Completed Event: Men's Swimming & Diving versus NCAA Championships on March 28, 2026 ,
Final Score
Men's Swimming & Diving
vs NCAA Championships
The University of Utah Athletics
University of Utah Swimming and Diving Begins Pac-12 Championships
2/21/2012 12:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Feb. 21, 2012
With an exciting inaugural Pac-12 Conference season almost complete, the University of Utah swimming & diving team is about to embark on what its been preparing for all year, the Pac-12 Championships. The Utes will see four nationally-ranked teams on the men's side and five on the women's side over the next two weeks.
The Ute women and the diving team will compete Wednesday through Friday in Federal Way, Wash. At Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, while the Utah men's team heads to Long Beach, Calif., on Feb. 29-March 3.
"This is what we've been focusing on all year long," Utah head coach Greg Winslow said. "Our goal here is to get kids qualified for the NCAA Championships. I feel really good about our season thus far. We've been training hard. This is why we get up in the morning and work so hard. This is an amazing opportunity to race against some of the fastest teams in the country."
The Utes approach the Pac-12 Championships with goals of making NCAA qualifying times. For the team, this is an exciting but nerve wracking time. Utah Junior Kayla Buck says there is more pressure at a big meet like this.
"With a meet like this you have to focus on the moment. It gets tiring, but we've been doing this for so long. You just have to take it one thing at a time," said Buck.
"The conference meet is more serious," junior Karson Applin said. "You have to pull out everything. It's all about times."
LeighAnne Oliver relays her jittery excitement at her opportunity to be a freshman swimming for Utah at such an exciting time.
"Coming in as a freshman in Utah's first year in the Pac-12 is fun," said Oliver. "I'm super excited for the championships, but I know I'll get nervous right before we leave. My goal is to just swim by best and get an NCAA qualifying time."
Utah 2011-12 Season Review
The Utah women's squad completes its regular season 5-6 overall and 2-5 in Pac-12 competition, while the Ute men turned up 6-6 overall and 1-4 in conference meets.
The Utes' season began on Oct. 7 at the Intermountain Shootout. The Utah women bested Northern Colorado (259-76), Colorado State (221-113) and Colorado Mesa (275-56), as the Utah men came out ahead of Colorado Mesa (270-83) and Air Force (190-164).
The Utes then took a trip to Calif. on Oct. 20 to face Stanford and Cal back-to-back in their first Pac-12 meets. Stanford topped the Utes on the women's side (180-112) and on the men's (155-124). Cal also took home the win in the women's meet (155-124) and the men's meet (158-119).
In the Utes' first home meet of the season, the Utah women beat Washington State on Oct. 29, 147-114. The Ute women turned around to beat UNLV in Salt Lake City the next weekend, 164-136, but the Utah men fell short, 165.5-128.5.
On Nov. 11, Utah faced the Colorado School of Mines and came out with the win on both sides, 103-86 in the women's meet and 109-88 on the men's side.
At Denver on Nov. 12, the Utah women topped Colorado School of Mines (192-50) and Seattle (151-83), but fell to Denver (142.50-99.50). The Ute men topped Seattle (153-68) and also fell to Denver (133.50-96.50).
The Ute swimmers then took a month-long break from competition as the Utah diving team competed in the Incarnate Word Invitational on Dec. 18-20.
Utah was back in action on Jan. 7 for Senior Night at Ute Natatorium. The Ute men pulled out their first Pac-12 win over Arizona State, 165-135, but the Utah women were topped, 178-100.
The Ute women then took a trip north to face Oregon State and UCLA. The Utes dropped both dual meets, 147.5-114.5 to Oregon State and 176-81 to UCLA.
In the women's final meet of the season, Utah took on rival BYU at Richard's Building Pool. The Cougars were the winners of the Deseret First Duel by a 162-138 score on the women's side and by a 161-137 margin on the men's side.
Utah men took on USC in their final regular-season meet. The Utes broke two school records (100 free: Nick Soedel, 400 free relay: Karson Applin, Bjorn Gunnarsson, Ken Tiltges and Soedel), but the Trojans topped the Utes in the end, 157-148.
Pac-12 Quick Facts: Scouting the Competition
- 12 out of the last 30 NCAA women's champions have come from the Pac-12.
- 10 out of the last 30 NCAA men's champions have come from the Pac-12.
Stanford
- The Stanford men currently claim third place in the national rankings, while the women stand in eighth.
- The Cardinal women have won back-to-back Pac-10 Championships
- The Cardinal men have a Pac-10 winning streak lasting 30 years, beginning in 1982.
Cal
- The number one-ranked California women's team finished the regular season with a 7-1 record after being upset by rival Stanford on Feb. 11.
- Both the California women's and men's teams are the reigning NCAA Champions.
- The women have taken the NCAA title twice in the last three years.
- Cal men are currently sixth in the NCAA rankings.
- The Utah women did not face the Golden Bears during the regular season and will see the Trojans for the first time at the Pac-12 Championships.
USC
- The Trojans conclude their season with a 6-2 Pac-12 record, losing only to Stanford (160.5-139.5) and Cal (162-138).
- USC men are nationally ranked in fifth, while the women are ranked seventh.
Arizona
- Wildcat men claim first place in NCAA rankings, while the women stand in ninth.
- The men held a perfect record in dual meets this season.
Arizona State
- Wildcat women hold the 21st spot in NCAA rankings.
Next Time Out
The NCAA Zone Diving Championships will be held in Long Beach, Calif. Feb 29-March 3. NCAA Women's Championships are to take place in Auburn, Ala. March 15-17, while the NCAA Men's Championships will be in Federal Way, Wash. March 22-24.
Players Mentioned
Fly/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free/Breast/IM
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Fly/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free
/ Men's Swimming & DivingHear It From Harlan with Utah Diving's Holly Waxman
Monday, April 22
Jaek Horner becomes the FIRST Ute on record to earn Pac-12 Swimmer of the Week two weeks in a row!
Wednesday, February 21
Good Luck to Swimming and Diving at the Pac-12 Championships
Tuesday, February 21
Utah Swimming and Diving Beats BYU in Dual Meet
Tuesday, January 24