TEMPE – Following a week off No. 4/17 Sun Devil Swim and Dive closes out its regular season against in-state rival Arizona at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center at 12 p.m. MST. The meet will be streamed on ESPN+ and live results can be viewed on Meet Mobile which requires a subscription.
The team will honor 20 seniors as part of the team's senior day celebration that will take place before the meet that's slated to begin at 11:20 p.m.
There will be a tailgate across from Mona Plummer Aquatic Center on College Ave. which opens at 9 a.m. The first 100 fans at the tailgate will receive free burritos courtesy of Burrito Express.
Sun Devil Notables:
Last Time Out:
Sun Devil Swim and Dive last competed at the Eddie Reese Showdown against No. 1/2 Texas, No. 18/1 Virginia and No. 6/8 NC State. The men went 3-1 in the dual, falling only to top-ranked Texas and were second as a combined team at the meet. The women's team showed their competitiveness against the top competition in the country, featuring Brown setting a school record in the 400 IM and Bentz setting a new standard in the 100 free. Brown also finished fourth in the 200 IM setting a season-best in 1:57.50.
Ilya Kharun was perfect in his events, going a perfect 3-of-3 in the 50 free, (18.62), 100 fly (43.90) and the 200 fly (1:39.18). He also helped the Sun Devils win four relays in Texas.
Andy Dobrzanski set a new personal best in the 200 breast in 1:53.11. Bentz had a top-3 finish in the 100 free recording a 48.27 and was fourth in the 50 free (22.24).
OPPONENT OUTLOOK:
Arizona Wildcats:
Sun Devil Swim and Dive have won 29 Big 12 weekly awards since the season began from 13 different athletes, including sweeping the swimming awards six times since the season began on Oct. 4.
Last week the team won all four Big 12 Swimming weekly awards after their performances at the Eddie Reese Showdown. Caroline Bentz and Ilya Kharun collected another weekly honor as Charli Brown and Quin Seider won their first weekly honors of their career. Brown set a new school record in the 400 IM, and Seider shared newcomer of the week honors.
For a full list of Sun Devil Big 12 weekly award winners, click here.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Sun Devils remain ranked in both the men and women's CSCAA January polls. The men checked in at No. 4 in the country, down a spot from their No. 3 ranking in December and the women moved down a spot to No. 17. Both are the only teams to represent the Big 12 heading into February.
Sun Devils at Short Course World Championships:
Four Sun Devils performed at the World Aquatics Short Course World Championships taking place in Budapest, Hungary on Dec. 10-15. Ilya Kharun represented Canada, Daniel Matheson represented the United States, Deniz Ertan represented Turkey and freshman Tolu Young for Fiji.
Kharun won three medals total, highlighted by becoming a world champion in the 200m butterfly and setting a Canadian Record of 1:48.24. He also won silver in the 50 fly (20.80) and secured a bronze medal in the 4x100 mixed medley relay swimming a 48.27 100m fly.
Young broke two national records for Fiji, swimming a 21.70 50m free and a 23.11 50 fly. Matheson appeared in seven events in Budapest and Ertan had two top-25 finishes in the 500 free and the 800 free.
RETURNING OLYMPIANS:
The Sun Devils return five total Olympians who have competed in the Olympics. Deniz Ertan and Miriam Sheehan both competed in Tokyo in 2021. Tiago Behar, freshman Tolu Young and Ilya Kharun all swam for their respective countries in 2024 in Paris.
Kharun, representing Canada, garnered two bronze medals in Paris, coming in the 200m and the 100m fly after coming off a freshman year where he claimed the 200y fly individual title at NCAA Championships. Kharun currently holds the school record in the 100 fly (43.95) and 200 fly (1:37.93).
Looking Ahead:
Sun Devil Swim and Dive will prepare for the postseason with Big 12 Swim and Dive Championships taking place February 25th through March 1st. Follow the team's Twitter/X account, @ASUSwimDive and on Instagram @sundevilswimdive.
How to Follow:
Follow the meet on Meet mobile and on the team's social media accounts on Twitter/X @ASUSwimDive and on Instagram @sundevilswimdive.
The team will honor 20 seniors as part of the team's senior day celebration that will take place before the meet that's slated to begin at 11:20 p.m.
There will be a tailgate across from Mona Plummer Aquatic Center on College Ave. which opens at 9 a.m. The first 100 fans at the tailgate will receive free burritos courtesy of Burrito Express.
Sun Devil Notables:
- Ahead of the dual meet the team will recognize 20 seniors (10 men, 10 women) that have left their mark on the program. From winning national championships to setting school records.
- Women: Iza Adame, Charli Brown, Hana Edwards, Emma Gatzke, Emma Gehlert, Diver Ashlyn Kirsch, Erin Milligan, Elli Straume, Caroline Bentz and Mary Brinker.
- Men: Tiago Behar, Dylan Gravely, Chris Harig, Daniel Matheson, Christian Osterndorf, Patrick Sammon, Jackson Stallworth, Jack Wadsworth, Jonathon Adam and team manager James Don.
- The Sun Devil men have been unbeaten against Arizona since 2016, which included a 147-147 tie in 2017. For the women, they have won 3 of the last 5 dual meets against the Wildcats.
