University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska women's swimming team is not wasting any time in 2014 waiting to get back into the competition pool. The Nanooks kick off their two-week road trip to Southern California Saturday in La Mirada, Calif., with a tri-meet against Pacific Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference opponents Biola and Fresno Pacific.
 
The Nanooks (2-2) have already been training in the Southern California outdoor air this week, spending the New Year in the region while preparing for the meet. Saturday's meet is the first of three meets for the Nanooks in an eight-day stretch. It is also the first time Alaska will be competing since the team traveled to Federal Way, Wash., on Dec. 6-8, for the Husky Invitational.
 
The Nanooks have already swam against Biola this season, defeating the Eagles in back-to-back dual meets to open the season on Oct. 25-26. It will be the first time the Nanooks have competed against Fresno Pacific this season, and first time since last season's PCSC Championships in February in the same La Mirada Regional Aquatic Center pool.
 
Saturday will also mark the debut of freshman Nga Nguyen (Wiesbaden, Germany/Psychology), who officially joined the team this week and will swim in her first collegiate meet Saturday. Nguyen brings depth and experience in the breaststroke events and will enhance the Nanooks' medley relays as well.
 
Alaska will look Saturday to improve upon its many NCAA qualifying marks already swam this season. As of Thursday, the Nanooks have 24 total NCAA "A" or "B" standard qualifying marks ranked among the top 50. Only 11 of those times are ranked among the top 16 of their respective events, however – the typical cutoff point for making it to the NCAA championships.
 
The Nanooks' top-ranked performance so far this season came from senior Bente Heller (Hamburg, Germany/Psychology), who swam an NCAA "A" standard in the 100-yard backstroke in 54.88 – a time currently ranked third in the nation.
 
Junior Margot Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Political Science) also has a third-ranked time nationally. Her mark of 55.17 in the 100 butterfly stands as an NCAA "B" standard and is only 1.18 seconds back from the top time in the country.
 
Freshman Victoria Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Accounting) has joined her sister Margot this season in the NCAA qualifying game. The rookie has turned in four NCAA "B" marks herself. Combined with Margot's four total NCAA "B" standards, and the duo being on three of the Nanooks' NCAA "B" qualifying standard relays, the sisters have a total of 11 NCAA "B" marks between them.