2025 ACC Women’s Fan Guide: UVA Women On Track To Extend Winning Streak to 6 Straight Titles

2025 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships

• Feb. 18-22, 2025
• Greensboro Aquatic Center – Greensboro, NC
• Event Schedule
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Streams

EVENT SCHEDULE

Tuesday

• 200 medley relay
• 800 free relay
• Women’s 3-meter
• Men’s 1-meter

Wednesday

• 200 free relay
• 500 free
• 200 IM
• 50 Free
• Women’s 1-meter

Thursday

• 400 IM
• 100 Fly
• 200 Free
• Men’s 3-meter

Friday

• 200 fly
• 100 back
• 100 breast
• Women’s Platform
• 400 medley relay

Saturday

• 1650 free
• 200 back
• 100 free
• 200 breast
• Men’s Platform
• 400 free relay

2024 FINAL STANDINGS

1. Virginia  – 1,637.5
2. Louisville – 1145
3. NC State – 1106
4. North Carolina – 786.5
5. Duke – 779.5
6. Virginia Tech – 632.5
7. Florida State – 531
8. Notre Dame – 493
9. Georgia Tech – 450
10. Pitt – 407
11. Miami – 391

Last year’s championships saw Virginia win its 5th straight conference title, with the Cavaliers etching their name into ACC Championship history as the team earned the highest point total ever across men’s and women’s swimming with an astonishing 1,637.5 points.

Virginia’s decisive victory at the 2024 ACC Championship continued the winning dynasty that head coach Todd DeSorbo has built up over the past seven seasons at the helm, and it looks to be a dynasty that will continue through this year’s championship.

After securing the title by nearly 500 points in 2024, the Cavaliers look to largely be in a league of their own once again this year, having consistently ranked #1 in college swimming throughout the season.

Shaping up to be a much bigger battle is the fight for 2nd and 3rd. NC State had claimed the runner-up spot every year since 2020 until last season, when Louisville narrowly edged past the Wolfpack to take 2nd; the two teams will undoubtedly be vying for one of the top spots once again.

Likely to cause an upset in the results this season is the addition of Stanford and Cal to the conference. Both schools previously competed in the Pac-12 Conference, but made the switch to the ACC this season; they are currently ranked #2 and #3 in the conference and have the potential to knock NC State and Louisville out of their usual top spots.

The ACC also added Southern Methodist University to its roster this year; the team previously competed in the American Athletic Conference and was the runner-up at the 2024 AAC Championships.

SWIMMERS TO WATCH

Boston College – The Eagles will be back in action at ACCs this year after missing the 2024 championship due to a season-long suspension for hazing. Leading the charge for Boston is senior Samantha Smith, a versatile threat in the backstroke and butterfly events. One of the Eagles’ top-scoring swimmers at the ACC Championships back in 2023, she has since improved her times further and is now the team’s fastest competitor in four events. She holds the top times in the 100 back (54.17), 200 back (1:57.51) and 200 fly (2:00.42), all three of which Smith won at the Terrier Invitational in November, as well as the 100 fly (54.80).

Other Eagles to keep an eye on are Lauren Lee, a first-year who quickly climbed the team rankings, and Megan Kramer. Lee leads the sprint freestyle group, holding the fastest times in the 50, 100 and 200, while senior Kramer heads up the distance crew with the top times in the 500 and 1650. Kramer is notably ranked 20th in the conference in the 1650 with her time of 16:43.10, which should put her in a strong spot to bring home some key points for Boston.

Cal Berkeley – Cal’s women could pose a significant threat at the 2025 ACC Championships, given that the Golden Bears won the Pacific 12 Championships last season. They lost four of their top-scoring swimmers at the end of last season but have maintained a strong force in the pool, with the team currently ranking 3rd overall in the ACC.

Returning fifth-year Isabelle Stadden should be a huge asset to Cal at the ACCs, having long been a powerhouse in the backstroke. With season-best times of 50.26 in the 100 back and 1:49.96 in the 200 back, Stadden ranks 5th and 4th, respectively, in the conference; she won the Pac-12 championship title in both events with slightly slower times last year.

