The Virginia Tech swimming and diving program will see 21 student-athletes compete at this year’s NCAA Championships as 12 men and nine women are set to take to the pool with some of the world’s best athletes in Indianapolis over the next two weeks.
The Hokie men finished 19th at last year’s championships while the women finished 25th. It marked the fourth time in program history that both the men’s and women’s squads finished in the top 25 in the nation in the same season.
“I truly believe that this is the best team that we’ve ever taken to the NCAA Championships,” head coach Ned Skinner said. “We have women and men with great scoring potential and I am excited to watch them capitalize on all of the hard work that has been done.”
The Tech women will take to the pool on March 15 and the men’s competition will begin March 22.
“I truly believe that this is the best team that we’ve ever taken to the NCAA Championships,” head coach Ned Skinner said. “We have women and men with great scoring potential and I am excited to watch them capitalize on all of the hard work that has been done.”
Reka Gyorgy is a 2016 Olympian for her native country of Hungary. She is the reigning ACC Champion in the Women’s 400 IM and holds school records in the 200 and 400 IM races. She looks to continue building on the momentum she has created so far this season at the 2017 NCAA Championships.
Klaudia Nazieblo returns to the national stage and is looking to repeat her All-American performance from last season. The Wroclaw, Poland native is coming off of a very successful 2016-17 season that saw her win five Polish national titles and break three national records. Klaudia currently holds school records in seven different events.
Jess Hespeler is coming off of a record setting ACC Championships that saw her break four different school records. The Ledyard, Connecticut product is no stranger to elite competition as she found herself in the championship finals in several events at the 2016 US Open this past summer. Hespeler looks to help guide the Hokies to their highest finish ever at this year’s NCAA Championships.
Chole Hicks, a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier, has enjoyed a very successful freshman campaign. The ACC finalist has dropped more than five seconds off her time in the 200 backstroke. Hicks and Gyorgy have combined to make a formidable 1-2 punch in their first seasons with the H2Okies.
Senior captain Brandon Fiala returns to put the exclamation point on an already historic career with the H2Okies. The three-time All-American posted school and conference records in the men’s 100 and 200 breaststroke events at the 2017 ACC Championships while also earning up two ACC titles in the process. Brandon looks to solidify his place as one of the best ACC swimmers in history in Indianapolis.
Robert Owen, a 2016 U.S. National Team member, has carried his momentum from this summer’s Olympic Trials into this season. The senior captain successfully defended his 400 IM title at the 2017 ACC Championships for the third year in a row, making him the first in program history and one of only six swimmers in ACC history to win the event three times. After earning honorable mention All-American honors last year, Owen looks to finish his NCAA career by picking up his first All-American nod.
Norbert Szabo, a 2016 Olympian for Hungary, has been a major player for the Hokies in a myriad of events. The 2017 NCAA Championships will be Szabo’s second time at the national competition and he will look to continue building off of his experience from last season.
Sean Workman, a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier, has emerged as a key contributor for the H2Okies this season. The sophomore will be competing in his first NCAA Championship and has the talent to join Robert Owen as one of the backstrokers in the history of the program.
Ashley Buchter took a redshirt year last season after coming off of rotator cuff surgery. She’s a multi-time ACC finalist and will be competing at the NCAA Championships for the third time. Her third place finish on platform at the NCAA Zone A Championships clinched her bid to the meet.
After a productive freshman campaign, Ashlynn Peters has been diving at an extremely high level as a sophomore. She is the reigning ACC Champion on the three meter springboard and was ACC Diver of the Week on January 17. At the Zone A Championships, Peters had three top six finishes in three events.
Mauro Castro Silva is a multi-time ACC finalist, an ACC bronze medalist and has represented Mexico in multiple junior international competitions. He scored a 689.45 to place second in the platform finals at Zones and turned in a 685.85 in the three meter.
Eduardo Castro Silva is Mauro’s younger brother and is a multi-time ACC finalist and Mexican Junior National Champion in his own right. This will be his second trip to NCAAs after qualifying in all three events at Zones.
Thomas Shinholser is a multi-time ACC finalist, bronze medalist and a 2014 honorable mention All-American on platform. He has accelerated into the championship segment of the season by winning the Zone A Championships on platform in convincing fashion to qualify for the NCAAs.
Ben Schiesl has made some incredible strides between his freshman and sophomore campaigns. He is a two-time finalist at ACCs and was second in the one meter event at Zones to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
— Courtesy of VT Athletics
