THIS SHOULD BE WELL

THIS SHOULD BE WELL WORTH THE WAIT

A year ago, all eyes were on the Cal and Texas men’s BY DAN D'ADDONA being an Olympic year, we were on a roll. We had some dogs who were chomping at the bit. (Coach) Dave (Durden) had us on a swimming and diving teams in what looked leash...and we were ready to break loose.” to be one of the greatest NCAA Championship As swimmers prepare for their first national college championship duels ever. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic meet in two years, that same vibe is slowly taking shape, with Cal and Texas preparing for another elite showdown. wiped out that showdown, but spirits are However, after the past year that the world has endured, the running high one year later—not only for that thought process for everyone is focused more on hope. much anticipated Cal-Texas confrontation, but First and foremost, swimmers, coaches and fans hope the meet will take place. They also hope the showdown can live up to the for the simple fact that college swimmers will wait. Meanwhile, other teams hope they can join the mix and make again be able to come together and compete at a memorable return to the men’s NCAAs. a national championship. Usually, Swimming World puts together its predictions of the top 10 teams, including statistical analysis that includes the number of points lost and returning from last year’s teams, giving its readers a realistic expectation of what should take place.Cal and Texas have had some extremely close clashes over the years at the men’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships—especially the past few seasons. But none were This year, without the championships being held in 2020, that same kind of analysis wouldn’t be appropriate—or accurate. as highly anticipated as 2020 after Cal had won the year before, Many of the college teams have only swum in a handful of meets snapping a Texas four-peat. after spending a lot of time out of the water because of different

Then COVID-19 happened, prompting Cal’s Reece Whitley to COVID-19 protocols in different parts of the country. say, “It was the fastest NCAAs that nobody ever saw!” But what we can do is highlight the teams and swimmers to

Now a junior on the team that will be vying to win back-to-back watch for at the upcoming 2021 men’s NCAA Division I Swimming team titles, Whitley added, “I think both teams were ready to do and Diving Championships, scheduled for the Greensboro (N.C.) something that the swimming world hadn’t seen before. With it Aquatic Center, March 24-27.

Coach: Dave Durden 2019 finish: 1st (560 points)

Cal is loaded with returning talent, led by a senior class that has put together elite performances at NCAAs when they were freshmen and sophomores: • Ryan Hoffer is an NCAA champion, winning the 50 free in 2019 and leading the Bears to the sprint relay title—and the team title.

• Daniel Carr has been a key contributor in the backstroke, while

Sean Grieshop will be a contender to win the 400 IM title. • Trenton Julian has been an All-American and leads the Bears in the IM and butterfly events, while fellow senior Bryce Mefford has been a key sprinter and backstroker for Cal.

As for the underclassmen, Whitley, now a junior, is looking for his first individual NCAA title after earning All-America honors as a freshman. He was the 2019 U.S. national champion in the 200 meter breast and could contribute major points in both SCY breaststroke races plus the medley relays.

Meanwhile, junior Hugo Gonzalez has been a big boost for Cal in the 200 IM, and freshman Bjorn Seeliger from Sweden has already made an impact this season in the sprints.

2. TEXAS LONGHORNS

Coach: Eddie Reese 2019 finish: 2nd (475 points)

While Texas was winning four NCAA titles in a row from 201518, it boasted Hall of Fame rosters during those years with stars such as Joseph Schooling, Will Licon, Jack Conger, Clark Smith, Townley Haas and John Shebat...to name a few.

And although those swimmers are gone, the Longhorns have ushered in a new era of Texas speed. The Foster brothers—Carson and Jake—lead this new, young group with loads of potential.

The senior leader is Austin Katz, an All-America backstroker returning for his senior season. He keys the medley relays and could be a big scorer in individual events and relays.

Meanwhile, junior sprinter Drew Kibler will be in contention for NCAA titles in the 50 and 100 freestyle and should anchor several relays. Junior Daniel Krueger is another key freestyler who could make his biggest impact swimming on relays. Breaststroker Caspar Corbeau should play a key role as well.