Poised to make a splash for the Golden Bears is freshman Mary-Ambre Moluh, who launched herself into the top conference rankings in multiple events this season. She holds the 3rd-fastest time in the 100 back (49.68), 4th-fastest in the 50 free (21.57) and 5th-fastest in the 100 free (47.63), meaning she should score a number of valuable points if she is in top form. Abby Herscu adds depth for Cal in the breaststroke events, sitting at 10th in the ACC in the 200 breast with a 2:08.83 and 15th in the 100 breast with a 1:00.00. Her current standings are not far off her performances at Pac-12s, where she placed 6th in the 200 breast (2:09.53) and 11th in the 100 breast (1:00.80).

Lea Polonsky was 2nd in the 200 IM (1:53.58), 3rd in the 400 IM (4:05.11) and 5th in the 200 fly (1:54.25) at Pac-12s last season but may see different results at ACCs. Polonsky turned in a 1:53.65 at the Minnesota Invitational in December, which marks the 3rd-fastest time in the conference, and she is ranked 11th in the 200 fly (1:55.13) and 18th in the 400 IM (4:11.14).

Duke – The Blue Devils have been slowly increasing their points over the last few years by building up the number of athletes placing in the top eight. Last season saw Duke place seven in the A-final of their event and bring home five medals overall, with several of these high-scoring athletes returning this year.

Juniors Kaelyn Gridley and Martina Peroni are back in the mix after turning in two top-eight performances apiece. Gridley is in position to push for a top spot once again, ranked 2nd in the ACC in the 200 breast (2:05.10) and 3rd in the 100 breast (58.14). Meanwhile Peroni has fallen down the rankings a bit; after finishing 2nd in the 200 fly (1:54.00) and 8th in the 200 IM (1:58.57) last season, she now sits at #20 in the 200 fly and #45 in the 200 IM.

Pushing for a spot in the A-final of the 100 back will be Ali Pfaff, who placed 4th at the 2024 ACCs in 52.00. Despite improving her time even further to 51.36 at the Duke vs. Tennessee dual meet, Pfaff is now ranked 9th in the ACC heading into the championship, and it could take a sub-51 to make it into the A-final. Another critical player will be diver Margo O’Meara, who should be in top shape to bring home significant points for the Blue Devils. She notably placed 2nd in the 3-meter last year with 355.35 points and 3rd in the 1-meter with 302.20 points, and she is once again ranked 2nd and 3rd in the conference with even higher scores of 380.18 (3-meter) and 340.05 (1-meter).

Florida State – After landing her first A-final appearance last season, senior Maddy Huggins is back and looking to score more points. She posted a season best 59.04 at the FDU vs. Georgia meet, faster than her 2024 conference time (1:00.39), which ranks 9th in the ACC.

Senior Edith Jernstedt will be aiming to make her fourth appearance in the A-final of the 200 fly; she placed 5th at last year’s ACCs in 1:55.48 but is currently ranked 17th with a 1:55.94. Similarly, Jenny Halden finished 8th in the 100 fly (51.99) last season but now ranks 22nd in the conference (52.19).

Gloria Muzito could manage to jump into the finals of the 50 free; she placed 25th last season in 22.74 and currently ranks 32nd with a 22.36.

Georgia Tech – Despite saying goodbye to one of their top performers, Rei Kuramoto, at the end of last season, the Yellowjackets have a strong roster heading into the 2025 ACC Championships. Sophomore Sabyne Brisson returns after placing 6th in the 100 breast (59.84) and 9th in the 200 breast (2:09.36) as a freshman. Heading into the championship, she ranks 21st in the ACC in both the 100 (1:00.37) and 200 (2:11.47).

Looking to make a splash in her conference debut will be freshman Nina Stanisavljevic. Ranked 22nd in the ACC in the 100 free (48.61) and 29th in the 50 free (22.35), Stanisavljevic could see a second swim in some of her events if she is in top form. Another key player for the Yellowjackets is diver Anna Bradescu. She turned in a critical 3rd-place finish in the 10-meter diving event at last year’s championship, scoring 297.40 points, and currently has the 10th-highest score in the ACC in the 1-meter (284.55) and 12th-highest in the 3-meter (289.20).

Louisville – A number of the Cardinals’ top-scoring swimmers from last season will be in the pool again at the ACCs. Leading the way is Gabi Albiero, who scored 78 points at the 2024 championship. Albiero was the runner-up in the 100 fly (50.68) but is currently ranked 6th in the conference with a time of 51.62. She has dropped a few spots in the rankings in the 50 free and 100 free as well: she sits at 19th in the 50 (22.09) and 8th in the 100 (47.75) after finishing 6th and 4th last year, respectively.

