fashion, turning a 16:18.30, slightly over his best time, but 15 seconds ahead of the 2nd place finisher. That was Bradley's 2nd Senior Boy's SES Title of the meet.
July 24, 2009
Wilson County TN...Bradley Gillilan qualified for the Spring Senior Sectionals and the Summer Senior Sectionals this morning in prelims with his time of 4:53.01 in the 400 Meter Individual Medley. Gillilan placed 9th overall in the 400 IM event at Finals in the evening with a time of 4:48.57 (also a county record). Gillilan is now qualified in the 200 Free, 500 Free, 1000 Free, 1650 Free, and 400 IM at the March 2010 Spring Senior Sectionals to be held in Nashville and hosted by Excel Aquatics.
July 23, 2009
Wilson County TN...The Southeastern Swimming Long Course Championship Meet began this afternoon with the distance events. A First Place finish was turned in by Excel Aquatics' Bradley Gillilan in the Senior Boy's 800 Meter Freestyle with a time of 8:29.66, a Wilson County record. The time was also a USA-Swimming Short Course Senior National qualifying time for the event. Gillilan is a rising senior at Lebanon High School.
July 19, 2009
Wilson County TN...Lebanon High School Senior Bradley Gillilan took another step towards attaining his goal of a Division I Scholarship in swimming this past weekend at the Southern Zone Eastern Senior Sectional Swimming Championships. Gillilan, known for his skill at swimming distance events attained several new qualifying time standards for several meets. The most significant of the cuts was the Short Course Senior National Cut in the 1,500 Meter Freestyle. This is Bradley's first National Cut, and the first National cut ever by a resident of Lebanon that SWC was able to ascertain. Bradley finished the event in 16:15.94, an Excel Aquatics team record. Gillilan also broke his own County records in the 400 M Free, 800 M Free, and 1500 M Free. He captured the Country record in the 200 M Free.
June 30, 2009
Wilson County TN...Two Wilson County boys competed in the recent International Age Group Invitational in Ft Lauderdale this past weekend. Bradley Gillilan and Alek Nochowicz competed for Excel Aquatics, and helped the Excel Boys to a 2nd place finish, and a combined team finished of 4th place.
May 26, 2009
Wilson County TN...The Excel Aquatics Stars and Stripes Meet will be this weekend in Brentwood. Several Wilson County residents are expected to compete for Excel Aquatics in the meet. Stay tuned for more information.
May 21, 2009
Wilson County TN...Mt Juliet resident Ashley Powell has been selected as a NISCA Academic All-American in Swimming for the 2008-2009 season. Ashley is currently a Senior at Pope John Paul II High School. Ashley is a triple sports letterman for JP2, having qualified for State in the sports of Cross Country, Swimming (100 Yard Breast and 500 Yard Free), and Track (3200 Meter).
May 16, 2009
Wilson County TN...The annual Excel Aquatics Summer League Tune-Up concluded today after 5 weeks of drills, starts, turns and finishes. It was the largest group in the past 5 years to participate. Feedback indicates that the Excel Tune-Up program is the best value for the money in the Wilson/Sumner Counties area.
April 26, 2009
Wilson County TN...Bradley Gillilan continued his winning streak at the Excel Aquatics Spring Fling Long Course Meet today, with wins in the 100 Meter Breaststroke (1:17.29, and new SES LC Cut) and the 800 Meter Freestyle (8:52.07).
April 25, 2009
Wilson County TN...The Excel Auqatics Spring Fling Long Course Meet finished it’s second day, and Lebanon High School Junior Bradley Gillilan notched his second victory of the meet. On Friday night Gillilan won the Senior Boy’s 400 Meter Individual Medley in a time of 4:58.91. He followed that up with a victory on Saturday in the Senior Boy’s 400 Meter Freestyle, with a time of 4:19.18. Congrats to all who have competed, and especially to Bradley for becoming one of the top distance swimmers in Tennessee.
