Swim & Dive Looks Back on AAC Championships

UNIVERSITY PARK - The UNT swimming and diving team posted several new milestones over the weekend at the American Athletic Conference Championships, including the first three podium performances since the program joined The American prior to the 2022-23 season.

Freshman diver Sydney Guidara was one of the stars of the meet for UNT after collecting the program's first medal as a member of the conference when she took the silver medal in the 3-meter springboard event and also secured her NCAA Zone cut. Two days later, Guidara led the Mean Green in the new Team Diving event, which was a scored event for the first time this year. Along with seniors Saylor Hawkins and Brigid Krbec, she helped UNT to a surprising silver-medal finish, as the Mean Green narrowly edged out FIU by a tenth of a point for second on the meet's final night. Earlier on Sunday, junior Shaena McCloud raced to a bronze medal in a fast 100 freestyle field and also set her second of two school records with a 49.48. She set another program record earlier in the meet in the 50 freestyle (22.55).

"I am so proud of the effort and the mental fortitude of our athletes this week," UNT head coach Brittany Roth said. "We saw so many team members take a step forward and rise to the challenge. The members of our team have shown grit and perseverance, and I know that the disappointment in the team standings can unlock the potential and drive of the future of this program.

"As a team, this 2023-2024 season gave our program its fair share of opportunities to work through adversity and how to overcome setbacks," Roth added. "The ability to show up day in and day out, putting forth the necessary effort is daunting for an individual, and when, as a team, we decide to choose taking on the challenge together, that is when a program shines."

McCloud led the Mean Green in total points scored individually with 43, which was tied for 13th in the meet, thanks to her showings in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, in which she qualified for the Championship Final in all three. Three relay teams - the 200 freestyle, 200 medley and 800 freestyle relays - all finished fifth to net 28 points for the team. Other championship finalists included Kailey Turner (200 butterfly), Krbec (1-meter springboard), Guidara (Platform) and Hawkins (Platform).

"There's some really great talent on every team in our conference but our divers held their own and did so well," said diving coach Stephanie O'Callaghan. "Brigid kicked things off strong on Day 1. Then Sydney winning our first AAC medal was thrilling. And then to have so many divers in the A and B final on tower was really amazing to see, especially since it's the event we train the least. On the final day, getting to be part of the first scored diving team event was so much fun. The girls got so into it, were so excited and ready to go. To finish with a bang and snag the silver medal in that event was the perfect way to cap it off. It was made more exhilarating by the fact that we had no idea where everyone ranked through the second half of the event. I'm really happy for Saylor and Brigid in their last year to go out on a high like that! The whole group stuck together as a team and rallied around everyone's individual success. I'm proud of them all."

Also collecting team points over the four-day meet were B-finalists Krbec (Platform, 3-meter springboard), Mackenzie Ferguson (Platform), Turner (500 freestyle), Tram Nguyen (200 butterfly), Diana Kolb (200 IM, 200 backstroke and 100 backstroke, which she won), Noelle Marsh (50 freestyle), Samantha Robles (100 butterfly), Laura Mazzotta (100 breastroke, which she won), Emily Ally (100 backstroke), Kennedy Eichler (1,650 freestyle) and Kaylyn King (1,650 freestyle).

Next up for the Mean Green will be the NCAA Zone diving competition on March 11-13, which will feature Guidara, Hawkins and Krbec, and the CSCAA National Invitational on March 14-16, which will feature Ally, Kolb, McCloud, Robles and Turner.

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Players Mentioned

Emily Ally

Kennedy Eichler

Mackenzie Ferguson

Sydney Guidara

Saylor Hawkins

Kaylyn King

Diana Kolb

Brigid Krbec

Noelle Marsh

Laura Mazzotta

Shaena McCloud

Tram Nguyen

Samantha Robles

Kailey Turner

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