ASU’s Looney Sets 200 Fly School Record; Best Times Abound in Win vs. Arizona

ARIZONA vs. ARIZONA STATE

  • February 8, 2020
  • Hosted by Arizona State
  • Short Course Yards
  • Full Results

TEAM SCORES

  • MEN: ASU 202, Arizona 92
  • WOMEN: ASU 181, Arizona 103

Arizona State suited up for some fast swims in a final tune-up ahead of the upcoming Pac-12 Championships. The Sun Devils were dominant in their Saturday showing against state rival Arizona, sweeping the events.

The Sun Devil women saw a School Record fall in the 200 fly, as Lindsay Looney dropped nearly a full second. Her lifetime best 1:55.39 broke an 11-year-old former record held by Ashton Aubry. She swept the butterflies, coming within a few tenths of her best in the 100 fly at 53.65. Looney also set a lifetime best in the 100 free, breaking 50 for the first time as she led off the 400 free relay in 49.94.

Emma Nordin was the top performer of the meet, winning a triple for the 2nd weekend in a row. She started things off with back-to-back wins. In the 1000 free, she was body lengths ahead in 9:37.14, dropping 3 seconds to break 9:40 for the first time. She returned about 10 minutes later to win the 200 free in 1:44.95. That was the 2nd fastest 200 free of her career, a little over half a second from her best.

Teammate Erica Laning followed in 1:45.32, just over a tenth shy of a lifetime best. Laning was also just 2 tenths shy of her best in the 100 free (50.00). Nordin finished off her individual slate with a 4:41.73 win in the 500 free. Chloe Isleta also nearly put up a lifetime best with a 53.63 in the 100 back. She swept the backstrokes with a 1:57.36 in the 200 back. Camryn Curry was a few tenths off her bests in her sprint freestyle sweep (22.75/49.64).

Pac-12 Champions Silja Kansakoski and Zach Poti were also among the slew of multi-event winners for ASU. Kansakoski swept her signature breaststrokes, winning the 100 breast in 1:00.06 and the 200 breast in 2:10.91. That 200 breast time was within tenths of her season best. Nora Deleske was hundredths shy of her best as she took 2nd in the 100 breast (1:01.38). She then went on to swim a lifetime best 2:11.57 in the 200 breast.

Poti raced to a 45.75 in the 100 back for a new season best time. His 1:40.91 to win the 200 back was also a season best. On the C relay leadoff leg of the 400 free relay, Poti set a new lifetime best in the 100 free. He swam to a 43.30, marking his first time breaking 44 seconds in the event from a flat start. It was nearly a second faster than his 44.06 from midseason. Teammate Carter Swift led off the A relay in 42.90, half a second off his best. Swift swept the individual sprints (19.87/43.30), touching just a tenth from his lifetime best in the 50 free. ASU’s Jack Dolan (42.67) and Evan Carlson (42.58) also impressed with their A relay splits.

Arizona’s Brooks Fail is arguably the favorite to win the distance races at Pac-12s. He was 2nd in the 1000 free on Saturday with a 9:04.35. Winning that race was ASU’s Ben Olszewski, who blew away his best time. He dropped 11 seconds to win by body lengths, touching in 8:57.80. Olszewski finished 2nd in the 500 free (4:21.34). Teammate Liam Bresette won that race, nearly clipping his best time. His 4:20.51 was a hundredth shy of his lifetime best and his fastest since 2018.

Bresette was also just over a tenth shy of his lifetime best 200 IM, winning in 1:47.50. He did set a new best time in the 200 free, touching in 1:35.10 behind teammate Cody Bybee (1:34.21). Bybee was just a few tenths from his best time there. He also won the 100 fly in 46.71.