March 22, 2009
Wilson County TN...The NCSA Junior Nationals concluded yesterday, and Lebanon's Bradley Gillilan made a strong showing in both his events, as well as a Time Trial. Bradley swam the 1,000 Yard Free in 9:35.56 and placed 58th out of 80 participants. He dropped 12 seconds in the 1,000 and qualified for the USAS Short Course Junior Nationals to be held in December 2009. The next swim for Bradley was a Time Trial in the 500 Yard Freestyle, where he turned a 4:41.49, a drop of 4.23 seconds from his time 3 weeks earlier at SES. His final event was the 1,500 Meter Freestyle, where he had 3 best times in the one event. The first 400 Meters was a legal split, and a best time of 4:18.56. His 800 Meter split was also legal, and a best time of 8:43.42. His final time in the 1,500 was 16:33.55, a drop of 27.83 seconds and a qualifying time in the event for the USAS Short Course Junior Nationals. Bradley finished 30th in the 1,500, out of 64 swimmers. The USAS Short Course Junior Nationals will be held at The Ohio State University, Gillilan is the first swimmer from Lebanon to ever qualify for the meet.
March 11, 2009
Wilson County TN...The NCSA Jr Nationals Meet is coming up, running March 17-21 in Orlando FL. Lebanon High School junior Bradley Gillilan will be participating in the meet, the first LHS student ever to qualify for a meet at this level. Bradley has a full qualifying time standard in the 1,650 Yard Free, with a bonus qualifying time standard in the 1,000 Yard Free. The 1,000 will be on Tuesday the 17th, and the 1,650 will actually be conducted as the 1,500 Meter Freestyle (Long Course format) on Saturday the 21st. Congratulations to Bradley for this accomplishment in his swimming career.
March 6, 2009
Wilson County TN...Congratulations to two Excel Aquatics trained swimmers who were named Wilson County High School Swimmers of the Year today. Luke Blackwell of Friendship Christian School and Kelsey Copeland of Mt Juliet High School were named the winners this year, both train with Excel Aquatics at the Gallatin Civic Center.
March 1, 2009
Wilson County TN...The last day of the SES Short Course Championships saw 4 swimmers from Wilson County and Excel Aquatics take to the water. Alek Nochowicz dropped 7.60 seconds to finish with a time of 18:00.86 in the 1,650 Yard Freestyle and a 26th Place finish in the Senior Boy's event. Luke Blackwell placed 17th in the Senior Boy's 1,650, and 28th in the Senior Boy's 200 Yard Backstroke. Madison Blackwell placed 36th in the 13&14 Girl's 200 Yard Backstroke. Bradley Gillilan dropped 3.03 seconds in the Senior Boy's 200 Back and finished 39th, while placing 45th in the 200 Yard Breaststroke. Congrats to all who qualified for this meet.
February 28, 2009
Wilson County TN...Recapping the first three days of the Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championship for Wilson County residents: on Thursday, Luke Blackwell of Mt Juliet finished 19th in the Senior Boys 1,000 Yard Freestyle with a time of 10:11.76. On Friday, Blackwell broke the 1:50 barrier in the 200 Yard Freestyle, turning a time of 1:49.81. On Saturday, Blackwell turned a 2:04.20 in the 200 Yard Individual Medley, achieving a 17&Over SES Qualifying Time Standard despite being only 15 years old. Bradley Gillilan of Lebanon dropped to a 4:45.72 in the 500 Free, placing 13th in Finals, after a 16th Place seeding following Prelims. Excel Aquatics - Real Training, Real Results.
February 22, 2009
Wilson County TN...The SES West District Meet wrapped up today in Brentwood TN. Time drops were seen today by Alek Nochowicz in the 400 IM (4:40.03) and the 200 Backstroke (2:13.86). Andrew Barnes dropped time in the 50 Free (0:42.62). Austin Barnes sliced off time in the 100 Breast (1:27.11) and swam the 1,650 Yard Freestyle for the first time (21:02.65).
