Katie Rapp

Women's Swimming & Diving April 06, 2021 Katie Rapp, NAU Athletic Communications

NAU Swimming and Diving’s Achievements in Winning Eighth Straight Conference Title

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (April 6, 2021) – A little bit over a month ago now, Northern Arizona swimming and diving began its journey to its eighth consecutive Western Athletic Conference title on Feb. 17.

In an unconventional conference schedule, the swimmers and divers were separated into two separate meets. Normally, the team would compete together as one, but due to WAC COVID-19 protocols, the two were split.

As such, the swimmers kicked off the conference championships.

On the first day, the Lumberjacks got an early taste of winning. Securing the gold in the 800 freestyle relay, the quartet of Katy Smith, Maddy Rey, Annie Carlton and Francesca Criscione bested the other WAC opponents quickly, finishing the race in 7:23.72.

For the swimmers, bringing home the gold medals was not the only achievement found. Multiple swimmers found their lifetime best times.

Freshmen Carlton and Rey, as well as senior Maddie Seidl, all received perfection in collecting their top-individual all-time swims in their respective events.

Carlton went three-for-three in earning her best times in her individual events. Carlton obtained her first individual top time in the 500 free, swimming to a fifth-place finish in 4:57.49. She would continue the trend as she finished first in the 200 free with 1:50.34 and third in the 200 back with 1:59.97.

Rey found three lifetime bests in her completed individual events. Similar to Carlton, Rey would find her first best in the 500 free, placing third at 4:55.73.

Her second individual success would come in the 400 yard IM with a time of 4:22.90 to earn her first silver medal. Rey would find her next in the 200 fly, tying for second place with Northern Colorado's Payten Irwin in 2:03.05.

In addition to the two freshmen finding their bests, Seidl, as a senior, also secured three lifetime bests in the championships, as well as her first gold medal. Seidl would place the highest in the 200 butterfly, finishing in 2:01.63.

Prior to her gold, she would finish in second in the 100 fly with a finals time of 54.88. Seidl would find another best time in the 200 IM with a seventh-place finish, timing in at 2:05.49.

Beyond these three finding perfection in their lifetime bests, senior Hope Williams and Criscrione also recorded multiple lifetime bests.

Williams would remain as Northern Arizona's record holder for the 100 breaststroke. Topping her previous time of 1:01.16, Williams finished the race in 1:01.14, winning her third-straight title in the event and setting a new lifetime best. She would find her second all-time best in the 50 free with a time of 23.99.

Last, but definitely not least, Criscione, would also secure three lifetime best times. Criscione achieved these times and earned herself a gold medal in the 500 free (4:54.09), 1650 free (16:55.94), and her best split time from the 800 free relay.

The freshmen class performed well, with three being the top individual scorers for NAU throughout the conference, including diver Victoria Knapp.

Knapp received two gold medal finishes on both the 1- and 3-meter springboards. With 295.50 points on the three and 273.45 on the one, Knapp outscored the other divers by more than ten in each performance.

In addition to Knapp's top performances on the springboards, Emily Luberto would secure her first gold at WAC Championships on the platform with a final tally of 222.95.

Beyond the Lumberjacks sweeping the boards, NAU also had top five finishers in all three events as well.

Alyssa Jones, a local Flagstaff student-athlete, competed in the championships for the first time since her freshman year, only finishing within the B finals on all three boards. Jones would earn her first silver medal this year in the 3-meter event with a final score of 279.00, creating a new season best for herself.

Jenny Cheetham would also record a top two finish in the 1-meter. Battling with injuries, the senior dove on the second day of the championships in her final NAU event. Cheetham would finish her career with a silver medal, earning one last final tally of 264.25.

Also on the one, Luberto would record a fifth place finish with a score of 237.60 while Knapp would finish on the platform in 5th with 205.85.

With the success found both in the pool and on the boards, the Lumberjacks were able to complete the championships and earn their eighth straight hardware.

In addition to their conference title, the Lumberjacks earned four of the five Western Athletic Conference accolades. Northern Arizona's swimming and diving program was honored with Freshman of the Year, Diver of the Year, Swimming Coach of the Year, and Diving Coach of the Year.

Criscione was named as the Freshman of the Year while Knapp was WAC's Diver of the Year. Andy Johns and Nikki Huffman, in their respective sports, are both eight-time recipients of being Coaches of the Year.

While NAU will be graduating some of its esteemed seniors who have won four of the eight championships, the freshmen on the team have proven themselves to be worthy competitors after completing their first.

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
1. 800 freestyle relay (Katy Smith, Maddy Rey, Annie Carlton, Francesca Criscione), 7:23.72
2. 500 freestyle, Francesca Criscione, 4:54.09
3. 200 freestyle, Annie Carlton, 1:50.34
4. 100 breaststroke, Hope Williams, 1:01.14 (broke NAU school record)
5. 400 medley relay (Sophie Velitchkov, Hope Williams, Maddie Seidl, Annie Carlton), 3:42.82
6. 1650 freestyle, Francesca Criscione, 16:55.94
7. 200 breaststroke, Hope Williams, 2:14.96
8. 200 butterfly, Maddie Seidl, 2:01.63
9. 1-meter, Victoria Knapp, 273.45
10. 3-meter, Victoria Knapp, 295.50
11. Platform, Emily Luberto, 222.95

THE NUMBERS

POINTS BY EVENT TYPE

POINTS FROM DIVING	POINTS FROM SWIMMING (INDIVIDUAL)	POINTS FROM SWIMMING (RELAY)
167.5	402.5	170

POINTS BY CLASS

POINTS BY FRESHMEN	POINTS BY SOPHOMORES	POINTS BY JUNIORS	POINTS BY SENIORS
373	84	125	158

TOP POINTS SCORED PER EVENT

EVENTS	POINTS SCORED	MARGIN BETWEEN NEXT CLOSEST
500 FREE	61	+17 (CBU, 44)
3M	60.5	+38 (GCU, 22.5)
1M	60	+28 (Idaho, 32)
200 FLY	48.5	+14.5 (NMSU, 34)
PLATFORM	47	+9 (CBU, 38)
400 IM	42	+2 (NMSU, 40)

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Players Mentioned

Alyssa Jones: Diving; 5' 0"; Junior

Emily Luberto: Diving; 5' 2"; Sophomore

Katy Smith: Freestyle/Breaststroke; 5' 7"; Junior

Jenny Cheetham: Diving; 5' 4"; Senior

Maddie Seidl: Butterfly/IM; 5' 4"; Senior

Hope Williams: Breaststroke; 5' 9"; Senior

Annie Carlton: Free/Back; 6' 0"; Freshman

Francesca Criscione: Distance Free/IM; 5' 4"; Freshman

Victoria Knapp: Diving; 5' 1"; Freshman

Maddy Rey: Distance Free/Fly; 5' 4"; Freshman

Sophie Velitchkov: Back/Free; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Alyssa Jones
: 5' 0"; Junior
: Diving

Emily Luberto
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: Diving

Katy Smith
: 5' 7"; Junior
: Freestyle/Breaststroke

Jenny Cheetham
: 5' 4"; Senior
: Diving

Maddie Seidl
: 5' 4"; Senior
: Butterfly/IM

Hope Williams
: 5' 9"; Senior
: Breaststroke

Annie Carlton
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: Free/Back

Francesca Criscione
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: Distance Free/IM

Victoria Knapp
: 5' 1"; Freshman
: Diving

Maddy Rey
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: Distance Free/Fly

Sophie Velitchkov
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: Back/Free