For the Ohio swimming team, it is now a process of wait and see.
Following the Bobcats’ second place finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships, the rosters are being set for the NCAA Championships March 15–17.
Ohio coach Greg Werner said the final roster should be announced Wednesday night. Following last weekend’s meet, Werner sent in information to the NCAA, who partners with USA Swimming to sift through results and select a group of qualifiers.
From there, the committee selects a group of automatic qualifiers, also known as the “A” cut.
Because an automatic bid is very hard to achieve, there is also a “B” cut, or provisional bid.
Not everyone who has a “B” cut makes it because there is a cap placed on the number of swimmers entered.
Based on previous qualifying scores, four Ohio divers will compete in the NCAA Zone Diving Championships March 8-10. Their performance in the Zone Championships will determine whether each diver qualifies for the NCAA Championships.
Werner said Ohio’s divers have a good shot at qualifying for the NCAA Championships because they will compete in a strong zone that includes multiple Big Ten schools.
Werner said sophomore Rachel Stearns is on the bubble to make the “A” cut while sophomore Laurin Williams has a “99 percent chance” of qualifying.
Williams recorded the 22nd best score nationally in the 800-yard freestyle relay while Stearns recorded the 33rd best time in the 200-yard backstroke.
Several Bobcat swimmers qualified for the NCAA “B” cut at the MAC Championships.
Werner said only about 30 “B” cut swimmers will be invited.
He equated qualifying for the NCAA basketball tournament or a football bowl game to qualifying for the NCAA Swimming Championships.
Werner said about one in 12 student athletes will advance to the championships.
“Just to really drive home how selective and how prestigious it is to go the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, it’s arguably the fastest event in the world, faster than the Olympics,” Werner said.
Werner said other MAC teams such as Toledo, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan will also be represented in the NCAA Championships.
- Werner sends in an online application to the NCAA
- The NCAA and USA Swimming select swimmers based on their scores
- Ohio divers qualify for the championships by scoring well at the NCAA Diving Zones
- It is a very selective process and not everyone is guaranteed a spot if they have a “B” cut score
mk277809@ohiou.edu
