Oct. 16, 2001
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TEMPE, Ariz. --The 2001-02 swimming and diving season officially begins for ASU with both the men's and women's teams in action vs. the University of Hawaii, in Honolulu, Friday, October 19.
The Polls --
The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) releases national rankings on a bi-weekly basis. The 2001-02 preseason poll (and/or the first set of rankings) has not yet been released. Last year, the preseason poll was posted October 26. For more information, access www.cscaa.org.
This Week --
The ASU men return five of their seven All-Americans from 2000-01, while the women return all four swimmers to earn All-America honors last year. The Hawaii meet will be the Sun Devils' first official meet of the 2001-02 season. Last Saturday (Oct. 13), ASU did away with some of its competitive rust with the ASU Intrasquad meet at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
Among those to watch Friday is a pair of accomplished international swimmers making their collegiate debuts, ?gnes Kov?cs and Florencia Szigeti. Kov?cs is the reigning Olympic and World Champion in the 200-meter breaststroke. She has limited experience in short-course yards, but at last weekend's ASU Intrasquad she easily cruised to victory in 2:12.18, a time that would rank second in ASU history had it not been recorded at an unofficial meet. Szigeti is hot off fine performances at the Argentine Short Course Championships (Sept. 28-Oct. 1), where she established a South American (s.c.) record in the 200-meter freestyle (1:59.43) and an Argentine (s.c.) record in the 100m free (56.19).
Hawaii will also be competing in its first official meet of the year. The Hawaii men failed to score at the 2001 NCAA Championships, marking the first time that had happened in three seasons. The women on the other hand placed 24th at NCAAs, marking the first time they had scored at the national meet since 1988, when they mustered 13 points to tie Texas A&M for 30th-place.
Last Time vs. Hawaii: November 8, 1991 --
The swimming and diving teams of ASU and Hawaii have not met in a dual meet since the 1991-92 season. In what was the second meet of the year for the ASU men and the first of the year for the women, both Sun Devil teams earned wins. Both scores were equally lopsided, with the men prevailing 138-66 and the women winning 130-64.
ASU, Last Time In The Pool --
As has become an annual event, ASU made its season debut with an exhibition intrasquad meet. While the team scores meant little (Gold Men 127, Maroon Men 109, Gold Women 71, Maroon Women 58), individual performances offered a sneak preview for what's to come. The reigning Olympic and World Champion (200m breast), freshman ?gnes Kov?cs of Hungary made her ASU debut by swimming 2:12.18 in the 200y breast, believed to be among the fastest times ever recorded in the event at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
Up Next For The Sun Devils --
Next weekend, ASU breaks from the regular season schedule for more intrasquad action at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. Friday, October 26, Sun Devil swimmers will compete in the ASU Pentathlon at 3:00 p.m. The following weekend it will be back to business as usual, as ASU heads to Tucson to face Arizona and Wisconsin, Friday, November 2.
Stand-out Sun Devil Swimmers & Divers:
Sarah Baham (All-American -- Senior) --
At the ASU Intrasquad Meet (10/13), Baham won the 200 fly in her only individual appearance of the day with a time of 2:03.59. She also competed in the Maroon team's 200 free relay and 200 medley relay.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 100 fly (10th), 200 fly (10th), 200 medley relay (12th), 400 medley relay (8th). 2000: All-America: 100 fly (8th), 200 fly (10th), 400 medley relay (10th). 1999: All-America: 800 free relay (16th).
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 100 fly 53.68 (1st), 200 fly 1:58.22 (1st), 200 IM 2:04.93, 400 IM 4:24.49 (10th), 50 free 23.65 (7th), 100 free 51.48.
Nick Brunelli (All-American -- Sophomore) --
Brunelli won both of his individual efforts at the ASU Intrasqaud. His first-place time in the 100 free was 45.35, a time he bettered in competition last year only at the Pac-10 and NCAA Championships, when he swam sub-45 seconds three times. In the 200 free, Brunelli won with a time of 1:39.71, just a hundredth slower than his competitive collegiate best.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 free relay (11th), 400 free relay (8th), 100 free qualifier.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 50 free 20.34 (10th), 100 free 44.48 (10th-t), 200 free 1:39.70, 100 back 49.27 (5th), 200 back 1:49.82, 200 IM 1:52.91.
Claire Hedenskog (All-American -- Junior) --
Hedenskog was a double-winner at the ASU Intrasquad, touching the wall first in the 50 free (23.99) and the 100 free (52.11). To compare to last season, Hedenskog didn't swim sub-24 seconds in the 50 free until the Texas Invitational (Dec. 2).
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 medley relay (12th), 400 medley relay (8th), 100 free qualifier.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 50 free 23.64 (6th), 100 free 50.61 (3rd), 200 free 1:50.27.
Ahmed Hussein (Sophomore) --
Hussein easily won the 200 back in 1:49.58 at the ASU Intrasquad. Joining the team after the winter break last season, Hussein never recorded a time above 1:49.89 in seven races.
NCAA History * None.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 100 back 49.54 (6th), 200 back 1:46.16 (3rd), 100 fly 52.44, 200 IM 2:01.22.
