Six Wildcats went to Austin, Texas, for this year’s NCAA women’s swimming championships, but only one of them got a chance to stand on the awards podium.
Merritt Adams scored the Northwestern women’s swimming team’s only points of the meet, with a 14th-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly. Adams’ time of 1:59.42 in the consolation finals garnered three points for the Cats, and the meager total left No. 18 NU with a 44th-place finish.
Three relay disqualifications, coupled with subpar individual times, contributed to a long weekend for the Cats.
“It was certainly way below what we had expected to do,” NU junior Susie Sample said.
The other five members of the Cats’ NCAA squad were unable to post a top-16 finish in any preliminary events, thereby failing to qualify for the finals.
The Cats came close in the 200 medley relay with an 18th-place finish and a time of 1:44.61.
Adams secured honorable-mention All-America honors with her appearance in a final heat.
The senior was captain of the Cats’ NCAA squad, which included automatic qualifiers Carmen Cosgrove and Rachel Johnson. The trio was joined by Sample and sophomores Katie Simmons and Vicky West, who received at-large invitations to the March 21-23 meet.
“We were a little taken aback from not having swum very well,” Sample said.
On paper, the Cats’ chances looked good. The squad consisted of five swimmers who had previously earned at least honorable mention All-America honors, with Simmons being the only newcomer to the NCAAs.
“Things just didn’t come together for the individuals in the water,” Sample said.
Despite the disappointments, the swimmers highlighted the positives that came out of the weekend.
Although neither Adams nor Johnson advanced in the 100 fly, both notched career-best times. Adams swam a 54.65 and Johnson posted a 55.28.
Still, the Cats gained confidence at the meet.
“What depicts a good team and individual strength is being able to come back from something like this, and being able to make changes as a result,” Sample said. “I think the people coming back will be able to grow as a result of this.”
