2022-23 NCAA DII Women's Swimming and Diving Championship Psych Sheet
One is heading to the NCAA DII National Championships for the first time, while the other is making a repeat trip after impressing as a freshman.
For both Megan Clifford and Elise Mason, however, Wednesday was a special moment.
The two Hillsdale College sophomores found out they had earned a spot in the NCAA DII Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, scheduled to be hosted from March 7 to 11 in Indianapolis, as the NCAA announced the field for the event on Wednesday afternoon.
Mason qualified in the 1,650 freestyle with a seed of 25th nationally, making it on the strength of a best time this season of 17:13.50 in the event at the Don Kimble Invite back in November of 2022. She's also eligible to compete in the 500 freestyle and the 1,000 freestyle after swimming B-cut times in both events.
Clifford, meanwhile, is the 16th seed nationally in the 200 butterfly, with a personal best time of 2:02.51, one that she also swam in the Don Kimble Invite for the Chargers.
Both swimmers are elite competitors for the Chargers, with a combined 11 G-MAC/MEC titles between them in two seasons at Hillsdale. Both are coming off an excellent showing at the 2023 G-MAC/MEC Championships, where Mason swept the distance races for three conference titles, and Clifford finished in the top three in both the 100 and 200 yard butterfly while helping the Chargers to a victory in the 400 medley relay in a time of 3:51.02.
Mason holds Hillsdale College records in the 500 freestyle (5:01.19) and the 1,650 freestyle (17:11.51), while Clifford holds the Chargers' record in the 200 butterfly (2:02.51) and is second only to former All-American Linda Okonkowski in the 100 butterfly (57.16).
Both athletes have the opportunity to join an elite group of four former Charger swimmers who earned NCAA DII All-American honors in their careers -- Colleen Rickard, Linda Okonkowski, Rachael Kurtz, and Anika Ellingson -- by finishing in the top 16 in an event during the four-day meet.