The USC men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are making their annual visit to the Lone Star state this week, set to race at the 2015 Texas Invitational in Austin, Wednesday through Saturday (Dec. 2-5), at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center.
The Trojans, who feature a pair of teams both 5-1 in early dual meet action, will open the event with the 800y free relay at 6 p.m. (CT) on Wednesday, followed by prelims at 9 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
USC and host Texas will be joined by Arizona, Wisconsin, BYU, Harvard, Oklahoma Baptist and UCLA.
MEET INFORMATION:
Live Results / Psych Sheet / Event Schedule
This season, the men opened with road wins over UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly, followed with home victories over Hawaii and Cal State Bakersfield before a road win over Arizona State and a road loss at Arizona. The women’s team won its season-opener at Utah, downed Hawaii and lost to North Carolina State in a two-day home meet, followed with a home win over Oregon State and then swept Arizona and Arizona State on the road to remain perfect in conference at 4-0.
TOP TIMES
It’s early, but USC swimmers have started to check off some NCAA ‘B’ cuts. Junior transfer Anika Apostalon has posted such times in the 50y (22.78) and 100y free (49.18) and 100y back (54.22) and other ‘B’ cuts include freshman Riley Scott’s 1:01.46 in the 100y breast and 2:12.65 in the 200y breast and sophomore Hannah Weiss’ 54.14 in the 100y back and 1:58.16 in the 200y back. Freshman diver Madi Witt has NCAA qualifying scores on all three boards while senior Sam Adams has achieved NCAA qualifying scores on 1-meter and platform.
Junior Michael Domagala has the USC men’s team lone ‘B’ cut with a 1:37.42 in the 200y free. Senior divers Collin Pollard and Deon Reid have each posted NCAA qualifying scores on all three boards.
USC 411
The men’s team (6-2 overall in 2014-15, 4-1 in the Pac-12) is coming of its first conference title since 1979 and its second fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships in the last three years. The women’s team (5-3, 4-3) is coming off an eighth place finish at the NCAA Championships and is one of only four schools to post NCAA top 8 finishes in each of the past six years. It was also third at the Pac-12s.
The Trojan men are led by team captains Ted Singley and Morten Klarskov, both seniors, and junior Reed Malone. Malone and Klarskov join juniorMichael Domagala and sophomore Ralf Tribuntsov as returning All-Americans. Also back is NCAA individual scorers junior Steven Stumph and senior diverCollin Pollard. Others back with NCAA experience include seniors Ridge Altman, Singley and Maclin Davis, sophomore diver Dashiell Enos and senior diver Deon Reid and sophomore Pawel Furtek,
The USC women are captained by seniors Lucy Worrall and Kendyl Stewart. Stewart joins seniors Kasia Wilk and Joanna Stenkvist, junior Chelsea Chenault and freshman Hannah Weiss as All-American returners. Swimmers and divers with NCAA experience also back include senior diver Sam Adams, junior Evan Swenson, and Worrall.
Among the key freshmen for the USC men are sprinter Kyle Grissom, breaststrokers Billy Monjay and Carsten Vissering, the NAG record holder (15-16) in the 100y and 100m breast, and backstroke and IMer Patrick Mulcare.
Key USC newcomers for the women’s side include junior transfer Anika Apostalon from San Diego State, an All-American specializing in the sprint free and back, and a large freshmen class including (but not limited to) butterflyer Madison Wright, breaststroker Riley Scott, breaststroker and IMer Kirsten Vose and 400 IM and 500y free specialist Sydney Lofquist.
TROJAN NOTES
* The Trojans were well represented at the 2015 FINA World Championships. Trojans who won medals included junior Reed Malone (silver, 800m free relay), senior Kendyl Stewart (silver, 400m medley relay), junior Chelsea Chenault (gold, 800m free relay) and junior Santo Condorelli (bronze, 400m mixed free relay, Canada). Other current Trojans who competed included junior Michael Domagala (Poland), junior Dylan Carter (Trinidad and Tobago), seniorKasia Wilk (Poland) and sophomore Ralf Tribuntsov (Estonia).
* USC Head Assistant Coach Catherine Vogt was named the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Open Water Head Coach on Sept. 30. She recently coached the U.S. at the 2015 FINA World Championships, where she led the Americans to the Open Water team title. She also was the head coach at the 2013 World Championships, among other international assignments.
* USA Swimming announced its list of the “30 Most Influential People in Swimming over the Past 30 Years” in July and USC swimmers and coaches — led by current head coach Dave Salo — accounted for an impressive six members of the elite squad. In addition to Salo on the list are legendary Trojan head coaches Peter Daland and Mark Schubert, former USC All-American and current Cal head women’s coach Teri McKeever, former USC assistant coach, Trojan graduate and all-time swimming great Janet Evans and former volunteer assistant coach Jon Urbanchek.
TROJANS IN THE COMMUNITY
The Trojans’ swimming and diving teams have developed a strong presence in the community, involved in a variety of ways.
* The entire team has adopted the South L.A.-based Bethune Middle School and has worked with its students for the past year to not only overcome fears of water while learning to swim but to develop important life skills as well. The program, kick-started by USC junior and former Trojan swimmer Jamie Christy, includes weekly visits to the school by various USC swimmers. On Nov. 21, in conjunction with the Trojan Swim Club, USC held a fundraising event – the Fall Challenge — for the program. The day before, USC swimmers visited the school for a clinic with students and their parents.
* For the fourth year in a row, USC’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams packaged 10,000 meals (on Nov. 10) at Uytengsu Aquatics Center that went directly to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The entire swim and dive team turned out for the event and packaging meals assembly style to give back to the youth of Los Angeles. “As student-athletes, these kids understand the role they have in helping other people less fortunate than they are,” said Head Assistant Coach Catherine Vogt. “We are just happy to be able to be good representatives of the sport and of USC.” The Trojans partnered with Feeding Children Everywhere, a non-profit organization that works to provide meals to hungry children throughout the world. Student-athletes worked together to measure, package and seal the meals for delivery to the food bank.
* Senior Brianna Weinstein was one of two USC representatives at the Pac-12’s SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) conference in November to discuss various conference issues. In addition to the meetings, the Pac-12 athletes spent time with Special Olympians, unifying in some competitive bowling and heartfelt camaraderie.
Swimming news courtesy of USC Swimming & Diving.
