They say that good things happen to those who wait. That’s exactly the scenario for the No. 4 Arizona women’s swimming team, which will have to continue to stand by for its first NCAA championship.
After leading the pack the first two nights of competition, the Wildcats (8-2) could not hold off defending champions No. 2 Auburn, finishing second (with 477 points) for the third time in UA history in the meet that ran Thursday through Saturday in Minneapolis.
“”The day would’ve had to gone perfect for us and really poorly for them,”” UA assistant coach Greg Rhodenbaugh said, “”and Auburn is just experienced enough as a team and a coaching staff where they don’t really have to coordinate anymore.
“”They just had to be good, and we had to be more than perfect in that regards.””
He added, “”When the meet comes down to a dual meet between Auburn and us, we can’t really – that’s a hard thing to win.””
While at the meet, the women tallied four NCAA titles – two individual and two relay – and set six Arizona records and two American records.
On Friday, junior Lacey Nymeyer won her first individual title of the meet in the 200-yard freestyle event after she was a part of the victorious 200y freestyle relay team.
In the 200y medley relay, the team of sophomores Lara Jackson, Lindsey Kelly, Hailey Degolia and freshman Annie Chandler posted another title for Arizona Friday night.
Since the diving team did not qualify for the championship meet at the Zone “”E”” Diving Championships March 1-3, the Wildcats were without the extra support of the diving scores, an advantage Auburn had.
“”It would have gone down to the last relay without the diving,”” Rhodenbaugh said.
Finishing just short of a national championship Friday were Chandler in the 100y breaststroke event and Degolia in the 100y backstroke.
On Saturday, Nymeyer also finished second in the 100y freestyle event, along with senior Whitney Myers, who finished second in the 200y butterfly.
“”I think Whitney really ended her career on an incredible note,”” Rhodenbaugh said. “”She ended it individually with a school record in the 200 fly and just about won the thing. I think captaining her team to a second-place finish at NCAAs that’s so young.””
In the 400y freestyle relay, the team of Myers, Nymeyer, Kelly and sophomore Anna Turner posted another second-place finish for Arizona.
Rounding off the competition for the women Saturday night were freshman Caitlin Iversen, who came in sixth place in the 200y backstroke, and junior Jacquelyn Craft, finishing seventh in the 200y breaststroke.
The 800y freestyle relay team of Myers, Nymeyer, Turner and freshman Leone Vorster came in fourth place Friday night.
In the event she was a national champion in last year, Myers finished in fifth place in the 400y IM. Degolia had another top-eight finish in the 100y butterfly event, coming in sixth.
“”When we come in to (NCAAs), we’re trying to be better than we’ve been all year and win relays, and we did a good job of that,”” Rhodenbaugh said. “”Auburn just has a stronger team at the moment.””
