HOUSTON, Texas (February 26, 2022) - For the ninth consecutive season, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks have been crowned the Western Athletic Conference champions in swimming and diving, finishing in first place with 770 points.
"We've got a great team with a lot of depth. Obviously distance and diving got us through it, but there was just a lot of girls that were resilient, it was a whole team effort," Head Coach Andy Johns said. "I just couldn't be happier or more proud of them."
Starting off the day with a 33 point lead, being closely trailed by the GCU Lopes, the Lumberjacks went to work in prelims. Positioning themselves right where they wanted to be with thirteen athletes competing in the A finals. The final session of the WAC Championships began with the 1650 free, where NAU held three spots in the A final, as the event does not hold prelims.
Francesca Criscione placed fifth in the finals of the 1650 free, with a time of 16:57.74, posting her season top time in the event. Helena Robla-Alvarez finished the race in eighth place with a time of 17:12.00. Freshman Casey Craffey earned her first ever WAC gold medal in the 1650 free, finishing while beating her top time by fifteen seconds, with a time of 16:20.59. The distance swimmer moved into No. 2 on the NAU all-time records list in the event.
The 200 back brought another top time for NAU, as Annie Carlton finished fifth in the final heat, with a time of 1:58.80. Calrton had broken her top time in prelims, and went on to do it again in the finals while earning the No. 3 spot on NAU's 200 backstroke all-time records list. Sophie Velitchkov earned herself a top time in the 300 back prelims at 2:00.96, and went on to finish seventh in the finals with a time of 2:01.48.
Haley Mayhew put her name in the record books, moving into NAU's fourth highest time in the 200 breaststroke and winning her first ever WAC gold medal. Mayhew was crowned the 200 breaststroke champion after finishing at 2:15.56, marking her career top time. Anslee Dickerson finished fifth in the race, coming in at 2:17.19, also marking her career top time with her finish.
Adding new career top times to their names, Seniors Katy Smith and Abbie Nelson went to work in prelims. Smith finished eleventh in the 100 free, finishing at 51.36. Nelson finished at 2:19.92 in the 200 breaststroke for thirteenth. Delaney Phillips added a career top time for NAU, finishing in first place in the 200 breaststroke B final, with a time of 2:17.64.
Caylah Jago placed fifth in the A final of the 200 fly, followed by freshman Ashley Lawrence who earned a career top time finishing in sixth at 2:03.80. Sophomore Maddy Rey, going three for three in individual events and earning three total WAC gold medals, was crowned the champion of the 200 fly. Rey finished with a time of 1:57.68, her career top time, and claimed NAU's second all-time top performance in the event, while topping the meet with 60 individual points.
"Maddy was training at a really high level most of the year, we knew there was going to be something special but I really couldn't have imagined how awesome she was. She blew me away really, those were some great swims," Johns said.
NAU advanced Makenna Sammons, Victoria Knapp, and Emily Luberto to the platform finals, where the divers placed 6th, 7th, and 8th for the 'Jacks, respectively. Sammons' final score was 215.85, Knapp finished with 208.65, followed by Luberto who ended the night with a score of 199.00.
"It was a blast. A team effort from day one through day four, with inspiring races and performances. This team was so enthusiastic and supportive every session, it was awesome,"Â Head Diving Coach Nikki Kelsey said. I am so proud to be a part of this amazing Lumberjack family, this championship felt special. Number nine is mighty fine. The divers really shined this week with many top eight performances, and a champion on one meter. We will enjoy this for a couple days and start preparing for zones."
The Lumberjacks finished the 2022 WAC Championships with six gold medals, five silver, and two bronze, as they wrap up their record season with a nine-time championship celebration.
