Jasmine Alkhaldi was prepared to call it a career after helping lead the Hawaii women’s swimming team to a conference championship last month.

Turns out, the Rainbow Wahine senior had a few more laps left.

Shortly after being named the "swimmer of the meet" at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships and celebrating UH’s team title, Alkhaldi received an invitation to the NCAA championships and will compete in three events starting Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.

"That was such a good feeling for me to go out that way," Alkhaldi said of the MPSF meet. "Then finding out I made the NCAAs was the cherry on top of everything."

While Alkhaldi remained hopeful the NCAA invite would come, she braced herself in the event her record-breaking performances in the MPSF meet marked the last time she touched the wall for UH.

But even after the selections were posted, it took a little while for the news to set in.

"I was really nervous leading up to (the NCAA announcement) and when I found out I still didn’t believe it," Alkhaldi said. "It was, ‘OK, I’m going,’ but it’s surreal. It took a couple of days to be actually like, ‘I am going to the NCAAs.’ "

Alkhaldi, who swam for the Philippines in the 2012 Olympic Games, considered the berth in the NCAA championships "a long shot" when she arrived at UH as a freshman. But the goal came into clearer focus over the next two years and broke through this season with a push from UH assistant coach Jennifer Buffin, who accompanied Alkhaldi to Greensboro with head coach Victor Wales.

"(Buffin) was the one who always knew I would make it and I would be the one doubting all the time," Alkhaldi said. "It motivates me, because if she believes I can do it then maybe I can."

Alkhaldi qualified in the 100-yard freestyle and will also swim the 50 and 200 freestyle in the three-day meet at the Greensboro Aquatic Complex.

While Alkhaldi will end her career in her first NCAA meet, UH juniors Aimee Harrison and Lauren Hall will make their second appearances after qualifying in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the NCAA Zone E meet in Colorado last week.

All three picked up event titles at the MPSF championships to help UH sprint away with the school’s first MPSF title in any sport. Alkhaldi set meet records in the 50 free (22.49 seconds), 100 free (48.87) and 200 free (1:46.70) and swam on four victorious relay teams.

Her time in the 100 earned her the NCAA bid and she’s listed 37th on the psych sheet for the event. She’s seeded 46th in the 50 and 53rd in the 200, an event headed by U.S. Olympic gold medalist and Cal sophomore Missy Franklin.

But Alkhaldi enters the meet focused on swimming against the clock rather than those in the neighboring lanes.

"I want to swim personal bests and see where that takes me," she said.

California freshman and Punahou graduate Jasmine Mau is set to compete in the 100 and 200 butterfly and 100 backstroke. She’s the 15th seed in the 200 fly. San Diego State freshman Summer Harrison (Mid-Pacific) was also invited in the 100 and 200 butterfly. Wagner’s Anu Nihipali (Hawaii Prep) was invited in the 100 backstroke.

UH diver Amund Gismervik will represent the Rainbow Warriors in the NCAA men’s championships March 26-28 in Iowa City, Iowa.

NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships
At Greensboro, N.C.

>> When: Thursday-Saturday

UH entrants

>> Jasmine Alkhaldi 

Thursday—50 freestyle; Friday—200 freestyle;

Saturday—100 freestyle.

>> Lauren Hall and Aimee Harrison

Thursday—1 meter diving; Friday—3 meter diving.