Arizona’s Women’s Swim & Dive Team Makes a Splash with Impressive Win Over NAU in 2025 Opener

TUCSON, ARIZ. — The Arizona Women’s Swimming & Diving team welcomed the New Year with a commanding 162.5 – 80.5 win against state rival NAU at Hillenbrand Aquatics Center on Friday, Jan. 3. 

The competition showcased remarkable displays from members of the team, highlighted by first-place finishes in both relays and a complete podium sweep in the 50 Free and 100 Free races. Junior Malia Rausch had a remarkable performance on Friday, securing first place in the 200 Free (1:52.06) and the 500 Free (5:03.12). Alyssa Schwengel added to the team’s success with outstanding swims, finishing at the top in the 100 Free (50.43) and being a part of two first-place relay teams in the 400 Medley Relay and the 200 Free Relay. 

In diving, Zara Ayazi scored 9 points for the Cats with her first-place finish in the 1m event (286.73). Senior Brooke Earley earned second place in the 1m (265.20) and third in the 3m (250.95), contributing 6.5 points for the Cats. Maria Colombo secured second place in the 3m (251.03), just behind NAU’s Mackenna Stocker. 

The Cats secured victory in all but three events, concluding the meet with a total of 10 first-place finishes, 10 second placements, and six finishes in third.



Top-Three Finishes

First Place:

• 400 Medley Relay, Arizona “A” Relay, 3:44.25 (Paige Armstrong, Eleni Gewalt, Maryam Sheikhalizadehkhangh, Alyssa Schwengel)

• 1000 Free, Ava Sutphin (10:24.52)

• 200 Free, Malia Rausch (1:52.06)

• 50 Free, Lexi Duchsherer (23.27)

• 200 IM, Julia Wozniak (2:05.85)

• 1m, Zara Ayazi (286.73)

• 100 Free, Alyssa Schwengel (50.43)

• 200 Back, Kayman Neal (2:00.80)

• 500 Free, Malia Rausch (5:03.12)

• 200 Free Relay, Arizona “A” Relay, 1:32.09, (Julia Wozniak, Alyssa Schwengel, Lexi Duchsherer, Riley Botton)
  
   

Second Place:

• 400 Medley Relay, Arizona “B” Relay, 3:47.87 (Lila Lillie, Maddy Ahluwalia, Emma Kinsey, Lexi Duchsherer)

• 200 Free, Kayman Neal (1:52.38)

• 50 Free, Riley Botton (23.36)

• 200 IM, Kelsey Wasikowski (2:07.74)

• 1m, Brooke Earley (265.20)

• 200 Fly, Claire Christie (2:06.84)

• 100 Free, Julia Wozniak (51.37)

• 3m, Maria Colombo (251.03)

• 200 BR, Kelsey Wasikowski (2:21.20)

• 200 Free Relay, Arizona “B” Relay, 1:32.09 (Maryam Sheikhalizadehkhangh, Meric Demirtepe, Eleni Gewalt, Amalie Mortensen)
  
   

Third Place: