News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Thirteen Aggies are set to represent the Maroon & White at Women’s NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships this week at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center. The meet begins Wednesday, March 19 and runs through Saturday, March 22.
Chloe Stepanek heads to her fifth NCAA Championships after being invited in the 100 and 200 free. The 13-time All-American added top-eight points for the Aggies at SEC Championships in both of her qualified events and boasts season-best times of 47.98 in the 100 free and 1:43.82 in the 200 free from that meet. Olivia Theall is set for her fourth NCAAs after qualifying in both butterfly events. She posted a season-best time of 51.51 in the 100 fly and a personal-best of 1:54.09 in the 200 fly earlier this year at the Art Adamson Invite, which both rank among the top-25 nationally this season.
Hayden Miller and Kaitlyn Owens are each making their third appearance at NCAAs as Miller qualified in the 500 and 1650 free, and Owens punched her ticket in the 50 free and 100 back. Miller recently lowered her season-bests, going 4:39.44 in the 500 free and 16:06.10 in the 1650 free at the Last Chance Meet. Owens is coming off a pair of top-10 finishes at SECs in her qualified events, clocking personal-best times of 21.91 in the 50 free, the second-fastest time in program history, and 51.56 in the 100 back.
Aviv Barzelay, Giulia Goerigk and Katie Walker all return to NCAA Championships, earning invitations in the 200 back, 400 IM and 200 fly, respectively. Barzelay placed 14th in the 200 back at SECs with a season-best time and lowered it again, going 1:53.23 a week later at the Last Chance Meet. Goerigk clocked her season-best 400 IM time with a 10th-place finish at SECs, touching the wall in 4:08.13 and Walker went a season-best 1:55.17 in the 200 fly to add top-15 points for the Aggies at the same meet.
Jordan Buechler, Bobbi Kennett, Kailey Kennedy and Ella McQuinn join the Maroon & White as relay swimmers. The Aggies qualified four relays, including the 200 and 800 free, as well as the 200 and 400 medley.
Aggie divers Else Praasterink and Mayson Richards punched their tickets to NCAAs at Zones last week as Praasterink will be in action on the 3-meter and platform, and Richards qualified on the 1-meter. Praasterink was top-six in both of her events at Zones and posted at fourth-place finish on platform at SEC Championships. Richards also impressed at SECs, notching her highest career finish at the meet on the 1-meter after placing sixth.
Links to live swimming results and streaming can be found here, while live diving results can be found here.
Visit 12thman.com for more information on Texas A&M swimming & diving. Fans can keep up to date with the Aggies Facebook, Instagram, and on X by following @AggieSwimDive.
Complete Schedule
Wednesday, March 19
Finals: 200 medley relay, 800 free relay – 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 20
Prelims: 12 p.m.
Diving Prelims: 1-meter – 2:15 p.m.
Finals: 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 200 free relay, 1-meter – 8 p.m.
Friday, March 21
Prelims: 12 p.m.
Diving Prelims: 3-meter – 2:15 p.m.
Finals: 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 400 medley relay, 3-meter – 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 22
Prelims: 12 p.m.
Diving Prelims: Platform – 2 p.m.
Finals: 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, platform, 400 free relay – 8 p.m.