FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska women's swimming team will head into the championship portion of the 2013-14 season as a top-20 team.
The College Swimming Coaches Association of America released its third and final NCAA Division II women's poll of the season Friday with the Nanooks holding the No. 16 spot.
Alaska (5-9) fell four spots from its No. 12 ranking in the CSCAA's Dec. 19 poll. The Nanooks wrapped up their dual meet schedule last week with back-to-back losses at home against Cal Baptist, which jumped five spots to No. 9 in the poll.
The CSCAA poll is voted on by seven CSCAA member coaches and one member of the media. It is not designed to predict the results of the NCAA Championship, but rather which teams would win head-to-head against other teams in the country.
The Nanooks are in the first week of a 2 1/2-week rest from competition to prepare for the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference championships on Feb. 12-15 in La Mirada, Calif. The meet will be the team's last chance to improve upon qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Championships, being held March 12-15 in Geneva, Ohio.
Alaska currently has 20 times ranked in the national top-30, including four relays. Senior
Bente Heller (Hamburg, Germany/Psychology) has already booked her trip to the NCAA Championships with an automatic NCAA "A" standard time of 54.88 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke. She also has top-10 ranked times in the 50 (7th, 23.41) and 100 freestyles (10th, 51.03).
Heller has also played a part in all four of Alaska's nationally-ranked relay performances. The Nanooks' 200 and 400 medley relays have stood the test of time best since the Husky Invitational on Dec. 5-7. Their 200 medley relay time of 1:45.44 is ranked No. 12 and their 400 medley relay mark of 3:51.27 is 14th. Freshman
Victoria Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Accounting), sophomore
Eileen Audette (Seward, Alaska/Fisheries), junior
Margot Adams (Anchorage, Alaska/Political Science) and Heller make up both medley relay squads.
CSCAA NCAA Division II Women's Swimming and Diving Team Rankings – Final Poll, Jan.31
|
Rank |
School |
|
1 |
Drury |
|
2 |
Queens (N.C.) |
|
3 |
Wayne State |
|
4 |
Simon Fraser |
|
5 |
UC San Diego |
|
6 |
Wingate |
|
7 |
Florida Southern |
|
8 |
Delta State |
|
T9 |
Grand Valley State |
|
T9 |
Cal Baptist |
|
11 |
LIU Post |
|
12 |
West Chester |
|
13 |
Indianapolis |
|
T14 |
Lindenwood |
|
T14 |
Northern Michigan |
|
16 |
Alaska |
|
17 |
Tampa |
|
18 |
Ashland |
|
19 |
Nova Southeastern |
|
20 |
St. Cloud State |
|
21 |
West Florida |
|
22 |
Truman State |
|
23 |
Edinboro |
|
24 |
Indiana (Pa.) |
|
25 |
Gannon |
Also receiving votes: Cal State East Bay, Bridgeport, Southern Connecticut, Limestone, Findlay, Hillsdale