One of the key components for the Longhorns will be diving. Jordan Windle is a returning NCAA champion and could give Texas a huge boost as it looks to keep pace with Cal in their long-awaited showdown.

3. GEORGIA BULLDOGS

Coach: Jack Bauerle 2019 finish: 18th (86 points)

The Georgia Bulldogs have Javier Acevedo back this year after taking an Olympic year redshirt last season. He will be an NCAA title contender in the backstroke events and a key relay component for Georgia.

Andrew Abruzzo returns and has a versatile touch that could play a big factor. Butterflyer Camden Murphy looks poised for a breakout finish, while Jake Magahey has been swimming well this season.

But the biggest boost to the Bulldogs is the addition of freshman Luca Urlando, who can swim any event at a high level and will be a major point scorer at NCAAs. Coach: Jay Holmes 2019 finish: 17th (93 points)

Shaine Casas has become one of the nation’s elite college swimmers the past couple of years, and just continues to get faster (see feature story on Shaine in this issue, pages 26-28).

Casas will be an NCAA title contender in the backstroke events as well as the 200 IM to lead the Aggies.

Texas A&M also has plenty of other swimmers waiting to make their big move this season and will need more than Casas to prove it has one of the elite teams.

5. FLORIDA GATORS

Coach: Anthony Nesty 2019 finish: 6th (164 points)

Despite losing superstar Caeleb Dressel to graduation in 2018, Florida continues to build strong teams, as evidenced by its sixthplace finish in 2019. For 2021, the Gators are led by the dynamic distance duo of Kieran Smith and Bobby Finke, who are both considered favorites to claim NCAA titles.

Smith, a junior and 14-time All-American, holds the American record in the 500 free (4:06.32) from the 2020 SEC Championships, and he won the 200 IM at SECs his freshman year. In addition to winning the 500 free at last year’s SECs, he added titles in the 400 IM and 800 free relay. Finke, a junior, has equally impressive credentials: the four-time All-American destroyed the U.S. record in the 1650 by more than six seconds (14:12.08), also swum at last year’s SECs. And like Smith, Finke was an SEC champ as a freshman, winning the 1650 and 400 IM.

Sophomores Trey Freeman (freestyle) and Kevin Vargas (IM) could also play big roles for the Gators.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Virginia will have freshman Matt Brownstead, a national age group record holder who has already broken the Cavaliers’ school record in the 50 and 100 freestyle—and he’s just getting started. He is a dynamic changer on a team full of strong swimmers that give Virginia a lot of depth—and a lot of potential.

Michigan is led by seniors Gus Borges, Ricardo Vargas and Patrick Callan, while sophomore Cam Peel could provide a huge boost in the sprints and relays. It isn’t the most top-heavy of recent Wolverine teams, but the trio of seniors, along with their depth, could provide a good amount of points for Michigan.

North Carolina State will have plenty of depth, but perhaps without a big-name superstar this season. But strong relays can go a long way at the NCAA Championships, and that depth will keep the Wolfpack in the mix.

The same could be said for the Louisville Cardinals, although Nicholas Albiero gives the team a title contender.

The Indiana Hoosiers will have Bruno Blaskovic, Gabriel Fantoni and All-America diver Andrew Capobianco who could score some major points. 

Dan D’Addona is the managing editor and lead college swim writer for Swimming World. He has covered swimming at all levels since 2003, including the NCAA Championships, USA Nationals, Duel in the Pool and Olympic Trials. He also is the sports editor of The Holland Sentinel in Holland, Mich.

