University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Luca Urlando
March 21, 2022 | Swimming & Diving, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Georgia swimmer Luca Urlando already holds the school record in the 100-yard backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, and he has been on four school record-setting relay teams. At this season's SEC Championships, he won the Commissioner's Trophy as the meet's top swimmer after winning conference titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 individual medley.
Starting Wednesday at the McAuley Aquatic Center at Georgia Tech, Urlando and his Bulldog teammates will be competing in the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships. Urlando is a top-10 seed in three events, as is Jake Magahey, while Matthew Sates is the top see in the 500 freestyle.
During a recent Quick Chat, Urlando, a sophomore from Sacramento, Calif., talked about his stellar performance at SEC, his hometown, his favorite class, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: What is your relationship with swimming like now versus when you first got to Georgia? Do you appreciate it more or see it differently now that you've been doing it at this level for a couple of years?
Urlando: I think it's definitely a learning thing — throughout my swimming career I've always wanted to learn and learn from experiences. I think being here has opened up my viewpoint to college swimming and swimming past just high school meets and stuff like that.
Frierson: Was one of your wins at SECs more satisfying than the others?
Urlando: No, honestly, I do love to win but I swim for myself and for the personal gratitude of doing better — personally bettering myself. Maybe the 100 fly was my favorite victory, though, just because it's a fun race and it's a little shorter than the stuff I usually do.
Frierson: You're obviously a very versatile swimmer, doing very well in several different events. Do you like that variety? Would you get bored if you just focused on one stroke?
Urlando: Yeah, I think it would be a little more stressful, just having all the pressure on one event or even one stroke. Swimming yards (versus meters) is nice because I am more versatile than long course, so I can race different events and one event doesn't have so much pressure as it does long course, probably.
Frierson: Sacramento is the state capital of California yet most of us probably think about L.A., San Francisco and San Diego before we think of Sacramento. What stands out to you about your hometown?
Urlando: Growing up in Sacramento is pretty cool. There is a lot of nature and natural things about Sacramento, like it has the most trees per capita of anywhere in the world, or so they say.
It's also two hours away from the Bay Area or Lake Tahoe. There is just a lot of really cool and interesting things to do in the area around Sacramento.
Frierson: Did you play a bunch of different sports growing up or was it pretty much all swimming?
Urlando: I played soccer, basketball and water polo more or less up until I was 12, and then I just focused on swimming.
Frierson: I always watch water polo in the Olympics and admire the stamina and toughness of the competitors. Do you ever still play?
Urlando: I'll play pool basketball with my friends every once in a while, and that's kind of like water polo. Water polo's definitely a more physical sport — what happens under the water is guys punching each other and kicking each other while trying to get the ball, which is something I did not like and is probably one of the main reasons why I stopped playing.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Urlando: Probably sushi. Most of the tempura fried rolls are pretty good, you can't go wrong with those.
Frierson: When you first start doing serious swimming training, the two-a-days and all of that mileage, how long does it take to get mentally and physically used to it? How do you embrace the grind of a swimmer's life?
Urlando: Just getting into a routine makes a really big difference. That's the best way to not think about, oh, look at this week's schedule of practices and schoolwork that I have to go through. It's more like, I'm going to do this and after that, I do this. That makes it more manageable.
Frierson: Do you approach everything that way?
Urlando: Definitely. I'm pretty organized.
Frierson: Have you had a favorite class that you've taken in the last few semesters?
Urlando: I would probably say my English class last semester has so far been my favorite. She let us write about stuff that we actually wanted to write about, like TV shows or movies.
Frierson: What did you write about?
Urlando: I wrote about "Sons of Anarchy" which is a TV show actually based right around Sacramento. It's a good show.
Frierson: Given the work you put in here at the pool and in the classroom, how do you relax and get away from everything?
Urlando: I probably just watch TV. I used to be really into movies, but now I feel like I have less time for movies and more time for TV shows.
Frierson: What's the best thing you're watching now?
