Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Women swimmers seek last goal

Fresh off a Pacific 10 Conference Championship, the No. 2 Arizona women's swimming and diving team travels to Indianapolis next week seeking its first-ever national title.

"To win the NCAA's we are going to have to do what we have been doing, and more," freshman Beth Botsford said. "This is what it comes down to and we have to put it all together at once and just swim."

For the Wildcats, who finished second in the country in 1988, 15 swimmers qualified for the tournament beginning next Thursday. That number is second only to top-ranked Georgia.

Earlier this season in Tucson, the Wildcats lost to the Bulldogs 165-135 at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.

In the meet, Botsford won the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events, while sophomore Erin Vogt took the 200 butterfly.

"We were fortunate that day," Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said last night. "I think we caught them in a little bit of a down cycle."

UA freshman Amanda Beard and UGA senior Kristy Kowal were the focus of the meet's featured matchup, as Kowal defeated Beard in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

At the NCAA Championships, Kowal is ranked first in the 200 while Beard is seeded first in the 100.

"These are two of the very best the United States has to offer, not just collegiately but also internationally," Bauerle said.

Although the pressures of being a national contender could take its toll on the Wildcats, some swimmers already have the necessary experience of performing when it counts.

Botsford and Beard both won gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and have faced the pressure of representing their country. Their experience should be beneficial to the rest of the team.

Botsford said she believes her Olympic experience has helped her stay focused in tough meets like the upcoming NCAA Championships.

No Arizona swimmers won an individual title at last year's national meet, but the team still finished fourth.

"Everyone on our team pulls for each other," Vogt said. "Everyone is aware of what is going on and we are all supportive of each other. Everyone on our team has the physical ability to win, but we need to come together mentally in order to be a success."

UA head coach Frank Busch said the Wildcats are poised to make a run at the title, but the field is very balanced.

"We have a very strong team," Busch said. "Other teams are just as good and that is why each place is very important in the final outcome. It is going to take a group effort for us to be successful."

Bauerle agreed.

"They have a great team and we love competing against them," said Bauerle, adding that Stanford and California will also challenge for the team title. "I don't view anybody as a heavy favorite."

UA senior Denali Knapp said one of Arizona's main advantages heading into the meet is its concept of team unity.

"We support one another greatly," Knapp said. "When a swimmer is racing it is like we are all racing. We are really team-oriented. We just need to bear down and give it our all."

Wildcat sports editor Brett Erickson contributed to this s