Jack Edgemond set a new lifetime best as he won the 200 fly. Edgemond’s 1:44.39 took almost 2 tenths off his former fastest. Behind him, teammate Alexander Colson dropped half a second to take a close 2nd in 1:44.46. Both Colson (1:49.14) and Edgemond (1:51.13) swam new best times in the 200 IM. Edgemond swam a lifetime best in all 3 of his events, putting up a 49.17 in the 100 fly.

PRESS RELEASE – ASU

TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 13/NR Sun Devil men’s and women’s swimming and diving dominated the No. 10/NR Arizona Wildcats in their final dual meet of the season, taking a 202-92 victory on the men’s side and 181-103 victory on the women’s side. ASU won every single event on the afternoon en route to the dominating victory.

“The times were good, and I like some of the things we’re doing better technically now with turns, starts and relay takeoffs are all starting to sharpen up a little bit,” coach Bob Bowman said. “I felt really good about that.”

Today also represented senior day for 13 seniors, all that have left their own marks on the program. The 13 member senior class of Youssef SelimKevin BenavidezNick CarlsonJackson EtterMatthew KintJack KucharczykBen OlszewskiZach PotiAaron BeauchampChloe IsletaSilja KansakoskiCierra Runge and Kendall Dawson were all honored in a ceremony before the meet.

“They’ve been with us through a whole process and have seen a transformation in the culture here and they’ve been a part of it,” Bowman said. “We have a big debt to those guys.”

The win didn’t add to either schools’ Territorial Cup Series point total, as it is on the line at the end of this month with either school earning the point through placing higher than the other at their respective Pac-12 Championship. It did gain the Sun Devils bragging rights as the 110-point margin of victory on the men’s side and 78-point victory on the women’s side is the largest margin of victory over Arizona since at least 1998. The win for the women is also just the second time in 27 years the Sun Devils have topped the Wildcats, speaking to the trajectory that Coach Bowman has the team on.

“We’re really happy with how people swam today, and it sets us up for the postseason,” Bowman said. “Arizona is a very well-coached team who raced well today, but our team came in and were ready.”

Both the men and the women went 1-2 in the first event of the afternoon of the 200 medley relay, followed by Ben Olszewski’s time of 8:57.80 in the 1000 free. The time was less than two-tenths of a second from beating the ASU record of 8:57.64 set in 1984, however, it was good for the current 10th-fastest time in Division I swimming.

“He has steadily progressed, and now he’s back on the top of his game which is great now that we get into our last couple of meets with him,” Bowman said. “I think he can really help us at Pac-12’s and NCAAs.”

Big wins on the afternoon include the men and women in the 200 free, who both went 1-2-3-4 against the Wildcats. Emma Nordin continued her dominance this season to take first for the women while Cody Bybee touched the wall first on the men’s side. The distance women also took the top four times in the 1000 free, with Nordin, Cierra RungeKendall Dawson and Caitlyn Wilson contributing to the sweep.

Looney stepped up to the block in the women’s 200 butterfly having already put herself in the record book with the third-fastest time in school in November. The freshman touched the wall at 1:55.39, nearly an entire second faster than the 11-year school record set by Ashton Aubry.

“It was a good swim, but Lindsay can definitely get a lot faster than that,” Bowman said.

Several Sun Devils also contributed multiple wins including Emma Nordin (1000, 200 and 500 free), Cody Bybee (200 free, 100 fly) Chloe Isleta (100, 200 back), Zach Poti (100, 200 back), Silja Kansakoski (100, 200 breast), Lindsay Looney (200, 100 fly), Camryn Curry (50, 100 free), Carter Swift (50, 100 free), Liam Bresette (500 free, 200 IM) and Youssef Selim (one meter and three meter).

Nordin’s three wins against Arizona is the second-straight meet in which she won all three individual events she entered in, as she accomplished the same feat against No. 10 Texas last time out. Selim won both springboard events for the third time this season, taking first in both the one meter and three meter springboard events.

The Sun Devils capped off their immaculate performance against the Wildcats with a five second win over second place in the men’s 400 free relay.