Other returners include Julia Dennis and Paige Hetrick. Dennis turned in two A-final performances last year and could deliver the same this year: she is ranked 5th in the ACC in the 50 free (21.61) and 11th in the 100 free (47.87). Hetrick posted three A-final performances at last year’s championship, including a runner-up finish in the 200 free (1:44.02). However, she now ranks 21st in the 200 free (1:45.12), 22nd in the 100 back (52.40) and 12th in the 200 back (1:53.00).

Mia Cheatwood, who transferred from West Virginia, should score some points for the Cardinals in the breaststroke events: she is ranked 8th in the ACC in the 100 breast (58.77) and 6th in the 200 breast (2:07.74). Freshman freestyler Daria Golovaty is also poised to make a splash at her first conference meet, ranking in the top 8 in two events. Golovaty sits at 5th in the 500 free (4:38.79) and 8th in the 1650 free (16:14.53), as well as 12th in the 200 free (1:43.99).

Miami – Miami’s top-scoring swimmer from last year is back in the pool again, which will make a huge impact for the team. Giulia Oliveira Carvalho posted a 7th-place finish in the 100 fly (51.79) at the 2024 ACCs, as well as turning in B-final performances in the 50 free and 100 breast. Carvalho seems poised to perform just as well if not better this year, as she currently ranks 13th in the 50 free (21.98), 9th in the 100 free (47.78), 16th in the 100 breast (1:00.05) and 5th in the 100 fly (51.06).

Senior Savannah Barr will be looking to make an appearance in finals one last time, although it will be a tough jump. She placed 19th in the 200 free (1:46.20) at last year’s championship and is now ranked 38th in the ACC with a 1:46.39.

Meanwhile, freshmen Simone Moll, Marissa Inouye and Ashlyn Massey are all gearing up to make a strong showing at their first conference championships. Moll posted a series of best times at the SMU Invitational back in November, including the 100 breast (59.51) and 200 breast (2:12.99). She is now ranked 12th in the ACC in the 100 and 31st in the 200 (2:12.35). Distance freestyler Inouye ranks 21st in the 500 free (4:44.33) and 18th in the 1650 (16:37.89), while Massey, who is primarily a butterflier, sits at 17th in the 100 fly (51.92) and 9th in the 200 fly (1:54.83).

NC State – Last year’s ACCs saw the Wolfpack fall down to 3rd behind Louisville for the first time since 2018 due to the loss of several key contributors. However, the team welcomed a strong class of recruits this season, which should help put them back in the running for one of the top spots, even with the addition of Stanford and Cal.

Freshman Leah Shackley has made a splash in her debut season, ranking in the top eight in the conference in four individual events. She sits at 3rd in the 200 back (1:49.71), 4th in the 100 back (50.22), 4th in the 100 fly (50.90) and  in the 200 fly (1:54.30). Fellow freshman Erika Pelaez is also poised to rack up the points for the Wolfpack. She posted best times in both the 200 back (1:50.64) and 100 fly (51.81) at the Wolfpack Elite Invitational, which puts her 5th and 13th in the ACC, respectively. Pelaez also ranks 10th in the 100 free (47.81).

Not far behind Shackley in the backstroke events is junior Kennedy Noble, who ranks 6th in the ACC in the 200 back (1:51.22), 7th in the 100 back (50.75) and 10th in the 200 IM (1:56.22). Last year Noble turned in a 2nd-place finish in both events, as well as a 4th-place finish in the 200 IM (1:55.29), meaning she should be able to bring home critical points if she can get back down to her times from last season.

Adding some extra depth in the breaststroke and IM disciplines is freshman Lisa Nystrand. Ranked 8th in the ACC in the 200 breast (2:08.42) and 7th in the 400 IM (4:07.94), she could very well land in two A-finals. Nystrand could also push for the B-final in the 100 breast and 200 IM, as she is ranked 19th in both (1:00.13 and 1:57.17, respectively).

