DALLAS (SMU) -- Senior Marne Erasmus and junior Matea Samardzic head to Indianapolis to represent the SMU women's swimming and diving team at the 2017 NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships. The event takes place at the IU Natatorium March 15-18.
Erasmus is a four-time qualifier, selected to compete in the 100-yard butterfly. The senior is the current school record holder (51.10) in the event, and a three-time NCAA All-American. She earned her highest finish on the national level during the 2013-14 season, when she placed third as a freshman at the Championships. In her four seasons, she swept the conference championships in the event. Overall, Erasmus has six individual conference championships and has been a part of 10 conference relay championships, she also has seven individual and 10 relay all-conference selections. Erasmus is one of only 10 automatic qualifiers entering the event in the 100 fly, and is the No. 10 seed overall out of 39 invited swimmers.
These are Samardzic's first Championships, qualifying for the event in the 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard backstroke. The junior picked up three individual championships at The American meet last month, and was part of the 400-yard freestyle relay championship team. She set the SMU program record in the 400-yard individual medley and also swept backstroke events. Samardzic ranks 11th nationally in the 400 IM (4:05.52) of 40 invited swimmers and is 22nd in the 200 back (1:52.69) with 40 invited.
Both swimmers may also compete in events they have achieved an NCAA B Cut in, but were not on the official invite list. Erasmus picked up an additional cut in the 200-yard butterfly (44th, 1:57.36), while Samardzic did so in the 100-yard backstroke (45th, 52.92).
ESPN3 will stream live the championship finals sessions Friday and Saturday. Tape delay coverage will be broadcast on ESPNU at 6 p.m. CT March 28. All sessions not streamed by ESPN will be streamed live on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships microsite at www.indianasportscorp.com.ncaasd. Live results will also be available on ncaa.com and the Meet Mobile App.
Tickets are available for purchase at ncaa.com/tickets and on-site on competition days.
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ALL-AMERICAN ACADEMICS: The women's swimming and diving program earned the first of two possible College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) team awards this season. To be selected as a CSCAA Scholar All-America Team, programs must have achieved a grade point average of 3.00 or higher over the fall semester. The Mustangs posted a team GPA of 3.53 during the fall semester to position itself 24th of 165 teams to garner the honor. The total came in above the Division I national average of 3.336. The Mustang seniors have been honored each semester on the Hilltop thus far.
TOP TIMES: SMU posted 6 of 14 top times in the American Athletic Conference during the 2016-17 season, four of which belong to Matea Samardzic (100 back, 200 back, 200 IM, 400 IM). Marne Erasmus sat atop both butterfly distances.Â
AMERICAN HONORS: Vicky Cunningham led the Mustangs with a pair of American Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Week honors this season (Dec. 6 & Nov. 1). Matea Samardzic was also honored on Oct. 18. It was the first career-honor for each. On the diving side, Lauren Lamb was honored by the conference on Nov. 1.
MAKING THE CUT: SMU posted 17 NCAA provisional times during the 2016-17 season. Matea Samardzic led the way with 4 cuts this season, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the 200-yard backstroke and 400-yard individual medley. She also has the opportunity to compete in the 100-yard backstroke based on her time. Her fourth event was the 200-yard individual medley. Marne Erasmus posted an NCAA A cut in the 100-yard butterfly, and a B cut in the 200.
Anna Cheesbrough - 100 fly / 54.29, 200 fly / 1:57.92
Vicky Cunningham - 50 free / 22.88, 100 free / 48.79, 200 free / 1:46.45
Marne Erasmus - 100 fly / 51.42 (A), 200 fly / 1:57.36
Kirsty McLauchlan - 200 breast / 2:14.69, 200 IM / 2:01.49
Tara-Lynn Nicholas - 100 breast / 1:00.98, 200 breast / 2:12.56
Hannah Rogers - 50 free / 22.84
Matea Samardzic - 100 back / 52.92, 200 back / 1:52.69, 200 IM / 1:59.43, 400 IM / 4:05.52
Erin Trahan - 100 fly / 52.91
400 free relay - Samardzic, Nicholas, Erasmus, Cunningham / 3:34.67
PONY RANKINGS: Three Mustangs have moved into the top 10 of their respective events this season on SMU's Top Performers list, while current Mustangs Hannah Rogers (50 free), Maddie Hoch (200 free), Kirsty McLauchlan (1650 free, 200 breast, 400 IM), Marne Erasmus (100 & 200 fly), Tara-Lynn Nicholas (100 & 200 breast) and Anna Cheesbrough (200 fly) have already made the cut during their careers.
