Pac-12 Past, Present, and Future Featured at La Mirada Sectionals

2017 LA MIRADA SECTIONALS

• July 20th-23rd, 2017
• La Mirada, CA
• Psych sheets

Psych sheets have been posted for this weekend’s sectionals in La Mirada, California. Many swimmers who are headed to Pac-12 powerhouses (or swam for them, or currently swim for them) are going to be racing this weekend.

As they’re in the middle of a golden era, the Stanford women will have a couple of their incoming commits swimming this weekend. Grace Zhao of Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics and Katie Glavinovich of Aquazots are two of the Cardinal’s high profile newcomers racing, with Zhao looking for big swims in both breaststrokes– she’s seeded 1st in the 200 and 2nd in the 100. Meanwhile, Glavinovich is seeded top 5 in both IM’s as well as the 200 free. An incoming freshman for the Stanford men, Palo Alto’s Alex Liang, could win several events. Liang is the only swimmer under 2:00 in the 200 fly, and he also holds top seeds in the 200 free and 200 IM.

USC is represented by two women with great shots at wins in more than one event. Rising junior Riley Scott, swimming with Marin Pirates, is the top seed in both the 100 breast (over Zhao) and the 200 IM. Rising sophomore Catherine Sanchez is the 200 fly #1 seed, and 2nd in the 100 fly.

Sanchez is right behind rising UCLA sophomore Kenisha Liu in that 100 fly. Liu is all over the place at this meet, representing Brea Aquatics. Besides her top seed in the 100 fly, she’s seeded first in the 100 free and 400 IM, 2nd in the 200 IM, 200 breast and 50 free. A strong meet by Liu could land her the high point award by Sunday. UCLA grad Kathryn Campbell will try to pull off the distance triple crown– she’s the top seed in the 400, 800, and 1500 free.

Bryce Mefford of Cal’s class of 2021 is seeded first in three events: the 100 free, 100 back, and 200 back. In the 200 back, he’s the heavy favorite– his entry of 1:58.63 is well ahead as no other swimmer is entered under 2:03.

Arizona State will also be represented at the top of the psych sheets thanks to rising junior Daniel Comforti of the Brentwood Seawolves. He’s the top seed in the 100 breast, and he’s seeded top 5 in the 200 IM and 200 breast. The Utah Utes will also be represented well, with Ethan Dillard and Liam O’Haimhirgin (both of Sierra Marlins, like Mefford) both seeded highly in at least one event.

Besides the Pac-12 talent, several others who do not fall under that category will be important to watch in La Mirada. Three high schoolers have committed to other parts of the country and are high seeds this weekend. The Big Ten will welcome Julia Wolf in 2018 as the Canyons Aquatics sprinter will join IU, while Aquazots’ Kate Krolikowski heads to Michigan this fall and Taylor Ault of La Mirada Armada heads to Florida.

Eva Merrell of Aquazot is entered in just the 50 free, where she’s the top seed. One last name to watch is 13-year-old Justina Kozan of Brea Aquatics. Kozan is seeded top 10 in several events, and she’s the 2nd seed in the 200 fly. She made headlines last summer as a 12-year-old after she broke Sippy Woodhead’s Southern California age group 200 free record, and she’s one of the nation’s youngsters to watch.