With the conclusion of the regular dual meet season, the Sun Devils set their sights toward the postseason. Next up on their agenda is the Pac-12 Swimming and Diving Championships set to begin later this month. Fans can keep up with the action all season-long by following @ASUSwimDive on Twitter.

PRESS RELEASE – ARIZONA

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams fell to Arizona State Saturday afternoon in their final dual meet of the season. The men fell by a score of 202-92, while the women were defeated 181-103.

Last Dual Meet
With championship season right around the corner, the men finish with a record of 5-4 and women ending at 3-8. The women were ranked as high as No. 22 while the men got to No. 8 in the CSCAA rankings.

Up Next
The Wildcats will see the Sun Devils once more at the Pac-12 championships in a few weeks in Federal Way, Washington. The women will be there from February 26-29 and the men March 4-7. Following Pac-12 Championships will be the NCAA Championships in late March.

Wildcat Top-3 Finishes
Women
200 medley relay
3. Aria BernalJade NeserHannah FarrowKayla Filipek

100 back
2. Aria Bernal

100 breast
3. Ellie Jew

50 free
3. Alayna Connor

200 back
2. Axana Merckx

200 breast
3. Kati Hage

100 fly
2. Vicky Navarro
3. Hannah Farrow

200 IM
2. Axana Merckx
3. Hannah Cox

Men
200 Medley Relay
3. Thomas AndersonRyan FooteBrendan MeyerTai Combs

1000 free
2. Brooks Fail

100 back
3. Thomas Anderson

100 breast
3. Ryan Foote

200 fly
3. Brooks Fail

3-meter dive
2. Bjorn Markentin
3. Casey Ponton

200 breast
3. Ryan Foote

100 fly
2. Noah Reid
3. Brendan Meyer

1-meter dive
2. Bjorn Markentin
3. Casey Ponton

400 free relay
3. Marin ErcegovicNoah ReidJorge IgaBrooks Fail

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Taa
4 years ago

I had to think about this one a couple days. I think it cheapens the victory and shows a lack of self confidence. I also bring a tech suit to ALL my masters meets just in case I feel the magic in warmups.

Matt Lujan
4 years ago

As a swimmer for Arizona, I loved our rivalry meets because they were high energy and exciting. Obviously it is a competitive sport so there can be a level of deception. But shouldn’t we strive for sportsmanship? At the end of the day it is just swimming and we should represent ourselves, our teams, and our sport with more class.

This year was my first as a swammer and I went to every Arizona meet I was able to. Is Arizona the best dual meet team in the country? No. But can they at least be competitive with some of the elite teams in the country? Absolutely. I think it’s clear the results from this weekend tell a one-sided story.… Read more »

Swimmer
Reply to  Matt Lujan
4 years ago

Very well said. Integrity and sportsmanship should always be upheld.

Sean Justice
4 years ago

I love the comments about suiting up. Some called it an unfair advantage. It would only be unfair if the other team was not allowed to. Some coaches may have an agreement about notifying each other if they are going to suit up, but it is not a rule. Plus it is a rival dual meet, why tip your cards to the other team. There are coaches that put their best swimmers in the outside lanes so they can just win the event and not give the other team’s swimmer someone to compete against. It happens.
Since both teams have suited in the past, it might be a good idea to bring an extra suit just in case, if… Read more »

Ben O.
Reply to  Sean Justice
4 years ago

You the man Gatorboy

WILDCAT
4 years ago

Quite funny that ASU is bragging about it being the biggest win since 1998 with no mention of the advantage that they had during the meet

Not the Arizona we used to know
4 years ago

How do you not win a race being Arizona?

