Editor’s note: The Star’s Zack Rosenblatt is counting down the 50 best athletes on the University of Arizona campus right now, with help from athletes, coaches and those close to the program.
No. 18: Katrina Konopka
The details: Konopka is a 5-foot-8 swimmer specializing in freestyle and backstroke entering her junior season for Arizona’s swimming program. She will be swimming the 50 freestyle event for Team USA at the World University Games in Taiwan next month.
Konopka came to Arizona after a standout prep career at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Greenville, South Carolina. She was named to the All-State team every year and was a member of the 2015 Junior National Team where she set a junior world record in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay. She also finished second in both the 50 free and 100 free at Junior Nationals.
Konopka picked Arizona over Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, where new UA coach Augie Busch was hired away from
.
“As soon as I arrived in Arizona, I knew that it would be my home,” Konopka said. “I absolutely loved the coaching staff and the team. I felt like they were a big family and that is something I was looking for.”
The numbers: Konopka was Arizona’s top female performer in a number of events last season, recording the team’s top time in the 50 free (21.71), 100 free (48.13), 100 back (52.02) and as part of four different relay team events (200 free, 400 free, 200 medley and 400 medley). She also finished with the 10th-best time in 200 free (1:53.19), seventh in the 100 fly (56.11) and 10th in the 200 individual medley (2:06.38).
As a freshman, she finished 18th in 50 free at the NCAA Championships, which she improved on as a sophomore.
The value: Konopka is currently Arizona’s most successful swimmer, on either the men or women’s side.
With a new coach and rebuilding program, the Wildcats will rely on her to help bring the UA back closer to relevance, especially after finishing in 16th place at the NCAA Championships in 2017, the program’s worst finish since before Frank Busch began a two decade stretch as coach in 1989.
“I wish that last season had been a bit better. However, I was able to learn a lot about myself and about my swimming,” Konopka said. “I believe that last year made me a much better athlete and so I am very excited to see how next season goes.”
Why Konopka? Even during some team struggles last season, Konopka was Arizona’s most consistent performer, leading some of the best performing relay teams in school history and rising the school’s all-time leaderboard in 50 freestyle. Entering her junior season, Konopka will have two years under Augie Busch’s tutelage to become a threat for a Pac-12 or NCAA title.
Proof she’s good: Konopka is in the top six in four different events in Arizona history, including third place in the 50 free, fifth in the 100 free, sixth in the 100 back and first as part of a 200 medley relay team (1:34.63). She is also a world-record holder in the 200-meter medley relay, part of a gold-medal winning Team USA group from the 2016 World Championships in Windsor Canada.
At Arizona last year, Konopka earned All-American status in 200 free and medley relays, as well as three honorable mention All-America honors in 50 free, 400 medley relay and 400 free relay. In the 50 free, she improved to a 13th overall finish after finishing in 18th as a freshman.
What Konopka can accomplish: Konopka wasn’t able to finish in the top four at NCAAs in any of the events she qualified for, but with some improvement, she’s a candidate to become an All-America selection in as many as five events, in addition to contention for Pac-12 titles in a few categories.
She said it: “I am very excited for this upcoming season. I get to start off by representing Team USA at World University Games in Taipei. This year should be a lot of fun, and that is the most important part of swimming for me. My goals for this year just include having fun and racing my hardest to represent the ‘A’ the best I can.” — Konopka
