Sports
Ferguson Suits Up For NCAA Championships
By: Abigail Carnivale
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An Ohio swimmer has only one more chance to suit up for competition this season, coming against the highest caliber of athletes in the NCAA Championships.
After enduring a season plagued by a shoulder injury, sophomore Addy Ferguson was invited to swim at the NCAA Championships, starting March 20, in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly.
“I’m really excited right now; I can’t wait till like Wednesday,” Ferguson said. “When I get there I’ll be really excited, like getting at the pool and like seeing all the other swimmers.”
Among the former Olympians and national champions, Ferguson looks to stay focused and improve her season-best times while ignoring the big names swimming in the lanes next to her.
“The best-case scenario would be making it back to finals in the 100 backstroke,” Ferguson said.
She is currently a two-time 100-yard backstroke Mid-American Conference Champion, and has hopes to continue her success in the finals of the NCAA Championships.
“That’s really what we’re honing in on,” interim head coach Derick Roe said. “Just trying to make those slight adjustments to get us to the time that it’s gonna need to get a second swim in potentially the deepest field in any race at the entire national championships, the 100 back.”
In preparation of reaching her goal, Ferguson began her taper process, the gradual decreasing yardage in order to be in optimum condition at competition time, after a quick return to Athens just two days after the MAC Tournament.
Along with tapering, she has also focused on the minute details of her racing, like her starts and turns to make up those milliseconds and put her among the elite.
“She typically has great starts, great turns, but we were just a little off there on our walls and getting off the block from where we wanted to be,” Roe said.
While the rest of the ‘Cats enjoyed their spring break and a practice-free week, Ferguson kept up with her regular practice schedule, looking to represent Ohio to the best of her ability.
“I’m representing my team, the alum, all the future Bobcats,” Ferguson said. “I just want to go out there and show them who the Bobcats are.”