ASU swimming and diving coach Mike Chasson is asking for nothing but personal bests today, as the men's squad opens competition at the NCAA Championships in Minneapolis.
The Sun Devils head to the meet with only a few good men -- three swimmers and a diver -- although Chasson still expects a strong showing.
"Most people at the NCAAs go slower than their entry times," said Chasson, whose team finished 18th at last year's NCAA Championships. "If you can do your time or slightly better, usually you can place."
ASU's hopes are hampered by the fact that the Sun Devils didn't qualify any relay teams.
"With no relays, we're not going to be in the team race," Chasson said. "If [junior diver] Joona [Puhakka] and those guys each make a consolation, we could be 18th, 19th or 20th possibly, but not any higher than that with the number of people we have."
Chasson said individual goals will be benchmarks for success. Puhakka, the two-time defending national diving champion, appears poised to continue his hot streak.
ASU diving coach Mark Bradshaw rested Puhakka after Puhakka competed for Finland in the Summer Olympics. Bradshaw and Chasson said they expected Puhakka to have an off year, but Puhakka has continued to excel.
In February, Puhakka became the first diver in Pac-10 history to win three consecutive titles on both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards.
Puhakka won all but one event in dual meets this season, sweeping the springboards at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships.
Puhakka said the best has yet to come.
"It's a lot easier to win one board event, but it is a lot harder to win both," he said. "It's totally possible. I just have to get my act together. I'm definitely not in as good of shape as I was last year at this time, but I think I am a good competitor, and I try to pull my weight once I'm at the meet."
Flanking Puhakka will be a trio of experienced swimmers in senior Emerson Ward and junior David Kolozar. Sophomore Leo Martins will be making his nationals debut.
Last season, Kolozar's 14th-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly was tops for ASU. Kolozar holds the second-fastest time in school history in the 200-yard butterfly at 1 minute, 46.16 seconds.
Ward ranks second all-time in the 100-yard breaststroke at 54.58 seconds. Martins stands third all-time in the 200-yard breaststroke at 1 minute, 59.49 seconds.
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
