Over the past five months, the ASU women’s swimming team has taken on tough competition. The Women’s Pac-10 Championships are not any different.
Only two days into the Women’s Pac-10 Championships, the Sun Devils have already gone up against some of the nation’s best teams.
ASU swimming coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker has been preparing the team for this final part of the season and has high expectations for the Pac-10 Championships.
“My goal is always to go 100 percent,” Tierney-Walker said. “I think this team has done a great job of believing in a new system.”
The women’s team went 6-6 (2-5 Pac-10) in the regular season.
The Women’s Pac-10 Championships, located in Long Beach, Calif., started Wednesday and run through Saturday.
In the first event, the 200-yard medley relay, the Sun Devils placed fifth with a time of 1:39.24.
The team consisted of senior Jamie Martinez, sophomore Rebecca Ejdervik, freshman Caroline Kuczynksi and junior Katie Haron. UA finished first in the event, followed by Stanford, Cal and USC.
The Women’s Pac-10 Championships are different from dual meets because every swimmer on the team will have the opportunity to compete in multiple events.
This is the final chance for swimmers to earn qualifying times for the NCAA Championships. The ultimate goal for each swimmer is to post a personal best time and earn an “A” cut for the NCAA Championships.
Meanwhile, the ASU diving team had its first day of competition at the Pac-10 Diving Championships in Federal Way, Wash., on Thursday.
ASU diving coach Mark Bradshaw anticipates USC and Stanford to be the hardest teams to beat.
“USC has probably the best athletes, both men and women,” Bradshaw said. “[USC and Stanford] each have a couple kids that are pretty good. They pose a great challenge for us.”
To be prepared and rested for the Pac-10 Diving Championships, the diving team trimmed the number of dives it did in practice, and focused on the quality of dives.
Bradshaw knows his divers are motivated and excited to do well in the Pac-10 Diving Championships.
“It’s a big deal,” Bradshaw said. “The Pac-10 Conference has some great athletes, and conference pride is at stake.”
Reach the reporter at nklauss@asu.edu