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YES, VIRGINIA, NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE

For years, Stanford and BY DAN D'ADDONA dominating three-peat by Stanford (201718-19), Virginia rose to the top team in the Cal have been battling nation last season, only to see the women’s NCAA Division I Championships canceled.each other for national supremacy at After finishing sixth in 2019, the Cavaliers lost their chance to women’s NCAAs, with the Cardinal prove they could unseat Stanford and push past Cal and the other contenders. and Golden Bears finishing 1-2 2021 brings an opportunity for Virginia to showcase its best team in school history—and possibly keep it going for a number of years, in the last three championships. ushering in a new rivalry with Stanford. Virginia already features underclassmen Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh, while Stanford Before that, Cal had put together will add Regan Smith and Torri Huske next year to what should be four team titles since 2009. But in another formidable team. Usually, Swimming World puts together its predictions of the top 2021, look for Virginia to make its 10 teams, including statistical analysis that includes the number of points lost and returning from last year’s teams, giving its readers a move—not only as a new rival, but realistic expectation of what should take place. This year, without the championships being held in 2020, quite possibly as a new champion! that same kind of analysis wouldn’t be appropriate—or accurate. Many of the college teams have only swum in a handful of meets after spending a lot of time out of the water because of different COVID-19 protocols in different parts of the country.

Every team and every athlete has been affected by the COVID-19 But what we can do is highlight the teams and swimmers to watch pandemic, but, perhaps, no college team has been affected as much for at the upcoming 2021 women’s NCAA Division I Swimming as the University of Virginia women’s swimming and diving team. and Diving Championships, scheduled for the Greensboro (N.C.)

As the women’s swimming world was coming off of a Aquatic Center, March 17-20.

Coach: Todd DeSorbo 2019 finish: 6th (188 points)

Virginia has built an elite group led by a youth movement. The leader has been Kate Douglass, a sophomore who has helped usher in the new era.

Douglass qualified for NCAAs in a number of events, including the 200 yard breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM. Her versatility allows her to swim in a wide variety of events and still score points in bunches.

The Cavaliers also have a lot of other pieces this year, which combined with Douglass’ versatility, could lead to a more complete lineup on the national stage.

Freshman Alex Walsh is a U.S. national team member and two-time Pan American Games gold medalist. She can swim any stroke and score points, making her part of a pivotal 1-2 punch with Douglass.

But it isn’t just the young guns.

Senior Paige Madden was the 2020 ACC Swimmer of the Year and is a nine-time All-American and eight-time ACC champion. She won the 200, 500 and 1650 free at ACCs. Put her with sophomore distance specialist Maddie Donohoe, and Virginia should score lots of points in the distance events alone.

Emma Weyant, another national teamer, deferred her enrollment until next year, when she’ll help an already talented team become even better.

2. STANFORD CARDINAL

Coach: Greg Meehan 2019 finish: 1st (456.5 points)

When Stanford won three straight NCAA team titles from 201618, they had it all: superstars and depth.

Gone are the big names such as Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky and Ella Eastin, but the team is still loaded with talent.

Brooke Forde, an NCAA champion and U.S. national team member, is the new leader for the Cardinal. At the 2019 NCAAs, she won the 500 freestyle and was part of the winning 800 free relay.

Other returning NCAA qualifiers from two years ago include breaststroker Zoe Bartel, freestylers Amalie Fackenthal and Morgan Tankersley, breaststrokers Allie Raab and Grace Zhao and the versatile Lucie Nordmann and Lauren Pitzer plus divers Mia Paulsen and Carolina Sculti.

3. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS

Coach: Teri McKeever 2019 finish: 2nd (419 points)

After all the talk about Virginia and Stanford, one mustn’t forget Cal. After all, the Golden Bears have finished among the top three each year of the last decade: first place 3x, second 4x, third 3x. And the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) ranked them No. 1 (up from No. 7) in February.

Yes, Cal is still extremely talented, but it is also in transition.

The team is led by NCAA relay champion and six-time AllAmerican Isabel (Izzy) Ivey. A mid-year enrollee at Cal for the spring 2019 semester, she made the NCAA finals in the 100 backstroke (fourth) and 100 butterfly (sixth) and won the B-final of the 200 IM two years ago.

Breaststrokers Ema Rajic and Ali Harrison will be an important 1-2 punch, while freestyler Robin Neumann will provide individual and relay power. Freshman Isabelle Stadden will be a huge addition in the backstroke events and medley relays. Junior Alicia Wilson (IM) could provide a spark along with diver Briana Thai.

