Unusual Suspects: Arizona Wildcats Flash Potential at Texas Invite
Unusual Suspects: Arizona Wildcats Flash Potential at Texas Invite
The Arizona Wildcats displayed some formidable firepower from both their men's and women's teams at the Texas Invitational earlier this month.
The Arizona Wildcats displayed some formidable firepower from both their men's and women's teams at the Texas Invitational earlier this month.
The Wildcats are coming off lukewarm performances at the NCAA championships the last two years: The men's team finished 16th overall in 2016 and 13th in 2015. And the women fared similarly, placing 12th in the 2016 and 15th in the 2015.
However, Arizona showed it is perhaps ready to make a move this postseason after its squads combined for 120 NCAA cuts over four days in Austin, Texas, including 67 coming from the men and 53 from the women.
Don't get me wrong, falling in between the 10th- to 15th-place rankings at NCAAs is respectable. But let's not forget who's running the program -- head coach Rick DeMont, known to most as "Rocket." DeMont is the primary reason why Arizona was a shining beacon for post-graduates while he was the assistant coach for the Wildcats.
For many years, DeMont enjoyed his assistant coaching role, in which he wasn't inundated with the time-consuming administrative red tape that you have to deal with as a head coach. DeMont wanted to turn kids into adults and show them how to tap into their turbo boosters at the same time.
In his fourth year as a head coach, it seems like DeMont has settled into his position and has Arizona ready to contend in the postseason. This year's seniors were freshmen when he took over, and now the Wildcats are showing us what they're fully capable of with last week's results.
At the Texas Invite, Taylor Garcia, Kennedy Lohman, Annie Ochitwa, and Katrina Konopka combined their unique superpowers in the 200-yard medley relay to touch the wall in 1:34.63 with some uncanny splits. This relay team leads the NCAA by 0.5 seconds thanks in no small part to Ochitwa's butterfly leg in 22.23 seconds.
While not as strong as the 200, the 400 medley relay was still good for fifth place in the NCAA. Garcia led off in 52.26, and Lohman split 59.58 for the breaststroke leg. Ochitwa's 51.44 along with Konopka's 46.98 showed an excellent back half.
The Wildcats' 200 free relay is currently third in the NCAA, with Konopka and Ochitwa splitting 21.81 (leadoff) and 21.50, respectively. Laura Kurki and Morgan Ginnis both split equal 22.18s for the last two legs.
But it's not all 50s with the Wildcats. The women's 800 free relay is currently ranked fifth, with a fresh batch of fast swimmers: Hannah Cox (1:44.92), Cameron McHugh (1:44.60), Emma McCarthy (1:45.74), and Sarah Shimomura (1:45.82). Let's not forget, Kirsten Jacobsen had a 1:45.59 flat start time in the 200 free, individually.
Currently, Arizona's 400 free relay sits at seventh in the NCAA, so that means that it has all relays in the top eight overall. If the Wildcats can hold those marks, along with a possible championship in the 200 medley relay and some stellar individual points from Konopka, Ochitwa, Cox, plus Tjasa Oder, who is 10th currently in the mile, this squad should have no problem cracking the top 10 at NCAAs for the first time since placing eighth 2014.
By averaging fourth place (30 points each) in all of their relays, Arizona would already be at 150 points. The way these women are swimming, they are able to go higher.
The Wildcats men's team has some new sprint weapons as well. Arizona's 200 medley relay is currently in second place, but Blair Bish's 23.42 split on the B, would've thrust the A relays time to No. 1 in the NCAA.
Similar to the women, the men's 400 medley relay was not as strong as the 200 medley relay, but there is definitely room for improvement between backstroker Chatham Dobbs (45.90), breaststroker Blair Bish (51.92), flier Chad Idensohn (46.55), and freestyler JP Beach (43.65). The back half of this relay was weaker than expected, but that also means that it has potential. Idensohn was 46.25 in his flat start and Beach had a 43.36 flat start in the 100 free. That should bring that relay time down around 1.5 seconds, which could have them in the top six.
The 200 free relay is currently fourth in the NCAA, featuring Dobbs (19.76), Idensohn (18.92), Renny Richmond (19.60), and Beach (18.85), but the Wildcats' 400 free relay sits at 13th.
Individual points could come in the 500 free by Chris Wieser, who sits at 10th right now with a 4:16.07, Justin Wright, is currently sixth in the 200 fly (1:42.73) and Nick Thorne is ninth in the 400 IM (3:42.59).
