Akron Swimming and Diving Heads to Fourth Consecutive NCAA Championships

Wednesday, March 20

Austin, Texas

6 PM

University of Akron

NCAA Championships - Day 1

Akron Swimming and Diving Heads to Fourth Consecutive NCAA Championships

March 19 | Women's Swimming & Diving

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NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | NCAA SELECTIONS

MEET COVERAGE
Wednesday - Watch | Live Results
Thursday - Watch Prelims | Watch Finals | Live Results
Friday - Watch Prelims | Watch Finals | Live Results
Saturday - Watch Prelims | Watch Finals | Live Results

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron women's swimming and diving team heads to compete at the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships for the fourth consecutive year. The NCAA Championships will take place in Austin, Texas at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, hosted by University of Texas at Austin, March 20-23.

All preliminary sessions will begin at 10 a.m. (ET) while finals are scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET). Wednesday and Thursday finals will be broadcast on ESPN3, while Friday and Saturday can be viewed on ESPNU. A free live video stream will be available for all swimming prelims as well as diving prelims and consolations.

Senior Sadie Fazekas (Windsor, Ontario), sophomore Paulina Nogaj (Radom, Poland) and freshman Sarah Watson (Winnipeg, Manitoba) each earned individual invitations, while senior Ragen Engel (Springfield, Ohio), sophomore Paula Garcia (Madrid, Spain), freshman Sofia Henell (Linkoping, Sweden) and junior Ellie Nebraska (Delaware, Ohio) are all eligible to compete on relays.

Fazekas qualified to compete in the 100 backstroke and 50 freestyle after winning both events at the Mid-American Conference Championships. The senior recorded the 26^th best mark in the nation in the 100 backstroke (52.10) while her 50 freestyle time of 22.20 ranks 34^th. Fazekas is the current MAC and program record holder in the 100 backstroke, while also owning the program record in the 50 freestyle. She will also be eligible to compete in the 100 freestyle. This is Fazekas' first ever individual invitation, however she competed as a relay alternate in 2016 and 2017.

Watson received an invitation in the 100 butterfly after breaking her own MAC and program record to win the title in the event at the MAC Championships, recording the 19^th fastest time in the nation with 51.94. The freshman will also be eligible to compete in the 100 freestyle and 200 individual medley. Watson placed first in both events at the MAC Championships and was named MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year.

Also earning an invitation in the 100 butterfly is Nogaj, who finished second in the event at the MAC Championships with a time of 52.34 which rates 37^th nationally. Additionally, Nogaj will be eligible to compete in the 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley. This is Nogaj's second appearance at the NCAA Championships. Last year she placed 34^th in the 100 butterfly, 42^nd in the 200 butterfly (2:00.98) and 64^th in the 200 individual medley (2:01.89).

At the MAC Championships, Akron recorded NCAA qualifying times in the 200 medley relay (1:36.38), 200 freestyle relay (1:28.54) and 400 freestyle relay (3:14.42). The Zips also recorded a provisional time in the 400 medley relay (3:33.43) and will be eligible to compete at the NCAA Championships. Akron is the only program that doesn't belong to a Power Five conference that has at least one relay qualified. Additionally, Akron is only one of 22 schools to have four or more relays competing at the NCAA Championships.

This is Akron's fourth consecutive year earning invites to compete at the NCAA Championships. The Zips earned their first-ever invites in 2016. Luka Szynal was invited in the 100 and 200 backstroke, while Alice Hottensmith was the first diver in program history to qualify. Akron also qualified its 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay.

In 2017, the Zips received three individual invitations, while also having a diver and two relays qualify. Akron had two individuals compete at the 2018 NCAA Championships, Nogaj and Paloma Marrero. Marrero became the Zips' first ever All-American, finishing 11^th in the 200 breaststroke.

This is the first time Akron has earned qualifying times in three different relays while also having a record high of four competing. The highest an Akron relay has placed at the NCAA Championships is 18^th.