ZonaSwim
Reply to  Not the Arizona we used to know
4 years ago

Arizona State suited up and Arizona did not. Hard to compete when there is an unfair advantage

SWIMDADDY
Reply to  ZonaSwim
4 years ago

Suits can make you go from 2nd to winning an event in a close race, not from getting absolutely destroyed to all of a sudden winning a meet

HMMMM
Reply to  SWIMDADDY
4 years ago

If you know how swim meets are scored, and know simple math, by having an advantage in every single race (yes…, suits do give you an advantage…. otherwise why even wear them and not normal suits) the points will obviously add up to win the meet. Regardless of people’s opinions are about being “prepared” (or how about ASU having the decency to communicate with the UA on wearing suits), it’s absolutelt absurd that ASU is broadcasting the fact that this is “the biggest marginal win since 1998…… obviously. That is going to happen when one team is wearing suits and another isn’t.

(G)ouden Beer
Reply to  HMMMM
4 years ago

To be fair, that’s probably going to be the highlight of their season…

not so crazy
Reply to  HMMMM
4 years ago

Best case suits only make 0.5 seconds difference per 50. If they actually made that much of a difference, they’d be banned like the leg suits.

LOOK
Reply to  not so crazy
4 years ago

Had to pull up some stats for you in order for you to understand the extent of this advantage…… Take this for example: In the 1000, Brooks Fail, arguably Arizona’s best swimmer, went a 9:04.35 (in a speedo), while Ben Olszewski (suited up) went a 8:57.80. The week before, while wearing a speedo, Olszewski went a 9:22.31. We can also compare that to Fail’s week before’s swim in a speedo of 9:09.66. Though, it could also have to do with ASU being clipped and rested. Regardless, can’t wait to see Fail ready to go at PACs and NCAAs.

Admin
Reply to  LOOK
4 years ago

You’re proposing that the suit is worth 25 seconds in a 1000 free?

Didn’t we just ban them for 12 & unders because “they don’t really matter”?

I would argue, if you believe that a suit is worth 25 seconds in the 1000 free, that everyone should be wearing a suit all the time. 25 seconds indicates a totally different feel, technique, and etc., to such a dramatic extent that training and racing all year long in a Speedo would not be a good preparation for the change that comes at end of season by wearing a suit.

LOOK
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Let me retype what I said in the above comment so you read the whole thing…. I then said: “Though, it could also have to do with ASU being clipped and rested. Regardless, can’t wait to see Fail ready to go at PACs and NCAAs.”

SWIMSWIM
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Are you actually implying that the effects of technical suits between children under the age of 12 and full grown, developed men/women are the same?

huh?
Reply to  LOOK
4 years ago

Pulling up some stats,Ben had been 9:10 recently at Stanford 2 weeks before and 9:22 the week before against Texas. May have to do with his workload? Anyway, 8:57 is a great swim and splitting it 4:32/4:24 is insane!
Brooks will be ready to race at PAC 12s and Im sure Ben will be too. Should be a fun!

Swimma
Reply to  LOOK
4 years ago

I heard ASU waxed for this meet

Super Duper Fan
Reply to  ZonaSwim
4 years ago

Does Arizona not have access to racing suits?? Were they banned from wearing them? An advantage, yes, but hardly an unfair one.

REALLY?
Reply to  Super Duper Fan
4 years ago

Are you a swimmer? Are you just learn about swimming?

WILDCAT
Reply to  Not the Arizona we used to know
4 years ago

Um… why don’t you just wait until PACs and NCAAs to see who wins when both teams are actually suited. At least we know one thing is for sure, especially seeing the ASU swimmers go to twitter and be extremely petty, ASU holds up to its reputation of having zero class.

Arizona
Reply to  WILDCAT
4 years ago

You know Arizona is the better school when you hear ASU fans booing at UofA athletes from the stands.

Zach Poti #1 fan
Reply to  Arizona
4 years ago

AYYY MUSTY

Texas A&M Swim Fan
Reply to  Arizona
4 years ago

Yeah, even we don’t “boo” those swimmers who go to “that other school in Austin”when we swim against them. We will give them our “horse’s laugh” yell though every now & then! WHOOP👍👍👍!!

