Day 1: What Makes Women’s NCAAs Pure Magic

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers

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By Annie Grevers, Swimming World Staff Writer

I stepped into the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta and caught a heavy whiff of chlorine. The smell can take you back to summertime, your first 8-hour club competition, high school state…but the place it took me was here, Women’s DI NCAAs, (seemingly) just a few years back. NCAAs has a distinct air about it…wildly competitive, intense, team-centric, impassioned, and many times, a truly joyful place. Girls shake their muscles in tune to Flo-Rida and call it “dancing.” But we all know these athletes aren’t especially gifted in synchronizing their limbs on land. But when it comes to moving water, these gals are the creme de la creme.

Here are 4 elements of this otherworldly meet which contribute to the Women’s NCAA Championship mystique…

1. That rowdy relay kick off.

NCAAs, the meet that proves each team’s depth and brawn, must commence with a relay. Yes, the 800 free relay was shifted to be the meet’s tipoff last night, and that was A-OK with most everyone. But had they moved the individual 200 free to Wednesday night, there would be an all-team uprising. Between the 800 free relay, 200 free relay, and 400 medley relay, teams were able to get three shots of adrenaline and inspiration in the same 18 hours. Even if all four legs of the relay didn’t glisten, there’s typically a bright spot to dwell on. Speaking of bright spots…

2. Splits that tell a story.

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers

Kelsi Worrell (Louisville) split a 20.84 in this morning 200 free relay and a 49.25 in the fly leg of the 400 medley. Read that again. Spectators let out a collective gasp upon seeing a sub-21 split on the board. Freshman Lilly King (Indiana) split a 56.82 in the breaststroke leg of the medley. Not to say that these swift splits guarantee a stellar meet, but they give us an inkling as to who is hitting their taper. And swim nerds get giddy about these relay standouts’ upcoming individual races. Scary fast hypotheticals whirl around in our minds…

3. Freshmen taking it all in.

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers

NCAAs. It’s the meet that seems as real as a unicorn to freshmen throughout the season. The magical, mythical NCAA Championships…”What do they look like? And feel like? And how did I never pay attention to the fastest short course meet in the world before last year?”

4. NCAA logos everywhere.

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers

You best be prepared because if your strategy is to forget this is a big meet, it will certainly fail you. “NCAA” is smacked on every flat surface the natatorium has to offer. This is big time. I’ll never forget diving into warm up at my first NCAAs– there it was, a massive NCAA logo staring at me from the bottom of the pool. Yes, ladies, you’ve arrived.

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Pop C

8 years ago

Magical for swim parents, too, Annie! Talk about a unified group–check out the sections inhabited by the parents of the many qualifiers from the top swim schools (not to endorse them here!), and you will find businessmen and women, professionals from varied fields, educators, and (thank the Lord) supermoms, folks from all walks of life, all suddenly transformed into rabid, nutty, adrenalized college kids themselves–what a blast! And should their daughters somehow prevail to win an individual event (thrilling!), a relay (more so), or, hope of hopes, the whole shebang–well, I defy the rooting sections of the March Madness gyms to celebrate more joyfully!

Yes, moms and dads, be sure to eat this great time with a spoon–you will never forget it.