While Cal might not have as much depth as in previous years, the strength of the Golden Bears has always been their relays. Coach: Mike Bottom 2019 finish: 3rd (314 points)

Michigan has been one of the top teams in the NCAA the past few years, and that should continue this season.

The Wolverines are led by Canadian Maggie MacNeil, a multiple NCAA title winner—both individually and on relays—and the 100 meter butterfly gold medalist at the 2019 World Championships. The 2020 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year finished second in the 100 yard fly two years ago and will be the favorite at NCAAs this season.

Senior sprinter Daria Pyschnenko has been a multiple AllAmerica relay performer and will likely continue to anchor several relays. Senior distance specialist Sierra Schmidt could be a title contender in the mile and will provide a huge 1-2 distance punch for Michigan along with sophomore Kaitlynn Sims, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Senior divers Nikki Canale and Christy Cutshaw could be poised for a big finish, while butterflyer Olivia Carter will contribute to the medley relays.

Freshmen Kathryn Ackerman and Claire Tuttle also could provide a boost, while swimmers such as Caroline Sisson and Victoria Kwan could be poised for breakout seasons.

5. NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK

Coach: Braden Holloway 2019 finish: 7th (187.5 points)

NC State will be without the speed and leadership of Ky-lee Perry, who graduated last season. But the team has several elite swimmers ready to prove they can lead the Wolfpack to new heights.

Sophomore backstroker Katharine Berkoff is looking to make a breakout finish in her first NCAA championship season. Junior Sophie Hansson is an All-America breaststroker and will be key to the Wolfpack medley relays. Junior sprinter and backstroker Kylee Alons will also be a key contributor.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Texas returns sophomore sprinter Grace Ariola and the versatile senior Evie Pfeifer from its fifth-place squad in 2019. But it is the newcomers who are making the Longhorns a challenger this season. Freshmen Anna Elendt (breaststroke) from Germany and Olivia Bray (butterfly) are not only expected to score points in their individual events, but should also help the Longhorns score big in the medley relays.

Georgia is a few years removed from a run that included multiple NCAA championships, but the Bulldogs seem to be back on the rise. Seniors Courtney Harnish (freestyle), Danielle Della Torre (breaststroke) and Gabi Fa’amausili (backstroke), along with sophomore breaststroker Zoie Hartman should play a big role as well as junior butterflyer Dakota Luther.

Tennessee is led by senior breaststrokers Nikol Popov and Tjasa Pintar as well as senior diver Ana Celaya Hernandez. The team isn’t as powerful as it has been in recent years, but the Lady Volunteers aren’t a team to look past, either.

Another SEC power, Florida, has some big pieces that could come together this season. Junior breaststroker/IMer Vanessa Pearl is having a strong year. She was U.S. national runner-up in the 200 meter IM and was poised for a strong 2020 NCAA meet that never happened. Diver Ashley McCool transferred from Arizona State last year and is looking for her first NCAA meet as a Gator.

Dan D’Addona is the managing editor and lead college swim writer for Swimming World. He has covered swimming at all levels since 2003, including the NCAA Championships, USA Nationals, Duel in the Pool and Olympic Trials. He also is the sports editor of The Holland Sentinel in Holland, Mich.

ALL SYSTEMS GO...FOR NOW!

Although the NCAA Division III and NAIA had canceled their championship swimming and diving meets in early February, NCAA Division II was still a “go,” thereby preserving the possibility for Queens University of Charlotte to pursue its sixth straight men’s and women’s team titles.

BY ANDY ROSS

NCAA DIVISION II

March 17-20 Alabama CrossPlex (Birmingham, Ala.) Hosted by University of Montevallo

In a year like 2021, nothing is for certain. But in Division II swimming circles, one certainty remains: Queens will be a national title favorite in swimming and diving.

Heading into the 2021 championships, the Royals lead the nation in three of the five women’s relays, with Drury leading the other two. Queens has won the last five team titles, dating back to 2015, and had the lead last season when the meet was canceled after just three sessions because of COVID-19.