?gnes Kov?cs (Reigning Olympic and World 200m Breast Champion -- Freshman) --
Albeit an unofficial event, Kov?cs -- the reigning Olympic and World Champion in the 200-meter breast -- made her ASU debut in fine fashion at the ASU Intrasquad. Cruising to victory in the 200-yard breast, Kov?cs swam what is believed to be among the fastest times ever recorded at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center: 2:12.18. Although her time is not eligible for the ASU record books (unofficial meet), it would stand second all-time if eligible, just ahead of teammate Riley Mants' 2:12.47 set in 1999, but well behind Beata Kaszuba's 1995 record of 2:09.71.
NCAA History * None.
International History * 2000 Olympics: Gold medal 200m breast, fifth-place 100m breast. 1996 Olympics: Bronze medal 200m breast. 2001 World Championships: Gold medal 200m breast. 1998 World Championships: Gold medal 200m breast.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * None.
Anders Lyrbring (All-American -- Junior) --
Finishing second to Nick Brunelli in both, Lyrbring swam 46.62 in the 100 free and 1:40.27 in the 200 free at the ASU Intrasquad.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 free relay (11th) 400 free relay (8th), 800 free relay (4th), 100 free and 200 free qualifier. 2000: All-America: 200 free (16th), 200 free relay (9th), 800 free relay (2nd), 100 free and 400 free qualifier.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 50 free 20.53, 100 free 44.23 (10th-t), 200 free 1:35.89 (4th), 500 free 4:23.96.
Simon MacDonald (All-American -- Senior) --
Opened season with a 20.87 to win the 50 free at the ASU Intrasquad. Although his collegiate best is 19.94, MacDonald's 2000-01 best was an opening relay split of 20.50 at the NCAA Championships.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 free relay (11th), 400 free relay (8th). 2000: All-America: 200 free relay (9th), 200 medley relay (place), 50 free and 100 free qualifier. 1999: All-America: 200 free relay (8th), 400 free relay (11th), 800 free relay (13th), 200 medley relay (11th), 400 medley relay.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 50 free 19.94 (5th), 100 free 44.55, 100 fly 48.54.
Riley Mants (All-American -- Senior) --
Although overshadowed by Kov?cs, Mants clocked in at 2:19.57 in the 200 breast at the ASU Intrasquad. Last year she didn't swim sub-2:20.00 until Nov. 11 vs. USC, when she dropped to 2:16.71.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 breast (15th), 200 medley relay (12th), 400 medley relay (8th). 2000: All-America: 400 medley relay (10th). 1999: All-America: 100 breast (11th), 200 breast (4th).
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 100 breast 1:02.44 (2nd), 200 breast 2:12.47 (2nd), 200 IM 2:02.95 (5th).
Gavin Meadows (All-American -- Senior) --
After swimming a 9:25.69 in the 1000 free, Meadows got his second win of the ASU Intrasquad in the 500 free (4:36.72).
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 free (12th), 800 free relay (4th), 500 free qualifier.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 100 free 44.99, 200 free 1:36.31 (7th), 500 free 4:21.85 (7th).
Miranda Shald (All-American -- Sophomore) --
Swimming away from her strength (the 100 back) at the ASU Intrasquad, Shald timed in at 25.96 for the 50 free and 2:12.15 for the 200 back.
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 200 medley relay (12th), 400 medley relay (8th), 100 back qualifier.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 100 back ~55.22 (1st), 200 back 2:06.64, 100 fly 56.09 (9th), 50 free 25.37.
Florencia Szigeti (Freshman) --
Making her Sun Devil debut, Szigeti won the 200 free at the ASU Intrasquad in 1:50.07. No ASU swimmer swam faster than that last season, and few in ASU history have been faster, as 1:49.97 (Cheryl Gibson, 1981) ranks tenth all-time at ASU.
NCAA History * None.
International History * South American record holder in short-course 200-meter free 1:59.43 (1:47.00, converted), Argentine short-course record holder in 100m free 56.19 (50.34 converted).
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * None.
Brooke Townsend (Sophomore) --
Winning both events, Townsend recorded times of 4:59.47 in the 500 free and 10:07.89 in the 1000 free at the ASU Intrasquad. Both were just off her collegiate bests.
NCAA History * None.
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 200 free 1:50.14, 500 free 4:49.04 (8th), 1000 free 10:06.15, 1650 free 16:40.73 (10th).
Bo West (All-American -- Senior) --
West placed second in the 200 back (1:51.40) and third in the 200 free (1:41.18) at the ASU Intrasquad. Last season West didn't swim sub-1:52.00 in the 200 back until the Texas Invitational (Dec. 2).
NCAA History * 2001: All-America: 800 free relay (4th), 200 free qualifier. 2000: All-America: 800 free relay (2nd), 100 free, 200 free and 400 free qualifier. 1999: All-America: 200 free (11th), 200 free relay (8th), 400 free relay (11th).
Top Collegiate Times (ASU rank) * 50 free 20.70, 100 free 44.75, 200 free 1:36.52, 500 free 4:24.64, 100 back ~49.86 (8th), 200 back 1:50.05.
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