If the men can get their 400 medley relay and 800 free relay in the top eight at NCAAs, they could crack the top 10 as a team as well.
By Adam Mania
The Wildcats are coming off lukewarm performances at the NCAA championships the last two years: The men's team finished 16th overall in 2016 and 13th in 2015. And the women fared similarly, placing 12th in the 2016 and 15th in the 2015.
However, Arizona showed it is perhaps ready to make a move this postseason after its squads combined for 120 NCAA cuts over four days in Austin, Texas, including 67 coming from the men and 53 from the women.
Don't get me wrong, falling in between the 10th- to 15th-place rankings at NCAAs is respectable. But let's not forget who's running the program -- head coach Rick DeMont, known to most as "Rocket." DeMont is the primary reason why Arizona was a shining beacon for post-graduates while he was the assistant coach for the Wildcats.
For many years, DeMont enjoyed his assistant coaching role, in which he wasn't inundated with the time-consuming administrative red tape that you have to deal with as a head coach. DeMont wanted to turn kids into adults and show them how to tap into their turbo boosters at the same time.
In his fourth year as a head coach, it seems like DeMont has settled into his position and has Arizona ready to contend in the postseason. This year's seniors were freshmen when he took over, and now the Wildcats are showing us what they're fully capable of with last week's results.
WOMEN
At the Texas Invite, Taylor Garcia, Kennedy Lohman, Annie Ochitwa, and Katrina Konopka combined their unique superpowers in the 200-yard medley relay to touch the wall in 1:34.63 with some uncanny splits. This relay team leads the NCAA by 0.5 seconds thanks in no small part to Ochitwa's butterfly leg in 22.23 seconds.
While not as strong as the 200, the 400 medley relay was still good for fifth place in the NCAA. Garcia led off in 52.26, and Lohman split 59.58 for the breaststroke leg. Ochitwa's 51.44 along with Konopka's 46.98 showed an excellent back half.
The Wildcats' 200 free relay is currently third in the NCAA, with Konopka and Ochitwa splitting 21.81 (leadoff) and 21.50, respectively. Laura Kurki and Morgan Ginnis both split equal 22.18s for the last two legs.
But it's not all 50s with the Wildcats. The women's 800 free relay is currently ranked fifth, with a fresh batch of fast swimmers: Hannah Cox (1:44.92), Cameron McHugh (1:44.60), Emma McCarthy (1:45.74), and Sarah Shimomura (1:45.82). Let's not forget, Kirsten Jacobsen had a 1:45.59 flat start time in the 200 free, individually.
Currently, Arizona's 400 free relay sits at seventh in the NCAA, so that means that it has all relays in the top eight overall. If the Wildcats can hold those marks, along with a possible championship in the 200 medley relay and some stellar individual points from Konopka, Ochitwa, Cox, plus Tjasa Oder, who is 10th currently in the mile, this squad should have no problem cracking the top 10 at NCAAs for the first time since placing eighth 2014.
By averaging fourth place (30 points each) in all of their relays, Arizona would already be at 150 points. The way these women are swimming, they are able to go higher.
MEN
The Wildcats men's team has some new sprint weapons as well. Arizona's 200 medley relay is currently in second place, but Blair Bish's 23.42 split on the B, would've thrust the A relays time to No. 1 in the NCAA.
Similar to the women, the men's 400 medley relay was not as strong as the 200 medley relay, but there is definitely room for improvement between backstroker Chatham Dobbs (45.90), breaststroker Blair Bish (51.92), flier Chad Idensohn (46.55), and freestyler JP Beach (43.65). The back half of this relay was weaker than expected, but that also means that it has potential. Idensohn was 46.25 in his flat start and Beach had a 43.36 flat start in the 100 free. That should bring that relay time down around 1.5 seconds, which could have them in the top six.
The 200 free relay is currently fourth in the NCAA, featuring Dobbs (19.76), Idensohn (18.92), Renny Richmond (19.60), and Beach (18.85), but the Wildcats' 400 free relay sits at 13th.
Individual points could come in the 500 free by Chris Wieser, who sits at 10th right now with a 4:16.07, Justin Wright, is currently sixth in the 200 fly (1:42.73) and Nick Thorne is ninth in the 400 IM (3:42.59).
If the men can get their 400 medley relay and 800 free relay in the top eight at NCAAs, they could crack the top 10 as a team as well.
By Adam Mania