Cunningham - 100 free / 7th / 48.79, 200 free / 9th / 1:46.71
Samardzic - 100 back / 4th / 52.92, 200 back / 2nd / 1:52.69, 200 IM / 5th / 1:59.43, 400 IM / 1st / 4:05.52
Trahan - 100 fly / 6th / 52.91
DUAL WINNERS: SMU finished the 2016-17 season 4-1 in dual meets. The Mustangs picked up victories over American Athletic Conference opponents Houston and Tulane and had wins over Rice and North Texas as well. The only loss of the season came against then-No. 8 Texas A&M in College Station.
THE NEW HOME OF SMU SWIMMING & DIVING: Building on a legacy of proud Olympians, world records and 155 national titles, SMU broke ground on the new Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. The 42,000 square foot center will be home to SMU's internationally-recognized men's and women's swimming and diving teams. Located at 5550 SMU Blvd. on the University's growing east campus, the center will provide facilities for practice, competition and community use. The Aquatics Center will feature an Olympic-sized, eight-lane indoor pool with a platform diving area, including four springboards and a 10-meter tower for training and competition. Coaches' offices, men's, women's and visitor locker rooms and a classroom and meeting area will be located adjacent to the pool. Spectator seating for 800 will be on the mezzanine level. The facility is set to open for the 2017-18 season and will serve as host to the 2018 American Athletic Conference Championships.
AAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: Samardzic led the Mustangs to a second-place finish at the 2017 American Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships with three event wins, including a sweep of backstroke events and a victory in the 400-yard individual medley. The junior set the SMU program record in the 400 IM and the meet record in the 200 back en route to co-Most Outstanding Swimmer accolades. Samardzic was also a part of three championship relays, leading off both medleys and swimming the third leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Cunningham continued success in freestyle events, earning a spot on the podium in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard races. The senior also helped lead the Mustangs in a team-high four relays, which included championships in the 400 free and 400 medley relays.
The Ponies also got a pair of individual championships from Erasmus, who became a four-time champion and repeat meet record holder in the 100-yard butterfly and back-to-back champion in the 200-yard butterfly. Erasmus is the first four-time conference champion for the Mustangs since Therese Svendsen won the 200-yard backstroke 2009-12. Fellow senior Cheesbrough joined Erasmus on the podium in both butterfly events, finishing second in the 200 and third in the 100, while freshman Trahan was the runner-up in the 100.
In her first championship, Pospichal finished atop the podium for platform to win SMU's first diving championship since Audra Egenolf won 1 meter in 2011. It was the first time a Mustang won platform since Kristen Link did so in 1999.
Nicholas and Rogers rounded out the individual selections with Nicholas doing so in breaststroke events and Rogers in the 50-yard freestyle. Rogers was second in the 50, while Nicholas was third in both breaststroke distances.
SMU also won three of five relays, doing so in the 400-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley and 400-yard medley relays.
ALL-CONFERENCE: The American Athletic Conference announced its 2017 women's swimming and diving all-conference selections, which included eight Mustangs combining for 15 honors and five relay nods. The Mustangs finished second at the six-team event.
