Grant House, Leon Marchand Lead Arizona State to Dominant Win Over Arizona; Wildcat Women Win Tight Contest

Grant House -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Grant House, Leon Marchand Lead Arizona State to Dominant Win Over Arizona; Wildcat Women Win Tight Contest

After a one-year hiatus, the Arizona-Arizona State rivalry resumed Saturday in Tucson, the final dual meet of the season for both teams. In the women’s competition, the Wildcats came out on top by a tight 155-139 margin, while the Sun Devil men won 195-103 behind monumental efforts behind senior Grant House and freshman Leon Marchand, both of whom captured three individual victories.

House did not qualify for an individual NCAA final in either of his two previous NCAA Championships (in 2018 and 2019), but he has been on fire during his senior season after finishing an impressive 11th place in the 200-meter freestyle at Olympic Trials. At the midseason NC State Invitational, House recorded a 1:31.73 in the 200-yard free, which stands as the top time in the nation this season, and against Arizona, he recorded a 1:32.18. That time is more than three tenths quicker than any other swimmer in the country this year.

Later on, House finished first in the 100 free in 42.96, and he also won the 200 IM in 1:43.41.

Meanwhile, Marchand took on a grueling triple of the 200 fly, 200 back and 200 breast, and he won all three events. His best performance came in the 200 fly, where he ranks fourth in the nation in 1:40.86. Against the Wildcats, Marchand swam a 1:42.26 in the 200 fly, followed by a 1:43.31 in the 200 back and a 1:54.47 in the 200 breast.

Arizona State’s Jack Dolan won the 100 back, while teammates John Heaphy and David Schlicht went 1-2 in the 100 breast, with times of 53.41 and 53.45, respectively. Carter Swift won the 50 free (19.77), and Cody Bybee took first in the 100 fly (46.46). Marchand, Heaphy, Bybee and House won the 200 medley relay in 1:24.71, and to conclude the meet, the team of Swift, Evan Carlson, Bybee and Dolan won the 400 free relay in 2:51.55.

The only men’s wins for Arizona came from Brooks Fail in the two longest freestyle events and from Bjorn Markentin in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving. Fail won the 1000 free in 8:51.73, which is the seventh-fastest time in the nation, and he posted a 4:16.71 in the 500 free.

Meanwhile, in the women’s meet, the Sun Devils earned more individual victories than the Wildcats, but Arizona rode diving, relays, depth and two individual wins from Aria Bernal in the backstroke events. Bernal clocked 52.26 in the 100 back and 1:56.55 in the 200 back. Arizona also got wins from Lexi Duchsherer in the 50 free (22.92), Julia Heimstead in the 100 fly (52.42) and Delaney Schell in both 1-meter and platform diving.

Bernal, Jade Neser, Heimstead and Alayna Connor won the 200 medley relay in 1:37.33, and the foursome of Heimstead, Felicity Passon, Alyssa Schwengel and Duchsherer nailed down the victory by taking the 400 free relay in 3:17.42.

Arizona State’s women were led by Emma Nordin, who won the 500 free in 4:47.42 and the 1000 free in 9:53.22. Nordin ranks second in the nation in the 500 free (4:34.87) and first in the 1000 free (9:30.44).

Erica Laning won the 200 free for ASU in 1:45.89, while Iza Adame claimed first in the 100 breast (1:00.43) and Lindsay Looney took first in the 200 fly (1:55.50). Additional Sun Devil wins came from Erin Milligan in the 100 free (49.42), Emma Gehlert (2:12.20) and Jade Foelske (2:00.38).

Full results from the meet are available here.

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