February 21, 2009
Wilson County TN...4 Wilson County swimmers are participating in the SES West District Swim Meet this weekend in Brentwood. From Mt Juliet, Alek Nochowicz and Anna Zikovich are swimming, and from Lebanon Austin and Andrew Barnes. Stay tuned for more information.
February 16, 2009
Wilson County TN...8 swimmers from Wilson County participated in the recent High School State Swimming Championships. Among those who finished in the Top 50 in the meet: Luke Blackwell (FCS), 200 Free - 22nd place, 100 Back - 26th place; Alek Nochowicz (JP2) 500 Free - 33rd place; Kelsey Copeland (MJHS), 100 Back - 39th place; Conrad Claycomb (JP2), 100 Free - 41st place, 100 Back - 50th place; and Ashley Powell (JP2), 100 Breast - 41st place. All 5 placing in the Top 50 were trained by Excel Aquatics and Lebanon resident, John Barnes. For the year, 15 swimmers trained by Barnes had 67 qualifying time standards. Excel Aquatics - Experience the Difference.
February 10, 2009
Wilson County TN...4 swimmers from Wilson County will be representing Excel Aquatics at the Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships at the end of February. Luke Blackwell has qualified in 10 events, Bradley Gillilan has qualified in 9 events, Alek Nochowicz in 1 event, and Madison Blackwell in 1 event.
February 7, 2009
Wilson County TN...9 Wilson County residents are in their final week of preparations for the State of Tennessee High School Swimming and Diving Championships to be held in Knoxville Feb 13&14, 2009. From Mt Juliet High School: Kelsey Copeland, Christian Roberts, and Spencer Bracey. From Pope John Paul II High School: Conrad Claycomb, Alek Nochowicz, and Ashley Powell. From Friendship Christian School: Luke Blackwell and Rachel Sandoval. From Lebanon High School: Zac Morgan. Final Tally of those attending: MJHS - 3; JPII - 3, FCS - 2, LHS - 1. Congrats to all.
January 31, 2009
Wilson County TN...9 swimmers representing Excel Aquatics from Wilson County participated in the first day of the Excel Aquatics Mardi Gras Invitational Swim Meet in Brentwood. Significant swims were turned in by Luke Blackwell with a State time in the 100 Breast (1:09.36); Bradley Gillilan (LHS) in winning the 500 Free in a time of 4:47.34, and breaking a minute in the 100 Fly (0:59.51); LHS's Caleb Mathis turning a time of 0:58.20 in the 100 Free; and Madison Blackwell (FCS) obtaining a SES Time Standard in the 13&14 Girl's 200 Yard Backstroke (2:22.11). Luke Blackwell's State time in the 100 Breast gives him a total of 7 Time Standards for the High School Championship Meet, tying him with Bradley Gillilan as the top two swimmers in Wilson County.
January 30, 2009
Wilson County TN...Five swimmers who live in Wilson County placed at the recent High School Regional Championships. Luke Blackwell (FCS) was 7th in the 500 Yard Freestyle and 8th in the 100 Yard Backstroke. Kelsey Copeland (MJHS) was 13th in the 100 Yard Backstroke. Christian Roberts (MJHS) was 16th in the 100 Yard Freestyle. Alek Nochowicz (JP2) was 12th in the 500 Yard Freestyle. And Ashley Powell (JP2) was 14th in the 100 Yard Breaststroke. 4 of the 5 - Powell, Nochowicz, Copeland and Blackwell train with Coach Barnes and Excel Aquatics.
January 22, 2009
Wilson County TN... Lebanon's Conrad Claycomb, a Senior at Pope John Paul II HS, earned two State Qualifying times tonight in a dual meet versus Division 5 opponent Hendersonville HS. Claycomb earned the State times in the 100 Yard Freestyle and 100 Yard Backstroke, and led the JP2 Boy's team to a resounding 109-47 defeat of HHS. On the girl's side, Mt Juliet resident Ashley Powell led the JP2 Girl's team to a close 93-76 victory over a strong HHS team. Both train under the guidance of John Barnes. For the year to date, 14 swimmers in their training squad have achieved 58 State times. Just among Wilson County residents in the group, 6 swimmers have achieved 29 State times. Excel Aquatics - Competition leads to great things.
