FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – With a third-place finish at the 2018 Women's Swimming & Men's/Women's Diving Pac-12 Championships, the No. 22 Sun Devil women's swim/dive team finished third and, in turn, captured a Territorial Cup Series® point by finishing ahead of Arizona in fifth. A third-place finish and 996 team points was the highest for the Sun Devils since finishing second (1186) in 1994.
Senior Mara Aiacoboae scored key points by defending her Pac-12 title in the platform dive (327.25), improving upon her second-place finish in the earlier prelims. Prior to Aiacoboae, the last Sun Devil to earn back-to-back women's platform titles was Trish Tumlinson (2004/2005). Aiacoboae's score was also the third-best to win a women's platform title since Tumlinson's back-to-back titles.
"Mara's title has been a year in the making – even though she won platform last year, she had a bit of a disappointing finish at NCAA's last year and I challenged her to make some changes," said head diving coach Mark Bradshaw.
"I discussed with some of the judges why they weren't scoring her as high and we had a long discussion about making those changes and I've been tough on her to make those changes. With all that work and us working together, the fruits really showed today in her championship performance. I'm just so happy for her, being a senior and winning back-to-back is a rare feat."
Chloe Isleta also set her third and fourth school records of the weekend – both in the 200 back – shaving .28 off her prelim time in the finals.
Silja Kansakoski took the top seed into the 200 breast finals, also joined by teammate Marlies Ross in the A final, finishing fourth and eighth, respectively. Nora Deleske (13th) and Kaya Philapil (15th, PR) also recorded top-15 finishes for a big event for the Sun Devils.
As men's diving was also a part of this weekend's championship, Youssef Selim was named Pac-12 Men's Diver of the Meet after winning the 1-meter dive, earning a second podium finish in the platform (3rd), and a 4th place finish in the 3-meter. Selim and the other men's divers' scores will be added to next week's men's swimming totals to determine a team champion.
"It's so pleasing to see everybody's hard work put together – swimming and diving – and the team effort, the collaboration of it all and finishing third in probably one of the toughest conferences," said Bradshaw. "In my 21 seasons here, it was one of the best feelings to be a part of that."
Stanford and Cal finished 1-2 in women's swim/dive team standings.
A busy championship season continues as the Pac-12 Championships turns their attention to men's swimming next week (Feb. 28-Mar. 3). Stay tuned to TheSunDevils.com next week for more details on the championships.
ASU Women's Platform Pac-12 Champions
1994 – Amy Pamer (326.55)
2004 – Trish Tumlinson (433.65)
2005 – Trish Tumlinson (443.50)
2010 – Elina Eggers (308.75)
2012 – Elina Eggers (308.35)
2017 – Mara Aiacoboae (292.80)
2018 – Mara Aiacoboae (327.25)
Senior Mara Aiacoboae scored key points by defending her Pac-12 title in the platform dive (327.25), improving upon her second-place finish in the earlier prelims. Prior to Aiacoboae, the last Sun Devil to earn back-to-back women's platform titles was Trish Tumlinson (2004/2005). Aiacoboae's score was also the third-best to win a women's platform title since Tumlinson's back-to-back titles.
"Mara's title has been a year in the making – even though she won platform last year, she had a bit of a disappointing finish at NCAA's last year and I challenged her to make some changes," said head diving coach Mark Bradshaw.
"I discussed with some of the judges why they weren't scoring her as high and we had a long discussion about making those changes and I've been tough on her to make those changes. With all that work and us working together, the fruits really showed today in her championship performance. I'm just so happy for her, being a senior and winning back-to-back is a rare feat."
?? PAC 12 CHAMPION!! ?? Mara Aiacoboae defends her Pac 12 title in platform diving! The senior scored 327.25 for the victory. Ashley McCool was 7th with 239.95. #Pac12Dive #SunDevilMomentum
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) February 25, 2018
Chloe Isleta also set her third and fourth school records of the weekend – both in the 200 back – shaving .28 off her prelim time in the finals.
Silja Kansakoski took the top seed into the 200 breast finals, also joined by teammate Marlies Ross in the A final, finishing fourth and eighth, respectively. Nora Deleske (13th) and Kaya Philapil (15th, PR) also recorded top-15 finishes for a big event for the Sun Devils.
As men's diving was also a part of this weekend's championship, Youssef Selim was named Pac-12 Men's Diver of the Meet after winning the 1-meter dive, earning a second podium finish in the platform (3rd), and a 4th place finish in the 3-meter. Selim and the other men's divers' scores will be added to next week's men's swimming totals to determine a team champion.
The 2018 Pac-12 Men's Diver of the Meet is @ASUSwimDive's Youssef Selim! #BackthePac pic.twitter.com/gwJMp7XyRX
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 25, 2018
"It's so pleasing to see everybody's hard work put together – swimming and diving – and the team effort, the collaboration of it all and finishing third in probably one of the toughest conferences," said Bradshaw. "In my 21 seasons here, it was one of the best feelings to be a part of that."
Stanford and Cal finished 1-2 in women's swim/dive team standings.
A busy championship season continues as the Pac-12 Championships turns their attention to men's swimming next week (Feb. 28-Mar. 3). Stay tuned to TheSunDevils.com next week for more details on the championships.
ASU Women's Platform Pac-12 Champions
1994 – Amy Pamer (326.55)
2004 – Trish Tumlinson (433.65)
2005 – Trish Tumlinson (443.50)
2010 – Elina Eggers (308.75)
2012 – Elina Eggers (308.35)
2017 – Mara Aiacoboae (292.80)
2018 – Mara Aiacoboae (327.25)