The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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NC State
No. 2 Women’s Swimming and Diving preview: at No. 5 NC State and North Carolina
01.27.2022 | Women's Swimming and Diving
The Longhorns head to North Carolina for a pair of weekend dual meets.
No. 2 Texas (2-1) at No. 5 NC State (5-1)
Friday, January 28, 2022
Where: Willis R. Casey Aquatic Center, Raleigh, N.C.
Time: Dive – 2:00 p.m. CT; Swim – 3:00 p.m. CT
Watch: ACCNX
Live Stats: Available on Meet Mobile
No. 2 Texas (2-1) at North Carolina (2-3)
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Where: Maurice J. Koury Natatorium, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Time: 8:00 a.m. CT
Watch: ACCNX
Live Stats: Available on Meet Mobile
Texas' Top Times: 2021-22 | All-Time
Meet Notes
The Matchups
Texas will go head-to-head with NC State on Friday for the first time since February 2019, when the Longhorns defeated the Wolfpack, 168-130, at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center as part of a double dual meet with Arizona. That victory marked the UT's 21st-straight dual meet victory. The Longhorns won nine events on the night, including a sweep of the springboard events by Alison Gibson and three victories by Joanna Evans (200 free, 500 free, 1,000 free).
The Longhorns last met North Carolina in a dual meet in November 2017, with Texas winning 12 of 16 event in Chapel Hill to secure a 172-125 victory. Evie Pfeifer won the 1,000 free and registered the top time in the 200 IM, while picking up a third-place result in the 200 backstroke.
A Look at the Longhorns
Texas is 2-1 in dual meets this season, with a home win over Incarnate Word (212-81) and a victory over Texas A&M (180-112). The lone blemish on the Longhorns record is a road loss at defending NCAA champion Virginia (120-195).
The UT swimmers' last competitive action took place at the Minnesota Invitational, highlighted by sophomore Anna Elendt's UT-record 57.90 in the 100 breaststroke, sophomore Olivia Bray registering the second-fastest 100 backstroke in program history (50.93), and senior Evie Pfeifer winning the 500-yard free with a time of 4:40.39. The program record in the 200 medley relay also fell, as senior Julia Cook, Elendt, Bray and junior Bridget Semenuk posted a time of 1:34.26.
The divers last competed at the USA Diving Winter Nationals, where the Longhorns won the team competition with 137.50 points. Freshman Hailey Hernandez earned Big 12 Diver of the Week honors for her performance in Minnesota after winning the 3-meter springboard title and winning gold in the synchronized 3-meter springboard with her partner Daley Schnell. Junior Janie Boyle collected a pair of medals, earning silver in the mixed synchro platform with partner Lyle Yost and bronze in the synchro platform event with her partner Abigail Knapton. Sophomore Bridget O'Neil brought home the bronze with partner and fellow Longhorn Noah Duperre in the mixed synchro 3-meter springboard.
Top Times in the NCAA this season by Longhorns
800 free relay – Kelly Pash, Kyla Leibel, Olivia Bray, Julia Cook (6:56.94*)
* Denotes A Standard
Other A Standard times for the Longhorns
100 backstroke – Olivia Bray (50.93)
100 breaststroke – Anna Elendt (57.90)
200 breaststroke – Anna Elendt (2:06.21)
100 butterfly – Emma Sticklen (50.76)
200 butterfly – Emma Sticklen (1:52.47), Kelly Pash (1:52.69), Olivia Bray (1:52.98)
200 medley relay – Julia Cook, Anna Elendt, Olivia Bray, Bridget Semenuk (1:34.26)
400 medley relay – Olivia Bray, Anna Elendt, Emma Sticklen, Kelly Pash (3:27.53)
A Look at the Wolfpack
The fifth-ranked Wolfpack opened the season with five dual meet victories, with victories over North Carolina, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky and Duke before following to No. 1 Virginia last Saturday in Charlottesville, 173-122.
A Look at the Tar Heels
After opening the season with a victory over Queens, North Carolina fell in back-to-back dual meets to NC State and at Georgia before picking up a win against Georgia Tech. Last time out, the Tar Heels fell to Virginia on the road on Friday, 168-126. UNC will square off with Duke on Friday before competing against the Longhorns on Saturday.
Longhorns in the Rankings
Texas opened the 2021-22 campaign at No. 5 in the preseason rankings and moved up to No. 2 in the November poll, where they have held firm in each subsequent ranking.
Next Up
The Longhorns head to Dallas to face SMU on Friday, Feb. 4.
Players Mentioned
