Aranza Vazquez crowned NCAA champion
Aranza Vazquez becomes the first diver in program history to be crowned a national champion on the one-meter. She is now the seventh individual female Tar Heel all-time to win an NCAA title, and the first since 2012.
History was made Thursday night on the second day of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, as Aranza Vazquez became the first Carolina diver to ever win a national title.
Vasquez, the top seed after prelims who led after every round during finals, totaled 358.75 for the win, over 18 points ahead of the field. The junior earned bronze on this event in 2022 and silver in 2021.
The La Paz, Mexico native becomes the first diver in program history to be crowned a national champion on the one-meter. She is now the seventh individual female Tar Heel all-time to win an NCAA title, and the first since 2012.
Also earning All-America honors on day two at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, was Grace Countie, who finished sixth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.67. It marked the third First Team All-America selection of the fifth-year’s career in this event.
The Tar Heels finished ninth overall in the 200 freestyle relay as Countie (21.77) Olivia Nel (21.85), Greer Pattison (21.96) and Skyler Smith (21.91) combined in 1:27.49 to conclude the second finals session of the four-day meet.
With two days remaining in the meet, Carolina sits at ninth overall with 73 points, one point behind Cal (74) and three behind Florida (76). The Tar Heels are third among Atlantic Coast Conference teams.
On Friday, the Tar Heels will have student-athletes compete in the 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 3-meter diving and 400 medley relay.
