Tennessee Vols Sprint Group Excited for the Future on Rocky Top
Over the past several years, the University of Tennessee men’s team has seen steady improvement, moving up at the NCAA Championships and placing several individuals in international finals. These successes have been anchored by a strong presence from a mix of young talent and veteran leaders. This year should be no different, headlined by a slew of talent.
A new sprint trio has formed on the campus of the University of Tennessee. After a successful year as a lethal duo, Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) and Gui Caribe (Brazil) have been joined by a newcomer to form a now three-headed monster. Nikoli Blackman, the new world junior champion in the 50 freestyle, has made his way to Knoxville from Trinidad & Tobago.
Crooks, Caribe, and Blackman all expressed their excitement and anticipation in representing the Big Orange.
Jordan Crooks
What are your takeaways from your World Championships performance?
It was a fun meet. I learned a lot and I’m looking forward to putting those lessons into practice.
Jordan Crooks’ World Championships Results
| Event | Rank | Time |
| 50m Freestyle
Previous Best: 22.20 |
6th
5th (Semis) 7th (Heats) |
21.73
21.73 21.90 |
| 100m Freestyle
Previous Best: 48.79 |
7th
6th (Semis) 4th (Heats) |
47.94
47.71 47.77 |
*Both personal bests
What are you looking forward to this NCAA season?
I think we have a great team this year and I’m looking forward to getting back into the yards scene with them.
What are you looking forward to this summer (especially in Paris)?
Paris has been a goal of mine, so I’m focused on preparing for that the best way I can and I’m looking forward to the experience.
What is it like being in more of a leadership role at Tennessee this year?
It’s definitely different not being an underclassman anymore. It’s a great feeling being able to help the new guys and think back to when I was in their shoes.
What does it mean to you to swim on a team with Nikoli representing the Caribbean together?
I’m happy to be a part of the rich Caribbean swimming history and excited for what we both have in store for the year.
How are you excited to swim with Gui and Nikoli this year on relays and in the sprints?
They’re talented guys that will be fun to race with. Hoping to build off our success from last year and carry it forward.
Gui Caribe
What are your takeaways from your World Championships performance?
It was a good experience, and I learned a lot. It was my first World Championships, and I was a little nervous but excited. My meet could have been better, and I made some mistakes that that I can learn from and improve upon.
What are you looking forward to this season?
I’m really excited about this season. I have the Pan American Games which is a really good chance for me show what I didn’t show at the World Championships. Additionally, we also have SECs and NCAAs where I want to have a better performance than last year.
What are you looking forward to this upcoming summer in Paris?
I’m really excited for Paris. It will be my first Olympic Games and that has always been a dream for me. I’m on a good path of preparation for the summer and the Olympic Games at the end of the year.
How excited are you to swim with Jordan and Nikoli this year?
It’s beyond exciting to think about. They are both goods swimmer and I had the experience to swim with Jordan last year. I learned so much and he is one of the best teammates that I’ve had and Nikoli is also a great swimmer. He showed to us his potential during the World Junior Championships and I’m really excited to swim with him as well.
What impact does Jordan Crooks have on the team as a leader?
Crooks has a great impact on the team as a leader and he is a great reference for me as a swimmer. Obviously he won the World Championships in short course meters and I know that he has experience to show us and impact the team positively.
How are you going to improve, especially knowing more about the college schedule?
I’m going to improve now. I’m trying to bring the freshmen class together and showcase my experiences from last year while trying to be a reference to them. I am also able to be a greater part of the team vocally and contribute more of my thoughts.
Nikoli Blackman
What are your takeaways from your World Junior Championships performance?
It was my second time competing in the competition. During my first time, I finished seventh in the 50-meter freestyle. This year, I became world junior champion in the same event. The biggest difference was my confidence going into the race.
What are you looking forward to this season?
I’m really looking forward to competing in college meets with the Tennessee team this upcoming season. It will be a different experience than I’ve had in swimming up to this point.
How have Jordan and Gui been mentors and leaders so far?
They’ve been great as mentors. Gui keeps me in check all the time and Jordan helps me fix little errors in my swims. We also all have meaningful talks outside practice as well.
What does it mean to you to swim on a team with Jordan representing the Caribbean together?
It’s actually really helpful because when I came to Knoxville, several people couldn’t understand me because in the Caribbean we talk fast. At times it can seem like a whole other language, but Jordan understands when I talk fast and can understand when others can’t.
How are you excited to swim with Gui and Jordan this year on relays and in the sprints?
It’s cool that the three of us are swimming on the same relay. It will be unique with Jordan as a junior, Gui as a sophomore and myself as a freshman. I’m also sure I’m not the only one that wants to know how that relay is going to be.