ATLANTA -- Since the beginning of the season, first-year Arizona State head swimming coach Bob Bowman reiterates the goal each week is to swim faster than the last.
The Sun Devils have seemingly matched that challenge each week, including through the first three days of the NCAA Swimming Championships. Even sophomore diver Heikki Makikallio has shown improvements in qualifying for his first-ever NCAA Championship.
While the 200-yard medley relay squad became the second-straight Devils' relay team in two days to place 17th -- one spot out of qualifying for the final -- the finish alone shows the vast improvement and the direction the program is heading. Their time of 1:26.17 ranks third all-time on the ASU list.
Junior Barkley Perry had another great afternoon in the water, setting a new personal best in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 47.58.
Also in the backstroke, junior Richard Bohus nearly broke the ASU record that he set again in less than 24 hours, as he clocked a 46.18 -- just .07 seconds off the record.
In his first ever NCAA Championship appearance, Makikallio scored a 330.90 in the men's 3-meter springboard event to place 35th out of 50 divers.
"Although he did not place well, he achieved a major goal leading into tomorrow and that was his consistency today," said diving head coach Mark Bradshaw. "That has been something we've worked on all season. So hopefully, with that under his belt today, he can be relaxed tomorrow and do his thing."
The fourth and final day of the NCAA Championships will feature Makikallio in his primary event -- the 10-meter platform. The prelim will be at 12:15 p.m. ET/9:15 a.m. PT.
In the pool, the 200-yard backstroke, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard butterfly will have their prelims start at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
The final relay -- the men's 400-yard freestyle -- will also wrap up the morning prelims as well as the finals in the evening.