Aranza Vazquez wins second NCAA title
Twenty-four hours after winning the one-meter at the 2023 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, Aranza Vazquez made it a springboard sweep by claiming the three-meter.
One national title wasn’t enough for University of North Carolina diver Aranza Vazquez – so she went and earned herself another.
Twenty-four hours after winning the one-meter at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships – becoming the first Tar Heel diver to ever win a national title – Vazquez made it a springboard sweep by claiming the three-meter.
The junior cleared the field by 16 points with a final score of 385.80 to secure her spot at the top of the podium once again. Just like she did on one-meter, she led after every round.
Vazquez is the seventh individual female Tar Heel all-time to win an NCAA title, and just the second to win more than one.
Racing in her first individual NCAA final, Skyler Smith began the session by earning All-America Honorable Mention in the 100 breaststroke. The sophomore finished fourth in the consolation heat, good enough for 12th overall.
Hours after breaking the school record during prelims at 59.01, Smith lowered it once again as the first Tar Heel under the 59-second barrier at 58.94. Her time lowered the previous mark of 59.29 set by Caroline Hauder in 2020.
Smith’s best time was 59.30 coming into the meet, which was set exactly one month prior at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.
Also earning an All-America Honorable Mention selection was Grace Countie, who won the B-final of the 100 backstroke for ninth overall. Her time of 50.81 was faster than her morning swim of 51.16, and just shy of her school record 50.77.
It was Countie’s third NCAA final in the event in her career.
The Tar Heels ended the night with a bang, racing to a new school record in the 400 medley relay. Sophie Lindner (52.00), Smith (58.72), Ellie VanNote (50.84) and Countie (47.47) combined in 3:29.03, crushing the previous mark of 3:30.30.
North Carolina remains in ninth place after three days with 125 points, just 10 points behind eighth-place Tennessee.
The Tar Heels will have student-athletes in all six events on the fourth and final day of competition Saturday at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee: 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, platform diving and the 400 freestyle relay.