North Carolina – The Tarheels will see a handful of their top performers from the 2024 ACCs back in the water next week, led by senior Skyler Smith. Smith finaled in three events last year, including a 3rd-place finish in the 100 breast (58.81). She now sits at 5th in the ACC in the 100 breast (58.26) and 11th in the 200 breast (2:08.85); her third finals swim last year was the 50 free, in which she is now ranked 44th (22.55).

Emma Karam placed 8th in the 200 back (1:55.24) and 16th in the 100 back (53.34) last season. Despite seeing some major time drops this season, she now ranks 10th in the 200 back (1:52.34) and 18th in the 100 back (52.26). Greer Pattison also brings added depth in the backstroke; after placing 5th in the 100 last year (52.45), she ranks 8th in the ACC with a 50.96.

Sophomore Mary Macaulay just posted two best times at the UNC Invitational a few weeks ago: the 500 free (4:55.59) and 100 fly (52.90). Her performance in the 100 fly bumped her up to 34th in the ACC, while she also ranks 10th in the 200 fly (1:55.12) and 14th in the 400 IM (4:10.98), giving her a decent shot at scoring points in several events. Madeline Smith saw a tremendous performance at the Gamecock Invitational in November, posting four lifetime best times. She ranks 23rd in the 200 IM (1:57.52) but is only 45th in the conference in the 200 free (1:46.75).

Notre Dame – One of Notre Dame’s top scorers at last year’s championship, sophomore Madelyn Christman should be a strong contributor again this year. She currently ranks only 25th in the 200 back (1:54.85) but was a key player on many of the relays. Freshman Carli Cronk is gearing up to make a splash at her debut championships: she is ranked 13th in the ACC in the 200 fly (1:55.28).

Other names to keep an eye on include grad student Imogen Meers, who joined the Fighting Irish from Rice University, and Renee Gillilan, who competed in three events at last year’s championships. Despite not ranking super high in the conference in their respective events, Meers and Gillilan have been consistent scorers for the team throughout the season and will be pushing for a breakthrough at the ACCs.

Pitt – Fifth-year Sophie Yendell is back in action once again and will be pushing for a spot in the A-final. Yendell finished 4th in the 100 fly (50.87) and 8th in the 50 free (21.83) in 2024 but could face an upset by the array of new faces in the mix this year. Yendell’s top time this season in the 50 free (21.88) is just off of her conference performance and ranks her 10th in the conference, while her season best time of 51.74 in the 100 fly puts her at 11th in the conference.

Other top contenders for Pitt include Claire Jansen and Sydney Gring, both of whom were two of the Panthers’ highest-scoring competitors last season. Jansen placed 15th in the 200 back (1:55.70) and 17th in the 100 back (52.60), which marked a slight jump up from the 2023 championships despite being just off her best times. Back in November, Jansen posted a season-best 52.21 in the 100 back, which ranks 15th in the ACC, and a lifetime best 1:54.41 in the 200 back, which ranks 22nd in the ACC. After placing as high as 13th in the 200 IM (1:58.69) last year, Gring is now ranked 29th in the event with a 1:58.51, in addition to being ranked 22nd in the 200 fly (1:57.01) and 24th in the 100 fly (52.40).

Southern Methodist – The Mustangs have a number of new names with the potential to shake things up on their lineup this year. Freshman Teia Salvino has turned in strong performances throughout the season, including just recently posting personal best times in the 200 free (1:47.02) and 100 fly (53.16) at a tri-meet in late January. Salvino would need to see a big time drop at ACCs to qualify for finals, as she only ranks 42nd in the 100 fly.

Maddy Parker and Mira Szimcsak, both sophomore transfers from Washington State, bring added depth in the freestyle events. Parker takes on the sprint distances, ranking 24th in the 50 (22.26) and 13th in the 100 (48.09), while Szimcsak tackles the distance events, ranking 18th in the 500 (4:43.75) and 14th in the 1650 (16:37.03).

Stanford – The Cardinal boasts a stacked roster, headlined by Torri Huske, who sits at the top of multiple conference rankings after redshirting last season. Huske has the #1 time in the ACC in the 200 free (1:41.90) and holds the #2 spot in the 50 free (21.30), 100 free (46.62) and 100 fly (49.24), just behind Gretchen Walsh.

However, Stanford plans to send their NCAA qualifiers home after Friday prelims, so we won’t get to see a number of their athletes in some of their best events. That includes not seeing Huske in the 100 free, along with several others.

