CHAPEL HILL– North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championships in all classifications of swimming and diving are set for the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary.
The NCHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships are scheduled for this week, with different classifications on each day. The championships will kick off on Thursday with the 3-A event, followed on Friday by the 1-A/2-A championships and then conclude on Saturday with the 4-A competition, all at the Triangle Aquatic Center.
Swimming will commence each day with preliminaries starting after the coaches' meeting, which is scheduled to end at around 8:45 am. Finals are slated to begin at 4:45 pm each day.
The diving for all classifications will occur at Pullen Aquatic Center in Raleigh. Diving competition will start on Wednesday with the 3-A divers, with warm-ups beginning at 1 p.m. and competition at 1:45.
The 1-A/2-A diving competition is Thursday, with all warm-ups starting at 2 pm and competition 45 minutes later. The 4-A divers will compete on Friday, with warm-ups starting at 1:00 and then competition 45 minutes later.
In men’s swimming and diving, Durham’s North Carolina School of Science and Math is the two-time defending state champion, with Carrboro winning the team title the three years prior to that. NCSSM won its East Regional over the weekend while Shelby was winning in the West.
Chapel Hill won the 2014 men’s 3-A crown, snapping a Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons streak of state titles at four. Chapel Hill, Concord and Waxhaw Marvin Ridge captured this year’s regional team titles.
Cary Green Hope is the two-time defending 4-A men’s champ, ending a streak by Charlotte Providence at three in a row in the ’13 championships, and won its regional title. Pfafftown Reagan and South Mecklenburg were other regional champs.
In women’s competition, Charlotte Catholic has won 13 consecutive state championships in swimming and diving across three different classifications, including eight straight from 2006 through ’13 at the 3-A level and then the 4-A title last year when realignment moved the school into that classification. Catholic, East Chapel Hill and Green Hope earned the regional team titles.
Marvin Ridge was the 2014 women’s champ in the 3-A classification and won its regional last weekend, as did Cox Mill and Cardinal Gibbons.
Raleigh Charter has won the last four 1-A/2-A women's state championships and took top honors in its East Regional with Lincoln Charter winning in the West.
The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance is the primary host sponsor for the championships in Wake County along with the City of Raleigh.
NCHSAA FastFacts
Event: NCHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships
Date: Swimming—Thursday, February 12 for 3-A; Friday, February 13 for 1-A/2-A; Saturday, February 14 for 4-A
Diving– Wednesday, February 11 for 3-A; Thursday, February 12 for 1-A/2-A; Friday, February 13 for 4-A
Site: Triangle Aquatics Center, Cary, for swimming; Pullen Aquatic Center, Raleigh, for diving
Admission: six dollars per session or nine dollars for an all-day pass
First Held: 1950 for men, 1972 for women
Qualifiers: The top eight fastest times in each event, including relays, qualified from the regional level to the state championship meet in 3-A and 4-A; the top 12 fastest times in 1-A/2-A qualified.
Defending champions: women: 1-A/2-A, Raleigh Charter; 3-A, Marvin Ridge; 4-A, Charlotte Catholic; men: 1-A/2-A, North Carolina School of Science and Math; 3-A, Chapel Hill; 4-A, Green Hope.
Of Interest: Charlotte Catholic has won 13 consecutive women’s state championships in swimming and diving across three different classifications, but that is not the longest streak in swimming. Greensboro Grimsley won 16 consecutive men’s state crowns from 1965 through 1980 when competition was open (all classifications together).
Host City Sponsors: The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, The City of Raleigh
