The Mustangs closed out the 2014 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship with a 20th-place team finish and six All-America honors.
“I am proud of our team’s performance this weekend,” Head Coach Steve Collins said. “We had great leadership from our seniors and have set a high standard for the future.”
On day one of the Championship, the 400-yard medley relay team of Nina Rangelova, Isabella Arcila, Rachel Nicol and Marne Erasmus finished in 11th place but set a school record with a time of 3:31.66 and all four were named All-Americans.
On night two of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship, first-year Erasmus led the SMU women’s swimming and diving team with a third place finish and All-America honors in the 100-yard butterfly – breaking her own school record with a 51.10.
“Marne’s third place was awesome and she led the race most of the way finishing with another school record,” Collins said.
Erasmus was narrowly beaten by fellow American conference member Kelsi Worrell of Louisville who turned in a time of 51.09.
Tara-Lynn Nicholas also earned All-America honors (her first) with an eighth place finish in the championship final of the 100-yard breaststroke – setting a new school standard in the event’s prelims with a time of 59.55.
“Tara’s school record in the morning was SMU’s first 100 breast under a minute,” Collins said.
SMU’s 200-yard medley relay team of Rangelova, Monika Babok, Arcila, and Nicol finished with a time of 1:38.77 in prelims, while the 800-yard freestyle relay team of Rangelova, Arcila, Nathalie Lindborg and Ursa Bezan finished the prelims with a time of 7:11.41.
“Our relay teams, although they did not score, were great and showed great character,” Collins said.
Under Collins, SMU has amassed 581 All-America honors under. With the 2014 honors, Rangelova has seven total, while Arcila has five, Nicol one and Erasmus two.
“Our team goal has been to finish in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships,” Collins added. “It is exciting to have six swimmers returning from this NCAA Championship team.”
