(Photo: Casey McNulty/Sun Devil Athletics)
TEMPE – Arizona State swim and dive is gearing up for a momentous Mona Plummer finale packed with excitement on multiple fronts. During the last home meet of their season, the Sun Devils will face their crosstown rivals, the University of Arizona, honor their seniors and welcome a special alumni guest. Above all, the team is motivated to shatter the pool’s attendance record by attracting the biggest audience an ASU aquatic showdown has ever seen.
Former ASU swim and dive team captain Kyle Sockwell will return to Mona Plummer on Saturday on the last stop of his swimming dual meet tour. After packing stands and beating his own records at schools across the collegiate swimming scene all season, Sockwell is headed home to Tempe specifically for the rivalry meet. In addition to packing the stands, he hopes to race a sub-22 50-yard freestyle.
This will be the third time this season that the Sun Devils have faced the Wildcats. Earlier, the ASU men and women claimed victory over Arizona in the All-Arizona quad meet and the GAC Invitational.
The ASU men are coming off their first loss of the season, as they fell short to the University of Texas at the Eddie Reese Texas Showdown. As they look to bounce back and defeat the Wildcats for the third time this season, the Sun Devils must utilize their prime assets.
Key performances from the Sun Devils will come from sophomore Ilya Kharun. During the Texas Invite, Kharun propelled his team from behind to first place in both the 200- and 400-yard medley relays. He also displayed individual dominance in the 100-yard freestyle, where he claimed the fourth-best time in the country this season. During the last matchup against Arizona, Kharun claimed the best time in the nation in the 50-yard butterfly. In addition, he holds some of the top three times in the NCAA for the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, as well as the 50-yard freestyle.
The women are also looking for a three-peat over Arizona and to round out a 7-6 record during the regular season. Sophomore Sonia Vaishnani is set to perform well for the Devils. She has delivered several impressive swims in her second season at ASU, especially in the 200- and 400-yard individual medley. At the Texas Invitational, Vaishnani set NCAA “B” times in both races and displayed strength in the 200-yard butterfly. While it is senior day at Mona Plummer, ASU can count on sophomore strength to help both teams.
In their last three matchups, the Wildcat men defeated Brigham Young University and Minnesota but suffered a loss to Harvard. This weekend, recent Big 12 Swimmer of the Week junior Haakon Naughton is set to make a splash for Arizona. He holds numerous top-20 times in the nation for the 50-, 100- and 200-yard butterfly events.
The Wildcat women are coming off three consecutive wins over BYU, Northern Arizona University and Minnesota. As they seek redemption against the Sun Devils, impact swimmers such as junior Eleni Gewalt are important assets for Arizona. Gewalt holds the ninth-best time in the nation for the 50-yard breaststroke and is a former Pac-12 Championships finalist in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Looking to conclude the regular season with a win and record-breaking atmosphere, Sun Devil swim and dive must concentrate efforts, dial ambition and establish dominance to defeat the Wildcats. With a victory, they will secure momentum and a foundation of focus as championship season approaches. Energized by intense emotions and primed for a fierce rivalry competition, ASU aims to make this meet a defining moment to seal the regular season.
