Though this weekend’s meets will not be scored, the ASU men’s swimming team remains anxious to get in the pool and start racing.
“These guys are dying to race,” ASU coach Dorsey Tierney-Walker said. “We’ve been training for about seven weeks now and just the anticipation of finally getting to step on the blocks and race [is exciting].”
The Sun Devils open their season Friday as the men travel to Tucson for a relay meet with UA, Kansas and UNLV. Following Friday’s meet, the teams will take part in a traditional meet Saturday.
The majority of the men’s team is new this year, offering intrigue in seeing how they fare in their first meet.
Freshman Hayden Thomas, a Tempe native, said he can’t wait for his first collegiate meet, especially against UA.
“It will be [the] first time to show [everyone] what we have been working on,” Thomas said. “I’m stoked for it. It’s going to be a tough meet with [UA], [but] training has been going really well and I think that will be reflected in the meet.”
While the Sun Devils are excited to get in the pool, they are also excited to begin the year against the rival Wildcats. UA is one of the best swimming schools in the country, but Tierney-Walker feels her team is looking forward to the challenge.
“They’re excited to race [UA], a team of that caliber, in our first meet,” Tierney-Walker said. “For us [it’s] a big step forward.”
The UA swim team arrived at the 2010 National Championships as the top-ranked team in the country, but after half of the roster became infected with Norovirus, which causes the intestinal flu, they finished the season ranked third.
The experienced UA team features senior Craig Jordens, junior Nick Hadinger and junior Adam Small. The trio makes up 75 percent of UA’s 400-meter free-relay team that beat the Sun Devils a year ago.
The Wildcats also return redshirt junior Cory Chitwood, who is coming off an impressive sophomore season in which he won the NCAA title in the 200-meter backstroke.
Just because this meet is not being scored doesn’t mean the swimmers have forgotten whom they will be swimming against.
Thomas made it clear he does not like UA. Thomas comes from a family of Sun Devils, has lived in Tempe his entire life, and is passionate about the rivalry.
When these two teams competed last year, the UA men defeated the ASU men 212-87.
Friday’s meet in Tucson begins at 2 p.m. at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center and competition begins Saturday at 10 a.m.
Reach the reporter at william.boor@asu.edu
