Freshman Focus, Part Two: Wolfpack Duo of Shackley and Pelaez Rocketing Up Rankings
The North Carolina State women’s team is in good hands following the departure of Olympic medalist Katharine Berkoff, who won a trio of 100-yard backstroke national titles during her five years of collegiate swimming. From the very beginning of this season, it has been clear that Wolfpack freshmen Leah Shackley and Erika Pelaez are preparing to step into Berkoff’s shoes as central scorers, and their development has been rapid.
We highlighted Shackley and Pelaez in late October after they posted swift results in NC State’s dual-meet victory over Arizona State. Following the rush of midseason invitationals, both swimmers still sit in great position entering championship season, with both swimmers currently ranking in the top-eight in the country in three individual events.
Pelaez sits seventh in the 100 back (50.55) and eighth in both the 200 free (1:43.14) and 200 back (1:50.64) while also boasting the 13th-ranked time in the 100 free (47.81). Shackley is fifth in both the 100 back (50.22) and 200 back (1:49.71) and sixth in the 100 fly (51.08). All of those times would have scored individually at last year’s NCAA Championships, and combined with returner Kennedy Noble, NC State could be in position to place three A-finalists in both backstroke events. Both swimmers have the versatility required to assemble medley relays capable of top-five finishes on the national level.
The NC State women tied for ninth place at last year’s national meet, but it would be no surprise to see improvement this year, with no women’s or men’s team likely to receive the freshman-impact that the Wolfpack get.
Speaking of standout freshmen, we have already recapped the impressive efforts of five names to watch, and here are an additional three:
Lucien Vergnes, Arizona State
Even without posting any sensational swims at midseason, Vergnes is positioned to be a key contributor in the Sun Devils’ still-loaded group. Against Cal and Stanford this year, Vergnes split 20.88 leading off ASU’s 200 medley relay, and his 100 back best time of 45.32 ranks 14th in the country, just off the cutoff time for scoring individually at last year’s NCAAs. At that same meet, he challenged 200-meter back Olympic finalist Keaton Jones in the yards version of the event. Not bad for a swimmer who has won European age group titles in the 200 breaststroke. Vergnes is set up to be a contributor in a few different places in March.
McKenzie Siroky, Tennessee
The Lady Vols are known for success in breaststroke: Mona McSharry won Olympic bronze in the 100-meter breast in Paris, and she was second in both breaststroke events at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Emelie Fast placed seventh in the 200 breast and ninth in the 100 breast at last season’s NCAAs. Now, add Siroky to the mix after she clocked 58.00 in the 100 breast at midseason for the country’s second-best time thus far. Her top time of 2:08.17 in the 200 breast ranks seventh. Both of those marks would have been good enough to score points nationally last season, with the 100-yard time good enough for a spot in the A-final. With McSharry returning alongside Siroky and Fast this semester, Tennessee could wrack up big points in these events.
Spencer Nicholas, Virginia
The Cavaliers are best known for their success on the women’s side, but Nicholas has been a revelation as a freshman. At the Tennessee Invite, he clocked 44.41 in the 100 fly to finish within seven tenths of star sprinter Jordan Crooks and move to No. 4 in the national rankings, ahead of defending NCAA champion and 100-meter fly Olympic silver medalist Josh Liendo. The time was already a lifetime best for Nicholas by more than a half-second, and it would have lifted him to a spot in the A-final at last year’s NCAA Championships. He could also make noise in the freestyle relays, but it will be the 100 fly where Nicholas has a chance to shake up the national standings.