Aurora Roghair tops the ACC ranking in the 500 free with a 4:31.63 after throwing down a lifetime best performance at the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in November. Roghair could see another A-final finish in the 200 free, in which she ranks 7th with a time of 1:43.13.

A big player for the Cardinal at last year’s Pac-12s was Caroline Bricker, who swept the IM events and was the runner-up in the 200 breast. Moving over to the ACC, Bricker is ranked 5th in the conference in the 200 IM (1:54.17) and 2nd in the 400 IM (3:59.88). Lucy Bell also made A-final appearances in the 200 and 400 IM, as well as the 200 fly. Bell ranks 6th in the 200 IM (1:55.13) and 4th in the 400 IM (4:03.86), giving Stanford some solid depth across the board.

Stanford will miss out on a number of key swims on Saturday, including the 400 medley and 400 free relays. The team’s top seeds in the 200 back are Natalie Mannion, who sits at 13th with a 1:53.38 and Levenia Sim, who is seeded 15th with a 1:53.50.

University of Virginia – In typical fashion, Gretchen Walsh will undoubtedly be one of the biggest names to watch throughout the meet. She crushed the competition at the 2024 ACCs, winning seven events and setting four American records (50 free, 100 free, 100 fly and 200 free relay), and her dominance shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Walsh has had a historic season thus far, resting comfortably at the top of NCAA all-time top 20 rankings in several events, and is one of the most versatile swimmers around: she just added breaststroke to her repertoire, blasting a 56.86 in the 100 breast at the Cavalier Invitational.

Sister Alex Walsh will be just as much of a threat at the championships in a few weeks. Also posting seven victories at ACCs last season, she has continued to perform well this season and holds the fastest times in the NCAA in both the 100 breast (56.85) and 200 IM (1:51.80). Her time in the 100 breast is a lifetime best set just this weekend, showing her to be in top form heading into the championship.

The Cavaliers have no shortage of elite swimmers on their roster, with fellow national powerhouses Claire Curzan and Katie Grimes also in the mix. Curzan has turned in some huge performances this season, setting an American, NCAA, US Open and UVA record in the 200 back (1:46.87) at the Tennessee Invite back in November. She has also posted top conference-ranking times in the 100 back (49.37 – 2nd), 50 free (21.32 – 3rd), 100 free (46.98 – 4th) and 200 free (1:42.96 – 5th), making her a top contender for a podium spot in several events. Grimes joined the team in January and immediately made a splash in her first collegiate meet, posting a 1:53.23 in the 200 fly and breaking a pool record, as well as winning the 200 back (1:51.56) and 200 IM (1:55.62). All three of those swims put her in the top 8 in the conference, and she notably is ranked 2nd in the conference in the 500 free (4:33.05).

Coming off of a tremendous debut season last year, sophomore Cavan Gormsen is another name to keep an eye on. She won both the 500 and the 1650 at the 2024 ACC Championships and currently ranks 4th and 5th in the conference with times of 4:37.67 and 16:02.97. Freshmen Leah Hayes and Anna Moesch will be looking to make a splash in their conference debuts. Hayes won the 400 IM at the Tennessee Invite in 4:01.34, the 3rd-fastest time in UVA program history and still the 3rd-fastest time in the conference this season. She also ranks 4th in the 200 IM (1:53.84). Moesch is in a strong position in the sprint freestyle events; her time of 46.76 at the Tennessee Invite puts her 3rd in the conference and 4th on UVA’s all time list. Moesch also holds the 6th-fastest time in the conference in the 200 free (1:43.12), just behind Curzan, and is tied for 7th in the 50 free (21.84), so we can expect to see her fighting for a spot in the A-final.

Virginia Tech – After losing their two highest scoring competitors at the end of last season, Chase Travis and Caroline Bentz, the Hokies may be left with some gaps to fill at this year’s ACCs. Helping to bridge that gap is Carmen Weiler Sastre; she scored 45 points at the last championship and is a top contender for the A-final in multiple events. Weiler Sastre ranks 10th in the ACC in the 100 back (51.60) and 9th in the 200 back (1:51.69). Last season, she placed 17th in the 200 free but is now ranked only 32nd (1:46.07).

