S&D Set for ACC Championships in Greensboro
GREENSBORO, N.C. – TheMiami Hurricanes swimming & diving team will mark its return to the poolWednesday, as the 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimming & DivingChampionships begin from the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Miami, competing for the first time since a tri-meet inBlacksburg, Va., back on Jan. 19, has utilized the last month of practice as preparation for the final and most important month of the season.
“We’ve been fine-tuning in practice, and everyone reallylooks amazing,” head swimming coach Christie Shefchunas said. “We are so excitedto see what happens this week. We’re in great spirits, we’re swimming fast. It’sgoing to be a really exciting week.”
At the 2012 ACC Championships in Blacksburg, the swimmingteam’s impressive run included three trips to the podium over the course of thetournament. Miami’s entry in the 200-yard Medley Relay began the medaling bytaking third place on the first day of competition. Kelsi Hall, who becameMiami’s first All-American in a decade in 2012, took first in the 50-yardFreestyle on day two.
Most impressive was the performance of current senior SofiaJohansson, who captured a second straight gold medal in the 100-yardBreaststroke. She became the first woman to swim the event in under a minute inACC history, touching the wall in a time of 59.81 seconds.
“She brings a load of experience,” Shefchunas said of herstar senior. “She is a difference-maker in our program.”
While the coaching staff is hoping to see Johansson pull offher third straight title, Shefchunas admits she has other goals in mind for theRamlösa, Sweden native.
“It’s very hard to win three in a row. She’s going in seededNo. 2, and it would be huge if she could pull this off,” she said. “But we wantto make sure she gets qualified for the NCAA’s. We want another conferencechampionship, but for her to be an All-American would be the ultimate goal.”
Johansson, competing in perhaps the final event of herHurricane career, is part of a 2013 class that is credited with turning the programaround. Alongside Johansson are Christine Anderson (Chattanooga, Tenn.),Celeste Degen (Hudson, Fla.), Hannah Kling (Miami, Fla.), Haley Nicholson(Pensacola, Fla.) and Kayla Smith (Madison, Wisc.), as well as diver CarrieDragland (Woodinville, Wash.).
“Those girls are my family. It’s going to be bittersweet. Their leadership is unbelievable – they’vebeen phenomenal leaders all year,” Shefchunas said. “They’ve been keepingeverybody calm and loose these past couple of weeks. They’re definitely one of themost special groups I have ever worked with.”
All championship information including a full eventschedule and live results can be found at the official championship website, http://theacc.co/SwimDiveChamps. Fans can alsoget updates by following along on Twitter at #ACCWSD and @ACCSwimDive.
A live video stream of event finalswill be available from the ACC Digital Network on theACC.com Thursday throughSaturday from 7 p.m. until the finish, with Leah Secondo handling play-by-playand Frank Comfort adding analysis.
