GREENSBORO, NC – Senior Elizabeth Spaans of the University of Sioux Falls Swimming Team placed 34^th with a clocking of 2:06.60 in the 200 IM as the 2022 NCAA DII Swimming and Diving Championships opened on March 9.

Today's performance by Spaans, who was a multiple event winner at the NSIC Championships earlier this year, was the start of a busy week for USF Swimming. Spaans along with Inte Pas and Ilinde du Plessis advanced to the NCAA DII Championships. Spaans did not advance to the finals after today's clocking.

Each Cougar heading to the championships in North Carolina received an invite due to their B cut standard times they posted earlier this season. This is the third straight year USF has received three or more invites to the NCAA Championships.

Up next for USF will be du Plessis who will compete in the 200 free prelims at 10 am (EST) on Thursday, March 10.  On Friday all three USF swimmers will compete. Spaans and du Plessis will swim in the 100 back while Pas will compete in the 100 breaststroke prelims, all at 10 am. On Saturday, March 12, Pas will compete in the 20 breaststroke with du Plessis in the 200 back prelims.

Spaans, who has been named a CSCAA All-American in 2020, is competing in her third NCAA DII Championships. A CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, she was part of three third place USF teams that placed third and one that placed fourth in 2022 at the NSIC Championships.

At the NSIC Swimming and Diving Championships, Spaans claimed NSIC titles in both the 100 IM and 200 IM while also helping the 800 Free Relay team to a victory and meet record. As a result, Spaans has now been part of 10 team or individual NSIC titles. A three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree, she landed three B cut times in 2022 with 2:03.41 in the 200 IM, 55.85 in the 100 Back, and 56.15 also in the 100 Back.  
 
Inte Pas claimed her first career NSIC title with her victory in the 200 breaststroke at the league championships. An NSIC Swimmer of the Week, her career best time of 2:16.80 ranks 13^th in DII and granted her one of her event berths in the NCAA Championship. The freshman also landed two B cut times in the 100 Breast where she surpassed her prelim time of 1:04.00 with a 1:03.82 in the finals. The latter time propelled her to a berth in the event at the NCAA Championship.
 
Ilinde du Plessis was a crucial part of the Cougars meet record setting 800 Free Relay while also posting two B cut times during the NSIC Championship. Her time of 55.72 in the 100 Back ranks 23^rd in DII and landed her in her first NCAA Championship. Du Plessis was also invited to swim in the 200 Back after her time of 2:01.14 that she set during the last chance meet this past weekend. She will also compete in the 200 Free, though she was not invited, after posting a B cut time of 1:52.13 during the conference meet.