Cheesbrough – 100 fly, 200 fly
Cunningham – 50 free, 100 free, 200 free
Erasmus – 100 fly*, 200 fly*
Nicholas – 100 breast, 200 breast
Pospichal – Platform*
Rogers – 50 free
Samardzic – 100 back*, 200 back*, 400 IM*
Trahan – 100 fly
200 free relay – Rogers, Trahan, Santa, Cunningham
400 free relay* – Santa, Rogers, Samardzic, Cunningham
800 free relay – Hoch, Bezan, Santa, Cunningham
200 medley relay* – Samardzic, Nicholas, Erasmus, Rogers
400 medley relay* – Samardzic, Nicholas, Erasmus, Cunningham
*denotes conference champion
CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS: SMU has won 17 of the last 21 conference championships, most recently, a first-place finish at the American Athletic Conference Championship in 2016. The Mustangs have never finished outside of the top three under Steve Collins, with only two 3rd-place finishes. This is the 33rd consecutive year the Mustangs will appear at the NCAA Championship, dating back to 1985. Of the 32 previous appearances, SMU has finished in the top 10 17 times, and inside the top 5 10 times. The highest placement came at the 1996 Championship, where the Mustangs earned runner-up honors.
MAKING HISTORY: The current Mustang roster accounts for 17 of the all-time top 10 performers in SMU history, with three holding school records (Nicholas, 100 breast; Erasmus, 100 fly; Samardzic, 400 IM). Five top performers are also in the top three.
LEADER OF THE PACK: Head coach Steve Collins and assistant coach Ashley Dell were named the American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season in 2016. Collins is in his 31st year as the head coach of the SMU women's swimming and diving team. A two-time NCAA Coach of the Year and 11-time conference Coach of the Year, Collins has led the Mustangs to 17 conference championships in the past 21 years. During his tenure, SMU has 15 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, nine of those in the top five.
VOTE GETTERS: The Mustangs received 16 votes in the first edition of the CSCAA NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Poll, placing them just outside of the top 25 by only 4 votes. SMU was ranked as high as No. 11 a season ago, and have been the only American Athletic Conference team listed.
2016 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: The SMU women's swimming and diving team concluded the 2015-16 NCAA season at the NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championship in Atlanta, March 16-19. Junior Marne Erasmus and Tara-Lynn Nicholas represented the Mustangs, competing in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke, respectively. Both swimmers also posted B standards in the 200 distances of their respective events, as well as the 50-yard freestyle. Erasmus finished the event 11th overall and third in the Consolation Final, earning All-America honors, while Nicholas was 21st overall. In all, eight Mustangs posted NCAA B standards throughout the season.
RIO SUCCESS
Rachel Nicol // Canada
Nicol, who entered the Games as the No. 18 seed in the 100-meter breaststroke, earned herself a fifth-place finish in the event. Nicol secured her finish clocking a personal-best 1:06.68 in the event final. She advanced as part of the top eight after posting a 1:06.73 in the second of two semifinals. For her performance in the individual event, Nicol earned a spot on Canada's fifth place 4x100-meter medley relay squad finishing in a National Record time of 3:55.49. Canada was the No. 2 seed headed into the final after winning its semifinal heat in 3:56.80.
Matea Samardzic // Croatia
Samardzic's best finish came in the 100-meter backstroke, where the Croatian finished 13th overall in semifinals touching in 1:00.60. She also reached the semifinals in the 200 distance, finishing 15th in 2:09.83. In her first of her three events at the Games, the 400-meter individual medley, Samardzic posted a National Record time of 4:39.41. The National standard earned Samardzic the win in heat two of the event by nearly four seconds. It was also over five seconds ahead of her 4:44.63 entry time.
Nina Rangelova // Bulgaria
Participating in her third Games, Rangelova competed in heats of both the 100- and 200-meter freestyle. The Bulgarian finished fourth in her heat and 22nd overall in the 200 at 1:58.57, and was 31st overall in the 100 clocking a 55.71. Head coach Steve Collins also represented Bulgaria as Rangelova's coach.
Isabella Arcila // Colombia
Arcila posted a National Record time in her heat of the 50-meter freestyle, touching the wall in 25.35. Overall, the Colombian was fourth in her heat and 30th out of 91 entered participants in her first Olympics.