- The men's team currently holds the fastest times in the 200-free relay (1:13.93) and in the 400-medley relay (3:01.18) in the nation and have the second-fastest 400-free relay time in the country at 2:45.13.
- The Sun Devil men are the only team in the country to have three men swim sub-19 times in the 50 free. Ilya Kharun ranks second in the country at 18.51, Jonny Kulow is fourth fastest at 18.78 and Tommy Palmer is tied for 10th in 18.99.
- Ilya Kharun has the second fastest 200 fly in the country at 1:38.74. He has the third-fastest 100-fly time clocking in a 43.85.
- Jonny Kulow has the third-fastest 100 free time in the country at 40.97 and is one of three swimmers in the nation with a sub-41 second time.
- Charli Brown set a school record in the 400 IM clocking in a 4:07.58, setting a personal best.
- Caroline Bentz broke her own school record in the 100 free with a 47.97 in the 400 free relay. The first sub-47 time in school history.
Last Time Out:
Sun Devil Swim and Dive last competed at the Eddie Reese Showdown against No. 1/2 Texas, No. 18/1 Virginia and No. 6/8 NC State. The men went 3-1 in the dual, falling only to top-ranked Texas and were second as a combined team at the meet. The women's team showed their competitiveness against the top competition in the country, featuring Brown setting a school record in the 400 IM and Bentz setting a new standard in the 100 free. Brown also finished fourth in the 200 IM setting a season-best in 1:57.50.
Ilya Kharun was perfect in his events, going a perfect 3-of-3 in the 50 free, (18.62), 100 fly (43.90) and the 200 fly (1:39.18). He also helped the Sun Devils win four relays in Texas.
Andy Dobrzanski set a new personal best in the 200 breast in 1:53.11. Bentz had a top-3 finish in the 100 free recording a 48.27 and was fourth in the 50 free (22.24).
OPPONENT OUTLOOK:
Arizona Wildcats:
- Two weeks ago the Wildcats swept the Gophers and celebrated its seniors. The men defeated Minnesota 162-147, an the women came out on top 156-144.
- In total, Arizona had 17 first-place finishes and had 49 top-three finishes from both squads.
- Tomas Lukminas is tied for the fourth fastest 100 free time in the Big 12 (42.20) and ranks in the top-3 in the conference in the 200 free (1:32.22).
- Will Meyers has the second-fastest time in the conference this season with an NCAA 'B' cut time of 1:41.15.
- Haakon Naughton ranks second in the Big 12 in the 100 fly (45.27) and the 200 fly (1:40.55) only behind Kharun.
- The Arizona women have the second-fastest 200-free relay (1:28.65) only behind the Sun Devils.
- Malia Rausch has the third-fastest time in the Big 12 in the 200 free (1:46.99) and the fourth-fastest in the 500 free (4:43.80).
Sun Devil Swim and Dive have won 29 Big 12 weekly awards since the season began from 13 different athletes, including sweeping the swimming awards six times since the season began on Oct. 4.
Last week the team won all four Big 12 Swimming weekly awards after their performances at the Eddie Reese Showdown. Caroline Bentz and Ilya Kharun collected another weekly honor as Charli Brown and Quin Seider won their first weekly honors of their career. Brown set a new school record in the 400 IM, and Seider shared newcomer of the week honors.
For a full list of Sun Devil Big 12 weekly award winners, click here.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Sun Devils remain ranked in both the men and women's CSCAA January polls. The men checked in at No. 4 in the country, down a spot from their No. 3 ranking in December and the women moved down a spot to No. 17. Both are the only teams to represent the Big 12 heading into February.
Sun Devils at Short Course World Championships:
Four Sun Devils performed at the World Aquatics Short Course World Championships taking place in Budapest, Hungary on Dec. 10-15. Ilya Kharun represented Canada, Daniel Matheson represented the United States, Deniz Ertan represented Turkey and freshman Tolu Young for Fiji.
Kharun won three medals total, highlighted by becoming a world champion in the 200m butterfly and setting a Canadian Record of 1:48.24. He also won silver in the 50 fly (20.80) and secured a bronze medal in the 4x100 mixed medley relay swimming a 48.27 100m fly.
Young broke two national records for Fiji, swimming a 21.70 50m free and a 23.11 50 fly. Matheson appeared in seven events in Budapest and Ertan had two top-25 finishes in the 500 free and the 800 free.
RETURNING OLYMPIANS:
The Sun Devils return five total Olympians who have competed in the Olympics. Deniz Ertan and Miriam Sheehan both competed in Tokyo in 2021. Tiago Behar, freshman Tolu Young and Ilya Kharun all swam for their respective countries in 2024 in Paris.
Kharun, representing Canada, garnered two bronze medals in Paris, coming in the 200m and the 100m fly after coming off a freshman year where he claimed the 200y fly individual title at NCAA Championships. Kharun currently holds the school record in the 100 fly (43.95) and 200 fly (1:37.93).
Looking Ahead:
Sun Devil Swim and Dive will prepare for the postseason with Big 12 Swim and Dive Championships taking place February 25th through March 1st. Follow the team's Twitter/X account, @ASUSwimDive and on Instagram @sundevilswimdive.
How to Follow:
Follow the meet on Meet mobile and on the team's social media accounts on Twitter/X @ASUSwimDive and on Instagram @sundevilswimdive.