By: Lizzy Lankford
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — This past season for the Razorback Swimming and Diving team is being considered one of the best in program history.
After finishing 8th at the SEC Championships, six of the 32-woman roster prepared to go to the NCCA championships.
The U of A swimming and diving team prepared extra hard in the coming weeks to NCAA Nationals.
This is the most swimmers coach Neil Harper has sent to NCAA’s since being named head coach in 2016—and the most in school history.
One of the top athletes is long-distance swimmer, Peyton Palsha, who was excited about not being the only woman from Arkansas competing at nationals this year.
“As we got older, we helped recruit faster people, so we got noticed more and it just built upon itself” said Palsha, “We still have a little ways to go, but we are in a completely different place than when I was a freshman.”
The swimming and diving team is one of the only all-female sports teams on campus and is home to seven international students.
Sprinter Emily Barclay is from Bolton, England, and has been preparing for the Olympic Trials.
“The only thing that’s a downside is the competition because you just have no fans or spectators, and even though it was still great, I can imagine what it would be like when everybody’s roaring and cheering, so that’s one thing I’m going to miss,” said Barclay.
Both Palsha and Barclay competed in multiple events throughout the week.
The National Championships were the week of March 17th, however, both Palsha and Barclay didn’t swim until later that week.
The team finished 27th overall with Palsha gaining an All-American Honorable Mention.