Analysis: Art Adamson Invitational Win Huge for Arizona State

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Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold

By Dan D’Addona.

When Bob Bowman took over the Arizona State swim team, it was only a matter of time before the Sun Devils became a Pac-12 contender.

The Arizona State progression has moved quickly this season, highlighted by a huge invitational victory.

The Sun Devils held off Texas A&M and LSU to win the Art Adamson Invitational this weekend.

While it might not have been the meet with the most ranked teams competing, holding off two SEC teams like the Aggies and Tigers was a huge step for the Sun Devils.

Richard Bohus had a huge meet for Arizona State, swimming to a school record in the 100 backstroke and helping to key some big relay performances.

Freshman Cameron Craig has continued his surge into the nation’s elite, which just a year ago was a dominating assault on high school pools across the state of Michigan.

Craig can swim anything and is going to be a pivotal performer for Bowman and Arizona State, someone that can be put in different spots in big meets to maximize the Sun Devils’ points.

Meanwhile the Texas A&M women continued to out-depth the competition, rolling to victory in their home invitational.

Here is a look at some of the key races:

The Aggies finished with a total of 1,404.5 points, more than double that of second-place LSU (687). Boise State was third (522.5), followed by Arizona State (390), SMU (359), TCU (162) and Incarnate Word (38).

In the men’s meet, Arizona State surged ahead with 969.5 points to beat the host Aggies (917.5), LSU (912), TCU (352), Incarnate Word (212) and SMU (186).

Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson won the 200-yard butterfly in 1:54.59, going 1-2 with Bethany Galat (1:55.67).

Gibson won the 100 freestyle in 48.52, holding off LSU’s Leah Troskot (48.9).

Ashley McGregor (2:07.16) and Sydney Pickrem (2:09.21) went 1-2 in the 200 breaststroke. McGregor’s time is an NCAA automatic cut.

Amy Miller, Claire Rasmus, Kristin Malone and Gibson won the 400 freestyle relay (3:16.05).

SMU’s Matea Samardzic won the 200 backstroke in 1:53.54, ahead of Texas A&M’s Lisa Bratton (1:54.73) and Pickrem (1:55.46).

In the men’s meet, Arizona State’s Richard Bohus won the 200 backstroke (1:41.34), going 1-2 with Barkley Perry (1:42.9). Patrick Park won the 200 butterfly (1:44.0). Bohus, Tadas Duskinas, Park and Cameron Craig won the 400 freestyle relay (2:53.33).

Cory Bolleter won the 100 freestyle for the Aggies in 43.40, holding off Craig by four hundredths.

Mauro Castillo won the 200 breaststroke (1:53.84) for the Aggies.

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