In the dead of winter in Tempe, ASU's swim and dive team has brought the heat as they compete, heading toward the conference championships.
Both the men's and women's teams bested GCU on Jan. 3, with finals scores of 208-91 and 224.5-74.5, respectively. The Sun Devils enter the new year ranked No. 2 on the men's side and No. 18 on the women's, putting the men’s team one place ahead of where they sat in December of the 2024-25 season.
The freshmen continue to put up impressive numbers for ASU, with Mattia Mauri winning the men's 200-yard backstroke at 1:46.65 and Albane Cachot placing first in the women's 50-yard, 100-yard, and 200-yard freestyle events for a remarkable Sun Devil debut.
Junior Ilya Kharun also continues to excel with a win in the men’s 500-yard freestyle as well as personal bests in the men’s 100-yard and 200-yard fly at the CSCAA Dual Meet Challenge in November, with times of 43.38 and 1:37.56.
However, the protagonists of the afternoon were the seniors honored in a pre-meet celebration. These individuals cultivated strong bonds with their teammates and represent integral pieces to the team's success in and out of the pool.
"Being captain this year has been amazing, and I think I just want to hone in on making these girls the best that they can be in and out of the water," senior Ginger McMahon said. "If I’ve done that, I’ve done a good job."
McMahon is joined by many seniors who have made significant contributions to the Sun Devils' success in the Big 12, like Jonny Kulow, Deniz Ertan, and Andy Dobrzanski. The dive team also honored top-performing divers Amayah Wiley and Lane Stallworth.
Dobrzanski said that reflecting on his Sun Devil career hasn't been easy, but there is joy in recognizing how far the team has come.
"(I) started realizing that this was the last home, official dual meet," Dobrzanski said. "It's a little bittersweet. We’ve spent all our four years here, so it'll be the end of one chapter, opening a new one."
Nevertheless, there are plenty of laps to be swam before they say their official goodbyes to the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. The team is preparing to take on the Big 12 West Championships this week, as well as the Big 12 and NCAA Championships in February and March.
Head coach Herbie Behm believes they are in a similar position to repeat their victory at the Big 12 Championships, with many athletes bringing veteran experience and significant improvement into these higher-stakes events.
"On the men's side, we're a lot better than we were last year," Behm said. "On the women's side, I think we're a lot deeper than we were last year, so that helps a ton."
The meet against GCU saw certain swimmers race in events that they would not typically compete in. For athletes like junior Grace Lindberg, who won the women's 400-yard IM at 4:14.26 despite it being a race she doesn't typically swim, these unexpected successes represent the value of broadening one's skillset as championship meets approach.
"We're always trying to expand people's capabilities," Behm said. "It's good to make them race something they're uncomfortable doing."
Yet, for many seniors, the second half of the season is more of a time for excitement and togetherness between teammates than one of pure competition. McMahon emphasizes the strength that comes from the team's relationship and sense of community.
"Who are you doing this for, and if you can't find that you're doing it for yourself, do it for the rest of us," McMahon said. "Look around you; you're doing it for your entire team."
The athletes, specifically the graduating Sun Devils, who have grown alongside this program for many years, share one clear goal for the back half of the season: conquer.
"(I want to) win with my teammates," Dobrzanski said. "That's all I can say."
Edited by Niall Rosenberg, Henry Smardo and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at bcsmit41@asu.edu.
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Brooklyn Smith is a sports reporter for The State Press and an English student at ASU. She is in her 1st semester with The State Press.
