Then there were three. Although most of the ASU women’s swimmers have swum their final meet of the season, senior Jen Beckberger, junior Ashton Aubry and freshman Jordyn Green still have work to do.
The trio will be competing in the NCAA Championships over the next three days.
For Beckberger, it will be not only the last meet of the season, but the last of her ASU career.
“Everything has gone by so fast,” Beckberger said. “I feel like I just got here, and now it’s almost over.”
Beckberger, a native of Canada, said that opportunities to swim in college are few and far between in her home country, and added that she was elated when she received her scholarship.
Beckberger will be competing in the 50-meter freestyle today, the only ASU swimmer competing on the first day of the meet.
“It’s been such a cool experience and an amazing opportunity,” Beckberger said. “The team is awesome, and these past four years have been great.”
Beckberger said she was disappointed with her performance at the Pac-10 Championships, but she squeaked into the NCAA field at the last minute.
“It’s been great this year, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs,” Beckberger said. “The whole year we’ve worked so hard and making it to the NCAA’s has made all the hard work worth it.”
Head coach Michael Chasson said the Sun Devils arrived in College Station, Texas, two days before competition started to get used to the 2-hour time difference and the pool conditions.
ASU practiced Tuesday and Wednesday, and both Beckberger and Chasson said things were going well.
“It’s more of a warm-up,” Beckberger said of the practices. “We get loosened up, stretch and get used to the starting blocks. It definitely helps to get here early and get used to the time change.”
Although ASU is not expected to win any events, Chasson said that it is possible for each swimmer to score points by placing in the top 16 of their best event.
Other goals include swimming personal best times and also setting new school records.
“We’re shooting for the ASU 200[-meter] freestyle team record,” Beckberger said. “It’s going to be a great meet with a lot of fast swimmers.”
The meet will run from Thursday to Saturday.
Reach the reporter at todonnel@asu.edu.