Urlando: Currently, I'd probably say "The Sopranos." I've started watching that and it's really good. I can now see why everyone talks about how good it is.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Georgia swimmer Luca Urlando already holds the school record in the 100-yard backstroke, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly, and he has been on four school record-setting relay teams. At this season's SEC Championships, he won the Commissioner's Trophy as the meet's top swimmer after winning conference titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly and the 200 individual medley.
Starting Wednesday at the McAuley Aquatic Center at Georgia Tech, Urlando and his Bulldog teammates will be competing in the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships. Urlando is a top-10 seed in three events, as is Jake Magahey, while Matthew Sates is the top see in the 500 freestyle.
During a recent Quick Chat, Urlando, a sophomore from Sacramento, Calif., talked about his stellar performance at SEC, his hometown, his favorite class, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: What is your relationship with swimming like now versus when you first got to Georgia? Do you appreciate it more or see it differently now that you've been doing it at this level for a couple of years?
Urlando: I think it's definitely a learning thing — throughout my swimming career I've always wanted to learn and learn from experiences. I think being here has opened up my viewpoint to college swimming and swimming past just high school meets and stuff like that.
Frierson: Was one of your wins at SECs more satisfying than the others?
Urlando: No, honestly, I do love to win but I swim for myself and for the personal gratitude of doing better — personally bettering myself. Maybe the 100 fly was my favorite victory, though, just because it's a fun race and it's a little shorter than the stuff I usually do.
Frierson: You're obviously a very versatile swimmer, doing very well in several different events. Do you like that variety? Would you get bored if you just focused on one stroke?
Urlando: Yeah, I think it would be a little more stressful, just having all the pressure on one event or even one stroke. Swimming yards (versus meters) is nice because I am more versatile than long course, so I can race different events and one event doesn't have so much pressure as it does long course, probably.
Frierson: Sacramento is the state capital of California yet most of us probably think about L.A., San Francisco and San Diego before we think of Sacramento. What stands out to you about your hometown?
Urlando: Growing up in Sacramento is pretty cool. There is a lot of nature and natural things about Sacramento, like it has the most trees per capita of anywhere in the world, or so they say.
It's also two hours away from the Bay Area or Lake Tahoe. There is just a lot of really cool and interesting things to do in the area around Sacramento.
Frierson: Did you play a bunch of different sports growing up or was it pretty much all swimming?
Urlando: I played soccer, basketball and water polo more or less up until I was 12, and then I just focused on swimming.
Frierson: I always watch water polo in the Olympics and admire the stamina and toughness of the competitors. Do you ever still play?
Urlando: I'll play pool basketball with my friends every once in a while, and that's kind of like water polo. Water polo's definitely a more physical sport — what happens under the water is guys punching each other and kicking each other while trying to get the ball, which is something I did not like and is probably one of the main reasons why I stopped playing.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Urlando: Probably sushi. Most of the tempura fried rolls are pretty good, you can't go wrong with those.
Frierson: When you first start doing serious swimming training, the two-a-days and all of that mileage, how long does it take to get mentally and physically used to it? How do you embrace the grind of a swimmer's life?
Urlando: Just getting into a routine makes a really big difference. That's the best way to not think about, oh, look at this week's schedule of practices and schoolwork that I have to go through. It's more like, I'm going to do this and after that, I do this. That makes it more manageable.
Frierson: Do you approach everything that way?
Urlando: Definitely. I'm pretty organized.
Frierson: Have you had a favorite class that you've taken in the last few semesters?
Urlando: I would probably say my English class last semester has so far been my favorite. She let us write about stuff that we actually wanted to write about, like TV shows or movies.
Frierson: What did you write about?
Urlando: I wrote about "Sons of Anarchy" which is a TV show actually based right around Sacramento. It's a good show.
Frierson: Given the work you put in here at the pool and in the classroom, how do you relax and get away from everything?
Urlando: I probably just watch TV. I used to be really into movies, but now I feel like I have less time for movies and more time for TV shows.
Frierson: What's the best thing you're watching now?
Urlando: Currently, I'd probably say "The Sopranos." I've started watching that and it's really good. I can now see why everyone talks about how good it is.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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