Jan. 17, 2001
This Week
The only thing nicer than swimming in San Diego is swimming in Hawaii. That's a comforting idea as the San Diego State women's swimming team (1-5) travels to Honolulu for a dual meet competition with No. 21 Hawai'i Friday at 4 p.m.
Last Week
The Aztecs split their double-dual meet with UC Irvine and Fresno State Saturday at the Anteater Aquatic Center in Irvine. SDSU defeated host UCI 70-30 and lost to Fresno State 69.5-35.5. The scarlet and black took five events on the afternoon posting three season bests in the process: junior Heather DeFelice (100 breast), junior Tara Johnson (200 free) and the 200 medley relay team of DeFelice, Johnson, junior Meghan Casillan and senior Mariana Luevano. Freshman Megan Storey won both the 1,000 and 500 freestyle events for the second straight week.
Sweeping the Win
The Aztecs have placed first in 33 events this season with 27 of those wins coming by way of five athletes - juniors Meghan Casillan and Heather DeFelice, sophomore Erin Kilpatrick and freshmen Megan Storey and Hannah Ryan. Storey leads the group with 11 wins. DeFelice has earned seven, Casillan, Kilpatrick and Ryan three each.
Here's the Storey
The Aztecs' recruiting class was touted as the best since the program was reinstated in 1994. One of those newcomers, freshman Megan Storey (Edmonds, Wash.), is definitely strengthening that claim. Storey is the only Aztec thus far this season to have earned an NCAA consideration mark, doing so with her second-place (16:49.91) finish in the 1,650 free at the Speedo Cup. Storey has placed in the top three 14 times this season, including first in 11 events. Her most recent victories came this past weekend in the UC Irvine/Fresno State double-dual when she took both the 500 and 1,000 freestyle events, posting wins in those events for the second-straight week. Storey also holds the Mountain West Conference's best time this season in the 1,000 freestyle (10:12.19) and the 1,650 free (16:49.91) and the third best in the 500 free (5:00.85). Storey's mark in the 1,000 free puts her atop the Aztecs' all-time bests list, bettering the mark of 10:19.99 set by Kathy Hall during the 1982-83 season. This past summer Storey climbed into the swimming world's record book, placing among the top 50 in the world in the 1,500-meter freestyle with a time of 17:08.05.
Keeping the Pace
Junior Heather DeFelice, who had three top-six finishes at last year's Mountain West Conference meet, has been pacing the team this season as well. The Culver City native has placed in the top four 13 times this season, with seven first-place finishes. DeFelice set a new season best with her first-place (1:05.70) finish in the 100 breaststroke this past weekend.
Also Keeping the Pace
Junior Meghan Casillan, last season's top backstroker in the Mountain West Conference, is following suit this season with seven top-three finishes in backstroke events, including three first-place marks. Casillan is listed second (58.37) in the 100 back and ninth (2:08.42) in the 200 back on the MWC's top-times list. The 58.37 time in the 100 back was set in the Speedo Cup on Dec. 1 and is a season best.
About Hawai'i
The 21st-ranked Wahine come off a strong weekend in which it won the Rainbow Classic.
Things to Come
SDSU's regular season schedule draws to a close next weekend when it competes at Pepperdine on Wednesday at 2 p.m. and at UNLV Saturday at noon. The team will then take a few weeks off from competition to prepare for the Mountain West Conference championships to be held Feb. 14-17 in Oklahoma City.