(Photo: Casey McNulty/Sun Devil Athletics)
TEMPE– On Friday, Arizona State will face off against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. With a rich history between the two teams, the Sun Devils and Rebels will both look to open the 2024-2025 season with a bang.
For the Devils, there is much anticipation surrounding this meet, as the reigning national champions will be back in action. The Devils returned a hefty squad from their championship run, but the addition of 29 new faces across both teams opened up new opportunities within the program. The coaching staff also saw some changes, and first-year head coach Herbie Behm expressed his excitement about the new dynamic of the team.
“Once somebody leaves, it opens a huge door for somebody else,” Behm said. “It goes back to the whole system and kind of how everybody’s working. There’s a lot of people who’ve already had success but are very hungry for war.”
Last season, ASU had a stellar performance against UNLV. The Sun Devil men snagged the win by over 150 points, while the women emerged victorious by 160. A huge contributor to the Sun Devils’ success was their dominance in the 400-yard medley relay, as the men secured the top four places while the women secured the top three.
Come meet day, the Devils can expect big swims from sophomore Ilya Kharun and fifth-year Erin Milligan. Kharun earned two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in butterfly events, signaling that he is set to be an impact swimmer for the Devils in his signature stroke. Milligan competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the summer and is primed to return to collegiate racing. With her specialty in sprinting, she will likely be a powerhouse in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.
The Rebels bring a strong returning team to face off against the Devils. Senior Bryson Huey should swim well against ASU’s sprinters, as he competed at last year’s NCAA Championships and the U.S. Olympic Trials in the summer. On the women’s side, sophomore Dominika Trentkiewicz finished third in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke against the Devils last year and can be one of the Rebels’ top stars again.
Considering the matchup between the ASU and UNLV, Behm is aware that there are high expectations for the Devils this season. However, he has not forgotten the fundamental principles of the program and how the future is forged from the team’s past.
“We have this new history of high performance, but before that, it’s just been a history of grinding,” Behm said. “Maintaining that while now mixing it with performance is, I think, something that can be really special.”