WILDCAT
Reply to  Not the Arizona we used to know
4 years ago

Why don’t you wait until PACs and NCAAs to see who actually wins when both teams are suited?…

Superfan
4 years ago

I don’t know the history of who suited up or who didn’t in years past but I watched the meet online and it was so boring with one team in suits and one not in suits.

ASU-Swammer
4 years ago

Goggles off to Ben O for an excellent 1000 – but also puts Scott Brackett’s 1984 record in perspective. Would be a top 10 time still today, 36 years on.

Sean Justice
Reply to  ASU-Swammer
4 years ago

Agreed great swim for Ben. I think that he is going to have a good PAC-12

Hmmm
4 years ago

Two years ago nobody suited up. It is true that this meet has historically been suited sometimes in the past. For all meets it was said before the meet if anybody was wearing suits, this did not happen this time. There was a lack of communication from Bob Bowman.

Swimdaddy
Reply to  Hmmm
4 years ago

Last year u of a didn’t notify Bowman about suiting up, they simply showed up on deck with racing suits on and the ASU swimmers then went to change into the suits they brought just in case. It’s crazy how preparation works

Bears Downed
Reply to  Swimdaddy
4 years ago

Absolutely correct. It’s very simple. Pack for every scenario, get on the bus, compete. If you don’t prepare for the scenario, stop blaming.

Superfan
Reply to  Swimdaddy
4 years ago

Glad your comments are not prejudiced!

HMMMM
Reply to  Swimdaddy
4 years ago

This is the most false statement I have seen yet. Maybe Bob Bowmen doesn’t even communicate with his swimmers, but U of A was notified last minute that Bowmen wanted to suit up.

HMMMM
Reply to  HMMMM
4 years ago

^last year. U of A did not simply show up in suits…..

Admin
Reply to  HMMMM
4 years ago

I love that this rivalry is back. I can’t think of a time where people cared this much about ASU-Arizona.

(G)ouden Beer
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Narrator: They don’t.

Not the Arizona we used to know
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

when a team wins for 20+ straight years there is no rivalry. But when little brother dominates big brother the narrative changes.

Dave Rollins
Reply to  Not the Arizona we used to know
4 years ago

Just want to chime in real quick. Having lived it, this was not a one sided rivalry for 20+ years. My freshman year we had to pull ourselves together for the last 3 events and go 1-2 In the 100 fly, 1-2-3 in the 200 IM and 1/3 the 400 Free Relay just to win by 1 point. I’m pretty sure the year before ASU won by over 40 points.
It’s fantastic that both teams can be competitive, it only helps local swimming in the state, (there are only 3 D1 Men’s programs….and don’t forget, ASU had their program cut not that long ago) plus the conference is more exciting when more teams are capable of competing at a… Read more »

SWIMFAN
Reply to  HMMMM
4 years ago

It only takes 10 minutes to throw on a racing suit. ASU swimmers were suited up before the senior day celebration even began, so UArizona had at least 30 minutes to go put on suits if they chose to do so. Fighting about suits is beyond the point, they only do so much. When it comes down to it, UArizona simply lost— ASU did lat year. It’s not worth fighting about

;dhssda
Reply to  SWIMFAN
4 years ago

What type of racing suit only takes 10 mins to get on lol

SUPER SWIM FAN
Reply to  SWIMFAN
4 years ago

I agree with you only if ASU more informative about the race….sadly it wasn’t that way. I wonder why??

WILDCAT
Reply to  Swimdaddy
4 years ago

What? Bowmen is the one who wanted to suit up last year…… U of A was told last minute that he wanted to

WILDCAT
Reply to  Swimdaddy
4 years ago

False

About Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh

Lauren Neidigh is a former NCAA swimmer at the University of Arizona (2013-2015) and the University of Florida (2011-2013). While her college swimming career left a bit to be desired, her Snapchat chin selfies and hot takes on Twitter do not disappoint. She's also a high school graduate of The …

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