Fifth-year Emma Atkinson should bring home some points; although notably not as high as her placements last season, she is ranked 26th in the 200 free (1:45.57) and 28th in the 100 back (52.95). Emily Claesson is also back after finaling in two events in 2024. Claesson sits at 17th in the conference in the 100 free (48.26), faster than her 12th-place finish last year, but now sits at 50th in the 200 free (1:46.96) despite placing 23rd in 1:47.85 last year.

Junior diver Grace Austin is poised to secure some crucial extra points in the diving events. She placed 3rd on the 3-meter last season with a score of 331.70 points, and is now ranked 5th in the ACC in the 3-meter (306.40) and 19th in the 1-meter (261.30).

SHOWDOWN RACES

50 Free – Gretchen Walsh has a clear lead over the field in the 50 free as the only swimmer entered with a time under 21 seconds, but Torri Huske and Claire Curzan are gearing up for a tough battle behind her. The former Stanford teammates are seeded just .02 apart, with Huske just narrowly in the #2 spot with a 21.30. Both women’s seed times mark recent lifetime best performances, meaning it could be hard for them to better their times even further at ACCs. ; Curzan’s posted her best time of 21.32 just a few weeks ago at the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown, while Huske’s lifetime best performance came a week later at the Stanford vs. California dual meet.

500 Free – It is shaping up to be the old guard versus the new in the 500 free, as Stanford senior Aurora Roghair and UVA freshman Katie Grimes get ready to battle it out. Roghair was the runner-up at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships in 4:36.32, a time that would have won the event at ACCs. She heads into this year’s championship as the top seed with a 4:31.63, but Grimes is close behind with her season best time of 4:32.19, posted back in December. It should be noted that Grimes’ best time in the event is 4:28.27 from December 2023, which would definitively surpass Roghair’s lifetime best (4:31.63). Another name to look out for in this event is Cavan Gormsen, who is the #4 seed in 4:37.67; she was the ACC champion in the 500 last season with a 4:38.43.

100 Back – Gretchen Walsh headlines the 100 back as the top seed with a 49.31, although she might not swim it; she’s currently entered in five events but can only swim three. If Walsh does contest the 100 back, this could be one of her tougher races. Just behind her is teammate Claire Curzan, who is entered with a 49.37, followed by Cal freshman Mary-Ambre Moluh, who entered with a 49.68. These three are the only ones in the field seeded with sub-50 second times, and Walsh boasts a lifetime best that is even faster (48.10). Both Curzan and Moluh’s entry times are their lifetime best performances and were set just this year, so they may be harder-pressed to throw down times to match Walsh’s.

SWIMSWAM PICKS

1. Virginia
2. NC State
3. Louisville
4. Cal
5. Stanford
6. North Carolina
7. Duke
8. Miami
9. Florida State
10. Virginia Tech
11. Pitt
12. Georgia Tech
13. Notre Dame
14. Southern Methodist
15. Boston College

Looking at the time UVA has built up over the last few years, it would be a shock for them not to claim yet another ACC title. But with several new teams in the mix this year, the rest of the results could be much more unpredictable.

Fighting for the #2 spot will likely once again be NC State and Louisville. The Cardinals may have prevailed over NC State last year, but the Wolfpack looks to be back in top form and aiming to gain the upper hand again. NC State welcomed an incredibly strong class of recruits this year, such as Shackley and Palaez, many of whom have been performing well throughout the season and hold some of the top times in the conference in their respective events. With the newcomers helping to revitalize the team, the Wolfpack looks in good shape to take 2nd while Louisville could be in a strong position to finish 3rd. The Cardinals kept many of their top-scoring swimmers from last year, so their results should not be impacted too badly despite all of the new talent in the water.

Cal could feasibly finish anywhere in the top 5, but we’ve given them 4th place for now. They may have won the Pac-12 Championships last year, but many of their top swimmers rank slightly lower in the ACC than they did before switching conferences. They also lost a handful of key contributors, which will undoubtedly impact their overall performance even with the addition of talented freshmen like Moluh. Stanford would’ve been favored for a runner-up finish behind Virginia, but now will likely be overtaken by at least Louisville, NC State and Cal. Without their top-scoring swimmers the last two nights, the team will be much harder pressed to secure one of the top spots, especially given how strong the other teams in the conference are. A big part of their final standing will depend on how much of a dent the team can make in the first few days.