Winning is not everything, and while the ASU swimming and diving team would love to come away with a victory this weekend against the UA, they are much more focused on using the meet to prepare for the Pac-10 Championships.
“It doesn’t really matter [if we win this weekend,” head coach Michael Chasson said. “UA’s the number one or two team in the country. We’re not going to beat them. We’re just looking to prepare for Pac-10’s.”
Winning duals has not been easy for the Sun Devils this season, especially for the short-handed men’s team.
Chasson said with only 12 guys on the team, filling every event has proven to be an arduous task.
However, when the Pac-10 and NCAA Championships roll around, having a small team is not as much of a detriment.
“We’d love to win,” Chasson said, “but this is more to get ourselves ready. We’re not going to win with only 12 guys, so we’re going to focus on individual goals.”
With senior All-American diver Micky Benedetti in Rome training for the World Championships, the men will be even more undermanned than usual this weekend.
Benedetti was recently named Pac-10 diver of the month for the sixth time in his career.
Competing without Benedetti is never a positive thing, but Chasson said that it would not make a difference this weekend.
For seniors like All-American Jen Beckberger, this weekend is about more than facing your rival; it will also be the last dual meet she swims for the Sun Devils.
Beckberger echoed her coach’s statements about the meet, and while she does not expect a win, it does not mean the competition is not important.
“It’s fun to race them, they are fast all the time,” Beckberger said of UA’s team. “Hopefully we can swim our best and [just] get ready for the Pac-10’s.”
The Sun Devils placed fourth in last year’s Pac-10 Championships and are looking to use this weekend’s meet to build momentum.
“Our goal is to score points,” Chasson said. “Our conference is the best in the country. Hopefully we can score high.”
The Pac-10 Championships take place from Feb. 25 to 28 for diving and women’s swimming, and March 4 to 7 for men’s swimming.
Reach the reporter at todonnel@asu.edu.
