PHOTO BY MADISON KASPER
Women’s swimming was recognized during halftime of the NCAA South Regional championship basketball game on March 18 for winning its third consecutive national championship.
The women’s swimming team earned the third consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship on March 15 and set a new NSU and Sunshine State Conference record in the 400 Freestyle Relay. Entering the fifth and final day of the championship with 353 points, the team trailed Drury University by five points.
“In the last session, we were just focusing on having fun — that’s what our coach said. Just go out and have fun because we all have trained for this,” said Emilia Ronningdal, junior interdisciplinary studies major and national champion in the 800 and 400 Freestyle Relay.
That mentality proved to be crucial as the championship came down to the wire. With just two points separating the teams in the last event, the Sharks needed to secure a victory in the 400 Freestyle Relay to surpass Drury. The group performance of Zsofia Kurdi, Emilia Ronningdal, Maria Goncalves and Maya Esparza pushed the Sharks to earn the championship title and set a new NSU and SSC record with their time of 3:19.09. Overall, the Sharks earned three individual NCAA national championships.
Ben Hewitt, head men’s and women’s swimming coach and College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America DII Women’s Coach of the Year, said that even opposing coaches recognized the team’s passion during their performances.
“It was said to me at the meet by one of the coaches, he walked up before the last session started. And he goes, ‘congratulations.’ And I’m like, ‘what are you talking about? This thing’s not over? Don’t tell me that.’ And he goes, ‘did you see those girls today? They care way too much about this,’” Hewitt said.
The team’s ability to consistently come together and perform under pressure for the past three seasons embodies Hewitt’s roster-building strategy.
“It really just comes down ultimately to how we’ve been able to put the right kind of person in the roster that understands the team. This is a team that has grit and desire and hunger, which a lot of the time can outweigh the talent that another team can have,” Hewitt said.
Having experienced the team’s dynamic firsthand as a freshman and national champion in the 200 and 800 Freestyle Relay, Kristina Orban validates the team’s consistent success.
“It’s definitely the team dynamic and the willpower of the team and the unity. This whole year, and I’m certain this energy was the same as the last three years, we focused so much on having fun and not taking it too seriously,” Orban said.
Hewitt explained that the team environment, which Orban highlights, provides unique opportunities for athletes like her and Ronningdal, particularly those from Europe.
“These are opportunities for Emilia and Kristina, and a lot of the other Europeans, since they don’t have college sports.They don’t really have high school sports, so sometimes when you bring them in here and you put that team environment in front of them, they just blossom,” Hewitt said.
With now three championships under their belt, Hewitt outlines his forward-looking approach for next year, focusing on building a new team without pressure.
“We are trying to do this in the most present way possible, and come next year, there will be a new group. We’ll recruit some new swimmers and that group is just going to have to build and buy into the core principles, then we’re going to teach them and get them in the right shape so that they’re swimming fast at the right time of the year,” Hewitt said.
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