The 2024-2025 ASU swim and dive season was one for the books. At the NCAA National Championships, the men's team finished 6th, and the women's team came in 19th, marking the women's team's best finish since 2012.
In their new conference, Sun Devil swimmers won 37 Big 12 Swimmers and Divers weekly awards. Both teams won the Big 12 Championships as well, marking the third straight conference title for the men and the first ever for the women.
"(It) gets you in the mindset going forward, and you know that you have what it takes," Graduate swimmer Caroline Bentz said on how winning the conference prepares you for a championship stage. "It's just about performing on that day."
To make things more impressive, the two teams set 13 records and combined for 29 Big 12 titles at the Championships.
"Exciting time to be in ASU athletics," Head Coach Herbie Behm said. "All credit to Graham (Rossini) and Dr. (Michael) Crow in the support, and everything they've done is incredible. I think we're moving the needle on how athletic departments are run."
These accomplishments wouldn't have been possible without talented swimmers such as Bentz, junior swimmer Jonny Kulow and freshman swimmers Julia Ullmann and Lucien Vergnes, all of whom earned different Big 12 Swimmers of the Meet awards. Bentz and Kulow took the women's and men's Swimmer of the Meet titles, and Ullmann and Vergnes took the women's and men's Freshman of the Meet titles.
Bentz was a star in her final collegiate year for the Sun Devils, in which she was a part or responsible for five Big 12 records set at the Championship. She's now a seven-time Big 12 Champion and has been to the NCAA Championships during all of her five years of eligibility.
"Bentz specifically is one who is everything we want in a leader in the pool and out," Behm said. "You're really lucky when you get someone like that who's vocal, outgoing, social, leader but also, when it's time to go, she's really good."
Bentz said that consistency-wise, this season is the best of her career. She enjoyed every second of being part of this women's team and accomplished all that she wished to.
READ MORE: Caroline Bentz brings passion and pride to ASU Swim and Dive during final year
Kulow is another kind of swimmer that any coach would ask for because of his competitive edge that teams fear, according to Behm. He's a five-time champion in both the Big 12 Championship and the Pac-12.
"Seeing the progression, and almost the aura of Jonny Kulow, has been really cool," Behm said. "He's one of the best to ever do it. At the end of a relay where anytime he's chasing people down, he can find something extra inside of himself."
Ullman is a three-time All-American and four-time Big 12 Champion with a Big 12 Women's Newcomer of the Week in her back pocket. Vergnes was part of the men's 200 medley relay at the NCAA Championships, helping the team place fourth and earning himself first-team All-American honors.
Outside of the pool, senior swimmers Patrick Sammon and Charli Brown were recognized with prestigious awards. Sammon won the Elite 90, which is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA in their respective sport's championship site. Brown received the Heather Farr Award, which is given to a student who embodies what it means to be a great Sun Devil student-athlete.
To earn these accomplishments, you need a give it your all— something Behm and his fellow coaching staff engrave into their swimmers no matter what it is they’re doing.
"One thing we say here is 'How you do anything is how you do everything,'" Behm said.
All the success of these athletes wouldn't have been possible without giving credit to the coaching staff, especially after the departure of the previous head coach, Bob Bowman.
"To have a head coach like Herbie (Behm) that's so positive and has such big dreams and goals and passes those onto his team is a huge deal," Bentz said. "Being in this culture and environment of excellence and positivity and being hungry... that's something that was a big pull for me."
To have accomplished all they did, the Sun Devils were always communicating and staying focused on their goals. They showed up to practices ready to work on the small details that can improve their overall performance and keep each other on track. They practiced as if it was a meet day so that they were well-prepared.
"We're constantly racing in practices every single week," Bentz said. "We're constantly putting ourselves into a perfectionist racing mindset. Where even if we do something wrong, we have to be able to adjust for it quickly."
Before heading into this season, this group was posed with many challenges. For example, whether or not the team could successfully overcome the loss of Bowman and global superstar swimmer Léon Marchand would greatly affect their chances of success.
Now, looking back at the résumé they've worked so hard to build, they have no doubts this program can still be one of the best.
"Have faith in the growth that we've had," Behm said. "We had a lot to prove ... We are still in the fight on that, and that's a really cool thing. That goes back to all the successes in the environment and how everybody interacts together."
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Braccio and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at linunez@asu.edu and follow @laurentahuka on X.
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Lauren is a junior studying sports journalism with a minor in digital audiences. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Blaze Radio Sports, WCSN and Sun Devil Athletics.
