Women’s swim and dive season ends at national meet
USC placed eighth in the NCAA championships to cap off its historic spring.
By ANDREW NGUYEN
The No. 5 Trojans (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12) ended their season this weekend by finishing eighth at the NCAA championships in Athens, Georgia.
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Throughout the week, there was not a question as to which team would come out on top. The University of Virginia (6-0, 3-0 ACC) — the Atlantic Coast Conference Champion — continued to build on its dynasty as it won its fourth consecutive NCAA title. The Cavaliers took 11 of 16 individual national titles and left an 86.5-point gap between them and second-place University of Texas Austin (6-2).
But through it all, USC found a way to keep fighting against swim powerhouses.
The Trojans’ relay teams added points to their line all week. In the 200-yard medley relay, the team placed seventh, consisting of seniors Caroline Famous, Kaitlyn Dobler and Anicka Delgado and freshman Minna Abraham.
The quartet touched sixth overall in the 200-yard freestyle relay, marking a school-record swim in the event. Famous, Abraham, Delgado and graduate Vasilissa Buinaia touched the wall at 1:26.47 — USC’s best finish in the event since 2016.
Head Coach Lea Maurer’s squad continued its upward trajectory through each event.
Dramatically, Dobler had to fight her way into the “A” finals in the 200-yard breaststroke. She tied in eighth place with Washington State sophomore Emily Lundgren, resulting in a swim-off. The top eight in the preliminary round would qualify for the “A” finals, while the other eight would qualify for the consultation bracket. Dobler upended her season-best time in the event with 2:05.96, beating Lundgren to advance to the “A” final, placing sixth overall. She also placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke, closing out a huge season for the breaststroke specialist.
Freestyle specialist Abraham was impressive not only on the national stage but also throughout the season. She placed third in a highly competitive veteran group in the 200-yard free, and recording her first top-three finish at nationals certainly won’t be her last in the years to come.
On the diving front, graduate Nike Agunbiade placed third in the 1-meter dive, her best finish on the national stage.
There’s much to celebrate as the season winds down for the Trojans. Under Maurer’s leadership, this team has a new life. Swim and dive achieved its first-ever undefeated season, contended for the national title, secured a second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championship and asserted its dominance over Pac-12 rivals ahead of conference realignment. This speaks volumes about the culture Maurer has fostered at USC in just two seasons at the helm.
The team’s upward trajectory is not only palpable at USC but resonates nationwide. While the season may have ended, keep an eye on many of these athletes as they compete in the Olympic Trials this summer.
