VIDEO: Sikatzki Previews NCAA Championship
CLEVELAND, Ohio – For the first time in seven years the Cleveland State Vikings will be represented at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, as junior Philipp Sikatzki is set to compete in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Backstroke, and 100 Freestyle at this year's championship. Sikatzki is the first Viking to qualify for the NCAA Championship under head coach Paul Graham, and one of just two Horizon League swimmers to earn an invitation (Devon Nowicki, Oakland) this year.
2016 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships | Wednesday, March 23 – Saturday, March 26
McAuley Aquatic Center | Georgia Tech | Atlanta, Georgia
10:00 a.m. | Prelims – 6:00 p.m. | Finals
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | OFFICIAL PSYCH SHEET
The 2016 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
This year's Division I NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships will run from Wednesday, March 23 – Saturday, March 26 at the McAuley Aquatic Center on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta, Georgia. Two of Sikatzki's events will take place on Friday, March 25 (100 Fly & 100 Back), while the 100 Free will take place on Saturday (March 26). A complete list of events can be found on the Championship Central Page.
Friday's NCAA Schedule Of Events
400 IM
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle
100 Breaststroke
100 Backstroke
3-Meter Diving
200 Medley Relay
Saturday's NCAA Schedule Of Events
200 Backstroke
100 Freestyle
200 Breaststroke
200 Butterfly
Platform Diving
400 Free Relay
Follow Along Live!
For those fans that are unable to attend the championships, you will still be able to follow along live, as there will be live results and live video available for the prelims and finals on all four days of competition. Click the links below for specific results/video links for Friday and Saturday.
Live Results | Friday Prelims & Finals
Live Video | Friday Prelims
Live Video | Friday Finals
Live Results | Saturday Prelims & Finals
Live Video | Saturday Prelims
Live Video | Saturday Finals
The Field
There will be 58 swimmers competing in the prelims of the 100 Butterfly, 44 participating in the 100 Backstroke prelims, and 62 competing in the prelims of the 100 Freestyle. Entering the week, Sikatzki's seed time ranks 11th in the Butterfly field (45.90), 27th in the Backstroke field (46.41) and 37th in the Freestyle field (43.22)
Earning A Spot In The Finals
The top eight times (places 1-8) in each preliminary race will advance to the event finals and earn NCAA All-America. The next eight times (places 9-16) will swim in the B final and earn NCAA All-America honorable mention.
Sikatzki In The CSU Record Book
Sikatzki enters the NCAA Championships as the Cleveland State record holder in the 100 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, and 100 Butterfly - setting program-best times in all three events at the Horizon League Championship. Along with setting Cleveland State records in all three races, Sikatzki also set Horizon League Championship and Horizon League All-Time records in the 100 free, 100 back, and 100 fly this season.
