FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Arizona Women's Swimming will look to add more chapters of excellence to its 2021-22 season when it competes at the Pac-12 Women's Swimming Championships just outside of Seattle, Washington. The conference's championship meets begins on Wednesday, Feb. 23 and runs through Saturday, Feb. 26. Daily Coverage of the championships will be carried by the Pac-12 Networks, Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.
The Wildcats have been posting strong times throughout this season, highlighted by Aria Bernal being named Pac-12 Swimmer of the Week following the team's Senior Day win over Arizona State. The team also got wins in that meet from Lexi Duchsherer in the 50-meter freestyle and Julia Heimstead in the 100-meter butterfly.
Arizona finished in sixth place in last year's Pac-12 Women's Swimming Championships, which were held in Houston, Texas. The Cats got a podium finish of their 800-meter freestyle relay team (Amalie Mortensen, Molly Batchelor, Julia Heimstead, Casslyn Treydte) placed third with a time of 7:05.32. Four different Wildcat swimmers to earned NCAA B cut honors in their respective events. Kayla Filipek (22.73) in the 50-meter freestyle, Hannah Farrow (1:59.04) in the 200-meter individual medley, Molly Batchelor (4:44.03) and Amalie Mortensen (4:45.03) in the 500-meter freestyle.
Pac-12 Championships Overview
Wildcat women close the 2022 Pac-12 Championships with a total of 16 total individual NCAA B cuts across nine different swimmers. Julia Heimstead, Aria Bernal, and Felicity Passon all lead the way for Arizona, each totaling three NCAA cuts.
Arizona also four other NCAA cuts from their relay races. The Cats were able to make cuts in the 200 medley, 400 medley, 200 and 800 free relay events.
Day 1 Results
200 medley relay (Bernal, Neser, Heimstead, Duchsherer)
Arizona "A" - 1:37.10
800 free relay (Mortensen, Heimstead, Passon, Lindsay)
Arizona "A" - 7:04.67 (NCAA B Cut)
NCAA B Cut tonight for the 800 free! ?????
(Heimstead, Mortensen, Passon, Lindsay) with a time of 7:04.67 pic.twitter.com/OsFDqKWaAW
— Arizona Swim & Dive (@ArizonaSwimDive) February 24, 2022
Day 2 Results
200 IM
Julia Heimstead - 1:58.00; NCAA B Cut
Aria Bernal - 1:59.76; NCAA B Cut
50 free
Alayna Connor - 22.50; NCAA B Cut
Lexi Duchsherer - 22.57; NCAA B Cut
Alyssa Schwengel - 22.70; NCAA B Cut
200 free relay (Anderson, Connor, Duchsherer, Schwengel)
Arizona "A" - 1:29.06
NCAA B Cut for Julia Heimstead!
She swims a time of 1:59.63 in the 200 IM ?? pic.twitter.com/ZVcL53ZoKH
— Arizona Swim & Dive (@ArizonaSwimDive) February 24, 2022
Aria Bernal! Another NCAA Qualifier in the 200 IM with a B cut! #BearDown pic.twitter.com/GnbUeWJfMX
— Arizona Swim & Dive (@ArizonaSwimDive) February 25, 2022
Day 3 Results
100 breast
Jade Neser - 59.88; NCAA B Cut
400 IM
Tia Lindsay - 4:16.93; NCAA B Cut
100 fly
Julia Heimstead - 52.51; NCAA B Cut
Felicity Passon - 53.23; NCAA B Cut
100 back
Aria Bernal - 52.05; NCAA B Cut
Felicity Passon - 53.91; NCAA B Cut
400 medley relay (Bernal, Neser, Heimstead, Duchsherer)
Arizona "A" - 3:33.05; NCAA B Cut
Another one. ??
Jade Neser with a B cut in the 100 breast! #BearDown pic.twitter.com/SKmeFg8tPi
— Arizona Swim & Dive (@ArizonaSwimDive) February 25, 2022
Day 4 Results
200 back
Aria Bernal - 1:54.43; NCAA B Cut
Felicity Passon - 1:54.30; NCAA B Cut
Axana Merckx - 1:57.05; NCAA B Cut
100 free
Alyssa Schwengel - 49.35; NCAA B Cut
200 fly
Julia Heimstead - 1:54.90; NCAA B Cut
Alyssa Schwengel grabs her second B cut of the weekend! ??
This time in the 100 free with a time of 49.35 pic.twitter.com/N9Vz0zjB61
— Arizona Swim & Dive (@ArizonaSwimDive) February 27, 2022