NCAA winter sports’ postseasons kick off

The GIST: Winter sports’ postseasons have officially begun! Conference championships are happening in three sports this weekend, and while winning doesn’t guarantee teams a spot in their respective national tournaments, this hardware is still a BFD.

🏊 Swimming & diving: Teams don’t nab tickets to the late-March natty pool, but individuals can by making a splash with qualifying times or scores. Thirteen conferences hold their ’ships this week, but don’t miss the ACC women’s meet, which wraps up tomorrow. No. 1 Virginia is absolutely crushing it thanks to junior Gretchen Walsh breaking records left and right.

• As for the men, the SEC Championship, which also holds its grand finale tomorrow, is stunningly competitive. The conference boasts six ranked teams, including four in the Top 10, so expect a strong southern presence when the NCAAs begin on March 27th.

👟 Indoor track & field: Just like swimming & diving, individuals can race into early March’s national championship with standout performances at this weekend’s meets. The SEC has the most ranked women’s and men’s teams…but it’ll be hard to disrupt Arkansas’ reign of terror, so monitor the also-competitive Big 12 ’ship, which ends tomorrow.

⛷️ Skiing: The selection process for the national tourney, which begins March 6th, is complicated, but winning one of the three regional titles goes a long way toward bagging a bid. Without a doubt, this weekend’s RMISA finals are the ones to watch as four-time reigning champ Utah battles powerhouse rivals Denver and Colorado.