January 22, 2009
Wilson County TN... Mt Juliet High School Senior Kelsey Copeland signed a letter of intent this morning to swim for King College in Bristol TN in the Fall of 2009. Kelsey is the first Lady Bear to sign to swim for a college. She gained the attention of King College (a NAIA School which is moving towards NCAA Division II status) through her performances in the the Freestyle Sprint events at the High School and USA Swimming level. Present at the signing ceremony were Sue and Mike Copeland (Kelsey's parents), King College Head Swim Coach John Connor, and Kelsey's coach from Excel Aquatics, John Barnes. Congratulations to Kelsey, the newest Lady Tornado!!!
January 18, 2009
Wilson County TN... The Blackwell's from Mt Juliet attended the Pilot Invitational at the new UT Allen Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, swimming in the one of the most technologically advanced pools in the nation. Madison Blackwell, swimming in the Girl's 13&14 Category, dropped times in all three of her events, the 200 Yard Backstroke (2:24.54); the 100 Free (1:02.54); and the 200 Yard Butterfly (2:34.89). Brother Luke Blackwell, swam in the 200 Yard Backstroke, 100 Yard Freestyle, and 1,650 Yard Freestyle.
January 13, 2009
Wilson County TN... Mt Juliet resident and Pope John Paul II HS Senior, Ashley Powell swam to a High School State Championship Qualifying Time Cut in the 500 Free tonight in JP2's dual meet versus Riverdale HS with a time of 6:10.29. Although a Senior, Ashley had never swam the 500 Free before, yes, you heard right: this was her first time to ever swim the 500 and she got a State Cut. Ashley has already qualified in the 100 Breast, and had been seeking a second event to swim at State. She has worked hard this season, and has set the example among her teammates in attitude and effort. Congrats to Ashley! Great job, we are proud of you. Ashley makes the 5th swimmer from Wilson County to qualify for State in the 500 Free, all from the training squad of Coach Barnes. To date, those 5 Wilson County swimmers who train together have 26 combined State cuts in the various events. Their Sumner County training partners add another 8 swimmers to the total with their 28 combined State cuts. That's 13 swimmers with 54 combined State cuts. 11 of those 13 swimmers have cuts in the 500 Free. Excel Aquatics - Lifting Swimmers To A Higher Standard.
January 10, 2009
Wilson County TN...Excel Aquatics trained swimmers show why they are the class of the county at today's Excel Aquatics High School Invitational. The meet had over 450 swimmers from 35 teams, and is the most competitive High School Invitational Meet in the Middle Tennessee region. Excel trained Wilson County swimmers competing for their High Schools placed in the Top 16 in 8 individual events. Alek Nochowicz (JP2) placed 4th in the 500 Free and 9th in the 200 Free. Luke Blackwell (FCS) placed 4th in the 100 Free and 12th in the 100 Breast. Kelsey Copeland placed 7th in the 50 Free and 9th in the 100 Back. Conrad Claycomb (JP2) placed 10th in the 100 Free. And Ashley Powell (JP2) placed 8th in the 100 Breast. Other teammates of theirs from the Excel/Gallatin training location obtained 3 new State cuts, one in the 50 Free and two in the 500 Free. To date 13 Excel/Gallatin trained swimmers have achieved 53 State Cuts. Excel Aquatics - Just Doing Our Job.
January 3, 2009
Wilson County TN... The New Year is upon us and we are heading into the last 6 weeks of High School swimming for this year. Next weekend swimmers from Mt Juliet and Lebanon will be representing various high schools at the highly competitive Excel High School Invitational in Brentwood. Excel Aquatics - There is a better way.
January 3, 2009
Wilson County TN... 17 high school only swimmers from Wilson and Sumner Counties, representing 5 high schools, were guests of the Excel/Gallatin Gold training squad for practices over the Christmas break. The 17 swimmers logged an incredible 149 cumulative miles of swimming in the two weeks of practices offered.