The 2021 Women’s D1 Swimming and Diving NCAA Championships set off this week in Greensboro, North Carolina at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. The meet runs from March 17-20.

LSU qualified four swimmers-Summer Stanfield (sophomore), Katarina Milutinovich (sophomore), Emilie Boll (sophomore), Hannah Bellina (freshman) — and three divers — Anne Tuxen (redshirt sophomore), Helle Tuxen (freshman), and Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant (freshman).

There’s something to be said about the future of LSU swim and dive, seeing as how this group consists of three freshmen and four sophomores.

“It really didn’t hit me until the end of diving zones to be honest. When I wrote in Helle’s name on our travel party and I looked at the list…,” LSU Swimming Head Coach Dave Geyer said.

Seven freshmen and sophomores, it’s obviously exciting. I think it can set a standard or precedent of what we are capable of moving forward as well. That expectation that we will have freshman qualify.”

In the pool:

Summer Stanfield qualified in the 200-yard backstroke, and earned ‘B’ cuts in both the 200-yard butterfly, and 200-yard Individual Medley events. Katarina Milutinovich qualified in the 200-yard freestyle, while also earning ‘B’ cuts in the 50-yard freestyle, and 100-yard freestyle. Emilie Boll qualified in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Hannah Bellina qualified in the 200-yard butterfly.

“It is so promising to have such a young group of girls competing at NCAAs this year. We have all learned so much from each other, so it’s exciting that we can get this experience and continue to look forward and improve,” sophomore Summer Stanfield said.

We’ll give it our all at this meet and after that we’ll be back in the pool focusing on what we can do now that will pay off over the next few years.”

On the boards:

Anne Tuxen qualified in the 10-meter platform, and 3-meter springboard events. Her sister, Helle Tuxen, qualified in the 10-meter, just a few weeks after having elbow surgery. Tuxen’s first time doing her 10-meter dives post-surgery was the day of the competition. Montserrat Gutierrez Lavenant qualified for all three events, consisting of the one and three-meter springboards and 10-meter platform.)

Anne Tuxen qualified for her first NCAAs last year, she remembers the devastation she felt due to last year’s COVID-19 cancellation,

“Only two days before departure we were sent home due to COVID…I was super bummed when NCAAs didn’t happen last year because I worked so hard to come back from my surgeries, and being told ‘no’ was not easy,” Tuxen said.

Getting back on the horse after a long break with quarantining was also not easy. Having my sister by my side was critical for me as an athlete. She really kept me happy and sane through it all. She helps keep me motivated and always reminds me of what our lifelong goals are. We are definitely stronger together.”

It’s a new dawn for LSU Swimming and Diving, and one can’t help but be optimistic about what the future holds for this budding program.

Live coverage of the NCAA championships can be found here: http://lsul.su/2OuAOVR