The Queens women are led by senior distance swimmer Francesca Bains, who leads the nation in the 500, 1000 and 1650 yard freestyles this season. The thing about Queens is that even when they seem to graduate a big class, they always bring in swimmers capable of scoring in the national A-final. And this year is no different.

Freshman Sophia Lange ranks right behind Bains in all three distance events, so when Bains graduates, Lange should be ready to take over as the new elite distance swimmer on Queens’ roster. But for now, the Bains-Lange duo provides a strong 1-2 punch for this year’s championships. Lange is also the top-ranked swimmer this season in the 200 butterfly.

Juniors Kayla Tenant and Hannah Foster as well as sophomore Danielle Melilli are another big reason why this Queens team looks poised for a sixth straight national title. Tenant is NCAA D-II’s top swimmer in the 100 fly, and Melilli leads the nation in the 100 free. Foster is ranked in the top eight in both IMs as well as the 200 free. And all three swimmers will be counted on to help the Royals’ relays.

But if anyone poses a risk at defeating the reigning champs, it could be Drury, which was the last team to win it all back in 2014. In fact, before Queens, Drury had won five of the previous six championships and six of eight.

The Panthers are led by junior Laura Pareja, the nation’s leader in the 100 and 200 back, and distance swimmer Allison Weber, another junior, should be competitive with the Queens duo of Bains and Lange. Sophomore Kasia Rogowska is one of the top sprinters in Division II and is expected to do battle with Queens’ Melilli in the 50 free. She’s also among the top five swimmers in the 100 fly and will be a factor on Drury’s medley relays.

The University of Indianapolis, which has become a Division II powerhouse the last few years, also poses a threat for a top-three finish, with senior Marizel van Jaarsveld, who leads the nation in the 200 IM and is second in the 400 IM to junior teammate Katie McCoy. Indy also has the sprint depth to match Queens and Drury on relays, with junior Johanna Buys and senior Krystal Caylor.

<< The women’s swimming team at Queens University of Charlotte (N.C.) is led by senior distance swimmer Francesca Bains, who was leading the nation this season in the 500, 1000 and 1650 yard freestyles as of early February. Both of the Royals’ women’s and men’s teams will be vying for their sixth straight national team championship. When the meet was halted a year ago after five events due to COVID-19, their women were in first place, while the men were in fourth.

McKendree University jumped out to the lead after three sessions before the meet was halted.

This year, however, Drury, which had won 10 team titles in a row from 2005-14, looks to be the team to beat, with freshman Karol Ostrowski—who set the NCAA record in the 50 and 100 freestyle in December—leading the way. That speed has helped the Panthers lead the nation in all five relays—points that will be hard to overcome for Queens to capture a sixth straight title.

And it’s not all Ostrowski for the Panthers. Juniors Nathan Bighetti (200 back) and James Brown (200, 400 IM) lead the nation in their respective events, and their contributions could be what push Drury to the top.

Queens should still have a strong showing at the championships— especially with juniors Alex Kunert (200 fly) and Luke Erwee (500, 1000 free)—but their team winning streak looks to be in jeopardy.

And McKendree, last year’s “leaders,” could still be a factor, but the Bearcats don’t look as strong as they did last year, although they do return 1000 champ Fabio Dalu, last year’s 50 runner-up Gregg Lichinsky and sprint free specialist Alexander Skinner. McKendree’s relays are always strong, but it’s just a matter of how they’ll be able to attack this year’s NCAAs after having last year’s proverbial rug pulled out from underneath them when all the momentum was going their way. 

NCAA D-III, NAIA CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELED

With the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, the NCAA Division III and NAIA Championships were canceled in early February.

During its review of the declaration data, the Division III Championships Committee determined participation numbers in all nine winter sports were well below the established threshold to provide a national championships experience. Division III powerhouses Kenyon, Emory and Williams had all already opted out of the season due to COVID concerns, leaving Denison as what would have been the runaway favorites.

The decision to cancel NAIAs came after the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ga. determined it would be unable to fulfill its hosting obligation due to COVID-19 concerns. 

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