The psych sheets for the 2015 ACC Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships, and unlike those from the SEC (which we’ll post shortly), the ACC entries are closer to swimmers being entered in their requisite maximum of three individual events.
See women’s psych sheets here.
The meet will be held from February 18th-21st at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta.
Unfortunately, among the exceptions to that are some of the more versatile swimmers around whom there is the most questions. That includes Ellen Williamson, who’s entered in the 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 back, and 200 IM.
That 200 fly is a little bit of a darkhorse for her; while she’s capable of winning the other three races in which she’s entered, the 200 fly is an event that she’s really charged on lately, swimming for the first two times this season in January (and going 2:00.5 both times). It would be a gamble to throw her in there, and with Florida State’s Chelsea Britt, Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell, and Louisville’s Tanja Kyllianen also entered, it seems like the longest-shot for big points for the senior, it’s possible that she’s got a surprise up her sleeve.
Speaking of Worrell, she’s also initially entered in four events in the Cardinals’ first ACC Championship, and they will make a big splash thanks to Worrell: one of the three best swimmers in the conference this season.
With a spot for NCAA’s already locked up, Worrell will have some freedom to swim where she’s most needed for team scoring, and or a final check of preparations, among the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, and 200 fly.
One of the other two swimmers in contention for the conference’s best swimmer is Virginia’s Courtney Bartholomew, who is entered as the top seed, and automatically NCAA-qualified, in the 100 back, 200 back, and 200 IM. The 200 IM should be a very good battle as the defending champion, and conference record holder, Emma Reaney (part 3) is also entered in that event (as well as the 100 breast and 200 breast).
Based on initial impressions of the psych sheets, without having calculated out all of the math, Virginia would be picked to win based on scoring out seeds. On the other hand, it’s clear that the North Carolina women, who don’t show up at the top of many events, have the most room to move up from their seeds, so any scoring-versus-seed analysis will be more valuable after some data points in the first few days of competition.
A full preview of the meet will be available next week.
I would have to pick Leah Smith as the odds on favorite to be the top dog at the meet. She will run away with the 500 and the mile. It will come down to the 200 free and she will be the favorite in that event also.
I forgot her as well – she’s deeply in need of mention 🙂
Not to read too deeply into this, but if Worrell and Bartholomew are denoted as the conference’s two best swimmers, that means Reaney isn’t despite having a NCAA championship and an American record to her belt (although Bartholomew’s 100 back is arguably faster than her record).
iLikePsych – errr, you’re right. Three headed monster. Still getting used to ND being in the ACC.