The Week Ahead…
The SMU women’s swimming and diving team travels to Houston for the American Athletic Conference at the CRWC Natatorium Feb. 17-20. Preliminary action starts at 10 a.m. CT each day and finals begin at 6 p.m. Day one action kicks off with diving at 12 p.m. and all diving prelims will be held between swimming sessions at 12:30 p.m. for the remaining days. Event information can be found on The American Championship Central page at TheAmerican.org/SD. Live results will also be available on the Meet Mobile app, while updates and other information can be found via Twitter (@SMUSwimmingW).
Ponies On Top…
SMU currently holds 12 top 3 times in the American Athletic Conference, including the top spot in 5 of the 13 events. Overall, the Mustangs have 22 times in the top 8. They also have the top time in each of the 5 relays. The Mustangs have posted 7 NCAA ‘B’ standards so far this season.
Conference Favorites…
Six Mustangs have accounted for eight weekly accolades from the American Athletic Conference this season. Marne Erasmus (Jan. 12),Maddie Hoch (Oct. 20 & Oct. 6), Tara-Lynn Nicholas (Nov. 3) and Hannah Rogers (Feb. 9) have been honored on the swimming side, while Lauren Lamb (Feb. 9,Jan. 12) and Madeline Wainman (Oct. 6) have both been honored on the diving side.
Relay Ranks…
The Mustangs hold the top spot in the American Athletic Conference in all five relay events. Last season, SMU won 4 of 5 relays at the conference championship. In the 400 medley, SMU’s season-best is nearly four seconds faster than its closest competitor.
Last Time Out…
The Mustangs honored six seniors prior to the Feb. 5 meet against North Texas, and went on to win, 132-109. SMU won nine of 13 events, taking all five before the first dive break. Junior Tara-Lynn Nicholas posted an NCAA B standard in the 200-yard breaststroke, and, in all, 10 Mustangs posted career-best times at the event. Lauren Lamb posted a pair of second-place finishes in diving action for a total of eight points toward the Mustangs’ team score.
Scholar All-America…
SMU was named to the fall 2015 Scholar All-America list for Division I teams that achieved a grade-point-average above 3.0. The Mustangs registered a 3.43. The program’s senior class has earned Scholar All-America status since arriving on the Hilltop in the fall of 2012.
“We are very excited about the team’s outstanding performance in the classroom,” head women’s coach Steve Collins said. “Our student-athletes are pursuing many different majors from all of the schools across our campus with great success.”
Making History…
Following the 2014-15 season the Mustang roster accounted for 19 of the all-time top 10 times in SMU history, with four holding the school record. Eight were also in the top three. Team members were also part of eight relays that rank in the top three of their respective events.
In The Rankings…
The SMU women’s swimming and diving team ranked 21st in the first edition of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) 2015-16 Division I poll, the organization announced on Oct. 27. This is a biweekly poll, which alternates with the men’s Division I poll.
Championship Season…
NCAA Zone Diving takes place March 7-9 in College Station, Texas, and the NCAA Championship will be hosted by Georgia Tech March 17-19 in Atlanta.
Championship Success…
SMU has won 16 of the last 19 conference championships, including a first-place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championship in 2015. The Mustangs have never finished outside of the top three under Steve Collins, with only two 3rd-place finishes.
American Throwback…
The Mustangs won 12 events en route to the American Athletic Conference Championship Feb. 18-21in Greensboro, North Carolina. SMU won four of five relays and had eight individual top finishers to secure the victory, and 19 individuals placed in the top 3 of their respective events. Tara-Lynn Nicholas was the victor in the 100 breast posting a 59.12, which was good for an SMU school record and an NCAA ‘A’ cut. Isabella Arcila also set the school record in the 50 free as part of the 200 freestyle relay and won three events to add to the team’s total. The Mustangs finished with 797 points, while Connecticut, their closest competitor, posted a team score of 619. East Carolina (595.5), Tulane (494.5), Cincinnati (461) and Houston (449) followed. The event win was the first at a conference championship for the Mustangs since they took the Conference USA crown in 2012. The title also gave the program its 16th championship in 19 seasons.
Leader of the Pack…
Head coach Steve Collins was named the 2015 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Mustangs to a first-place finish at The American Championship. This was the 10th time Collins has earned the honor since the Mustangs’ 1990 season (American 1x, CUSA 3x, WAC 2x, SWC 4x). Collins was also named the National Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1996 following NCAA finishes of sixth and second, respectively.
Road To Rio…
Eight Mustangs have currently posted at least one ‘B’ standard for Rio, with six posting multiple. Former standout Nina Rangelova (Bulgaria) leads the way with three times, including an A standard in the 200-meter freestyle, while Rachel Nicol (Canada) has a pair with a qualifying mark in the 100 breast. Isabella Arcrila (50, 100 free), Nathalie Lindborg (50, 100 free), Kirsty McLauchlan (200, 400 IM), Vicky Cunningham(50, 200 free), Marne Erasmus (100 fly) and Tara-Lynn Nicolas (100 breast) have all made the 2016 provisional list.
2015 NCAA Championship Recap…
The Mustangs had four individuals earn All-America honors, led by Rachel Nicol with an eighth-place finish in the Championship Final of the 100 breast, at the 2015 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championship March 19-21 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Fellow senior Isabella Arcila also picked up honors in the 100 free, while sophomores Tara-Lynn Nicholas and Marne Erasmus picked up accolades for the second year in a row in the 100 breast and 100 fly, respectively. SMU’s 400 yard medley relay team of Arcila, Nicolas, Erasmus and Nathalie Lindborg placed 13th on night one to earn the nod. The Mustangs finished 31st scoring 27.0 team points.
American All-Conference…
SMU picked up All-American Athletic Conference honors in 10 individual events, all five relays and in platform diving. Overall, 13 Mustangs accounted for 24 league honors. Seniors Isabella Arcila and Nathalie Lindborg led the way as they each had three individual selections and were part of three different relays. Nine Ponies picked up multiple nods, while freshman Madeline Wainman secured SMU’s all-league performance in diving with her runner-up finish on the platform.
Swimming news courtesy of SMU Swimming & Diving.
