By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern.
BROOKVILLE – It’s that time of the year again. On March 11, the fastest females in NCAA Division II will converge at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis, IN, to compete at the fastest meet of the year: the NCAA Championships.
After seven months of double practices, countless dual meets, excruciating winter training, and an almighty conference championship, the select group will put on their fast suits for the final time this season and step up to see who really wants it the most.
See the NCAA DII psych sheet here!
Here are five females who plan on dominating the best of the best:
1. Yekaterina Rudenko
The sophomore from Kazakhstan is back for her second year at the championships and seems to be more ready than before. Rudenko – who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games – is seeded first in both the 200 and 400 medley relays, the 200 freestyle relay, the 100 backstroke, second in the 400 freestyle relay, and fourth in the 200 backstroke.
Having already performed a time of 52.65 in the 100 and 1.57.25 in the 200, Rudenko is set to have a successful championship meet with a fistful of fast times and a handful of hardware for Drury.
Photo Courtesy: Azaria Basile
2. Allison Crenshaw
The junior from Florida Southern College is looking to dominate some of the toughest – and definitely some of the longest – races at the championship meet. Returning to the meet to defend her two-time 1000 yard freestyle title, Crenshaw is seeded ten seconds ahead of second place in a time of 9:53.07. The team MVP from Georgia is also seeded first in the 1650 yard freestyle (16:44.78), which she won in 2013, and third in the 500 (4:51.35). Crenshaw is sure to go the extra mile in order to defend her 1000 and regain her 1650 title.
Photo Courtesy: Kyle Staggs
3. Joyce Kwok
The junior from LIU Post plans on storming to success in her third appearance at the championship meet. The All-American from Queens, N.Y., is among the fastest flyers in the nation, seeded first in the 200 (1:59.52) and fourth in the 100 (53.96). Like Crenshaw, Kwok intends to defend her two consecutive national titles in the 200 butterfly, as well as earn a top three position in the 100 as she has willfully done in the past two years. Will Kwok fly to victory for a third time?
Photo Courtesy: Kyle Staggs
4. Caroline Arakelian
The junior from Queens University of Charlotte is poised to take the national stage by storm. Arakelian from Livonia, Michigan displays versatility and talent in a total of three individual events. The All-American is seeded first in the 200 yard IM (2:00.21) and 400 yard IM (4:13.20), as well as the 200 yard backstroke (1:55.23). Having won the national title in the 400 IM and the 200 backstroke in 2013, and as the 2014 runner up in the 200 IM, Arakelian focuses on becoming the back-to-back-to-back national champion in her best event of the 200 yard backstroke.
Photo Courtesy: Tony Romanini
5. Hannah Peiffer
Hannah Peiffer from Queens University of Charlotte joins her teammate in my list of D-II’s five fastest females. The sophomore from Hixon, TN, may be young, but she is not afraid to play with the big girls. Peiffer is seeded first in the 200 yard butterfly (1:58.32), second in the 100 yard butterfly (53.64), and fifth in the 100 yard backstroke (54.49). After winning the 100 yard butterfly, touching third in the 200 yard butterfly, and earning fourth in the 100 yard backstroke, Peiffer returns to her second NCAA Championship meet with a year of experience to drive her to grab gold across the board.
As these five females, and the other NCAA attenders, start their last minute preparations and fine tuning for the championships, only time will tell who will will prevail the best of the best. May the best girl win.
See the full list of D-II NCAA qualifiers HERE!
Just a note… the meet starts on Wednesday March 11 not Tuesday March 11 🙂
not really sure how Patricia Castro-Ortega was left off the list. 1:46 200 free and 49 100 free. She will be faster at NCAAs, as well.
Also…Kwok is not the top seed in the 20 butterfly, as it is listed.
Go Queens!!! Good luck
Anybody we know ?