Miclau and Pasadyn Close Out Season Competing on the Biggest Stage

Nearly six months of training and competition ended on the highest note for Harvard women’s swim and dive as they claimed their fifteenth Ivy League Championship title in program history. However, work was not done quite yet for senior swimmer Felicia Pasadyn and sophomore diver Liz Miclau.

This past week, from March 23 through March 26, Pasadyn and Miclau competed at Georgia Tech’s McAuley Aquatic Center in the 2022 NCAA Women’s Swim and Dive Division I Championships. Pasadyn is one out of only 281 swimmers across all Division I programs to have made it to the NCAA Championships after qualifying in the the 400-yard individual medley, 200-yard backstroke, and 200-yard individual medley. After coming off wins in both the 400 IM and 200 back at the Ivy league Championships, Pasadyn was well prepared and in great form to compete. Pasadyn qualified for NCAA’s two years ago, during her first year, before the meet was canceled due to Covid-19, making her all the more excited and eager to compete this year on the largest stage.

Miclau, having traveled with Pasadyn to Georgia, found herself in the top form as well, as one out of only 41 divers across the nation’s DI diving programs to make it this far in the season. She qualified for the three-meter diving event and the platform diving event at the 2022 NCAA Zone A Diving Championships.

Pasadyn was off to the races on Thursday, competing in the 200 IM where she posted a season-best time of 1:57.36 in the preliminary heats. Pasadyn’s record setting was not limited to crushing just her own best times, but the program’s as well. On Friday, Pasadyn set a program and personal record of 4:08.25 in the 400 IM.

“It was so unexpected,” Pasadyn emphasized. “Getting fifteenth place in the nation was really special. I was not expecting that at all.”

Pasadyn’s 400 IM success garnered her the status of All-America honors, an award achieved by those who place in the top sixteen in the nation in an event. However, Pasadyn won accolades not only in the pool, but out of it as well. On Friday, she was presented the NCAA Elite 90 award, a prestigious honor that denotes her as having the highest cumulative GPA out of all the participants on site competing in the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships. Keep in mind, Pasadyn achieves this award as a nineteen-year-old senior in just her third year of college. Pasadyn concluded her time at the championship meet by competing on Saturday in the 200 back, where she swam a time of 1:54.06, placing 28th.

The diving championships began for Miclau on Friday when she competed in the three-meter diving competition and placed 47th in the country with a score of 242.40.

On Saturday, she continued her championship meet diving in a fiercely competitive field of the best platform divers in the nation, placing 33rd with a score of 240.40. Her largest scoring dive was an incredible back two-and-a-half somersault tuck which recorded a score of 56.40.

Miclau reflected on her success in making it to this pinnacle of the season contributing it largely to her dedication and her team’s support. She spent a large part of her gap year training and diving at high levels to prepare her for big moments like this championship.

“During my year off I trained and got to compete competitively at a few international meets. I feel like I had a lot of personal growth, and by the time this [NCAAs] came around I was more prepared and more self-confident,” she explained.

When talking to Pasadyn and Miclau, both athletes emphasized that they could not be more proud of being a part of the Harvard women’s swim and dive program. They were both overwhelmed by the support and love they received from their teammates and community.

“So many people would come to practice every day to support me and just be so encouraging,” said Pasadyn.

Not only did her teammates extend their season to practice with and help her in any way possible, but they supported and motivated her during the week of competition.

“The amount of texts I received, goodie bags, and letters really spoke to how encouraging and empowering the team is. I am so grateful for how supportive they were because it really felt like they were doing it with me,” boasted Pasadyn.

“There is really nothing like competing on the team,” said Miclau. “The experience of being on the team and having everyone around you at every meet is incredible.”

Miclau, a sophomore, will be back diving for the Crimson next year, hoping to take her experiences and success at NCAAs back to help the program compete for their sixteenth Ivy League title in 2023 as the team looks to defend this year’s title. Pasadyn, who activated Advanced Standing, will graduate early this May and end her time with the Crimson, but will go on to swim for Ohio State while getting a Master of Arts in Bioethics degree.