TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State women's swim and dive teams complete final preparations for the 2017 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis this week, as the number of ASU women's qualifiers increased significantly from a season ago.
Last season, the Sun Devils qualified two women for NCAA's (Marlies Ross and Mara Aiacoboae) while qualifying seven this year between individual events and relays (six swim, one dive).
The women's championships take place Mar. 15-18 while the men's NCAA championships will take place next week (Mar. 22-25).
INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS
Three of the four Sun Devil individual competitors on the women's side make their first trip to NCAA's, two of which are freshmen (Kendall Dawson and Silja Kansakoski).
Kansakoski broke the ASU record in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, also winning a Pac-12 title in the 100 two weeks ago. With the fourth fastest time in the nation in the event this season, Kansakoski became the first conference champion for Arizona State in women's swim since Rebecca Edjervik in the same event three consecutive years (2010-12).
Dawson earned an impressive 10th place finish in the 500 free at Pac-12's, moving into the top-five on ASU's all-time list in the event. In the 1650 free, she cut 27 seconds off her personal record on the final day of Pac-12's, a performance head coach Bob Bowman called "fantastic", putting her in second place on ASU's all-time records.
Senior captain and Rio Olympian Kat Simonovic will join Dawson in the 500 free, also competing in the 200 free. In the 500 free, Simonovic improved upon her personal best by three seconds to become the new ASU record-holder in the event. Simonovic holds three of the top-10 ASU times in the 500 free.
Diver Mara Aiacoboae earned a place at NCAA's in the 10-meter platform by virtue of a top-finish at last week's NCAA Zone E championships. This will be Aiacoboae's third straight trip to NCAA's. Aiacoboae won the same event at the Pac-12 championships, ASU's first conference championship in the event since 2010.
RELAYS
The Sun Devils earned a qualifying standard in the 400 medley relay, earning provisional standards in the other four relays. Alongside the 400 medley, the Sun Devils will also compete in the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
ASU set new top-five all-time records in all three events this spring on the women's side.
ASU'S NCAA CHAMPIONS (W)
1994 – Beata Kaszuba (100 Breast/1:00.46)
1995 – Beata Kaszuba (100 Breast/59.71)
1995 – Beata Kaszuba (200 Breast/2:09.71)
ASU SCHEDULE (All times ET)
Thursday, Mar. 16
10 am – 500 Free Trials
6 pm – 500 Free Finals, 400 Medley Relay Consolation/Finals
Friday, Mar. 17
10 am – 100 Breast Trials, 200 Free Trials, 200 Medley Relay Trials
6 pm – 100 Breast Finals, 200 Free Consolation/Finals, 200 Medley Relay Consolation/Finals
Saturday, Mar. 18
10 am – 200 Breast Trials, 400 Free Relay Trials
12:15 pm – Platform Diving Trials
15 mins after trials – Platform Diving Consolation Finals (9-16)
3:45 pm – 1650 Free (Early Heats)
6 pm – 1650 Free Finals, Platform Diving Finals, 200 Breast Finals, 400 Free Relay Consolation/Finals
BROADCAST/RESULTS
ESPN3 will stream the championship finals sessions on Friday and Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday's sessions as well as Friday and Saturday morning sessions will be streamed live on NCAA.com and indianasportscorp.org/ncaasd. ESPNU will also broadcast a two-hour broadcast via tape delay on Tuesday, Mar. 28 at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
Live results will be available throughout the championship on NCAA.com.
Last season, the Sun Devils qualified two women for NCAA's (Marlies Ross and Mara Aiacoboae) while qualifying seven this year between individual events and relays (six swim, one dive).
The women's championships take place Mar. 15-18 while the men's NCAA championships will take place next week (Mar. 22-25).
INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS
Three of the four Sun Devil individual competitors on the women's side make their first trip to NCAA's, two of which are freshmen (Kendall Dawson and Silja Kansakoski).
Kansakoski broke the ASU record in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke, also winning a Pac-12 title in the 100 two weeks ago. With the fourth fastest time in the nation in the event this season, Kansakoski became the first conference champion for Arizona State in women's swim since Rebecca Edjervik in the same event three consecutive years (2010-12).
Dawson earned an impressive 10th place finish in the 500 free at Pac-12's, moving into the top-five on ASU's all-time list in the event. In the 1650 free, she cut 27 seconds off her personal record on the final day of Pac-12's, a performance head coach Bob Bowman called "fantastic", putting her in second place on ASU's all-time records.
Senior captain and Rio Olympian Kat Simonovic will join Dawson in the 500 free, also competing in the 200 free. In the 500 free, Simonovic improved upon her personal best by three seconds to become the new ASU record-holder in the event. Simonovic holds three of the top-10 ASU times in the 500 free.
Diver Mara Aiacoboae earned a place at NCAA's in the 10-meter platform by virtue of a top-finish at last week's NCAA Zone E championships. This will be Aiacoboae's third straight trip to NCAA's. Aiacoboae won the same event at the Pac-12 championships, ASU's first conference championship in the event since 2010.
RELAYS
The Sun Devils earned a qualifying standard in the 400 medley relay, earning provisional standards in the other four relays. Alongside the 400 medley, the Sun Devils will also compete in the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
ASU set new top-five all-time records in all three events this spring on the women's side.
ASU'S NCAA CHAMPIONS (W)
1994 – Beata Kaszuba (100 Breast/1:00.46)
1995 – Beata Kaszuba (100 Breast/59.71)
1995 – Beata Kaszuba (200 Breast/2:09.71)
ASU SCHEDULE (All times ET)
Thursday, Mar. 16
10 am – 500 Free Trials
6 pm – 500 Free Finals, 400 Medley Relay Consolation/Finals
Friday, Mar. 17
10 am – 100 Breast Trials, 200 Free Trials, 200 Medley Relay Trials
6 pm – 100 Breast Finals, 200 Free Consolation/Finals, 200 Medley Relay Consolation/Finals
Saturday, Mar. 18
10 am – 200 Breast Trials, 400 Free Relay Trials
12:15 pm – Platform Diving Trials
15 mins after trials – Platform Diving Consolation Finals (9-16)
3:45 pm – 1650 Free (Early Heats)
6 pm – 1650 Free Finals, Platform Diving Finals, 200 Breast Finals, 400 Free Relay Consolation/Finals
BROADCAST/RESULTS
ESPN3 will stream the championship finals sessions on Friday and Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday's sessions as well as Friday and Saturday morning sessions will be streamed live on NCAA.com and indianasportscorp.org/ncaasd. ESPNU will also broadcast a two-hour broadcast via tape delay on Tuesday, Mar. 28 at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
Live results will be available throughout the championship on NCAA.com.