What's the prognostication for a team that a year ago set eight school records, 11 more top-three program finishes and touted one of the program's best recruiting classes to date?
Expect more of the same.
Over the last seven years the San Diego State swimming and diving program has taken on a competitive edge. Since 1994, SDSU head coach Deena Deardurff Schmidt has carefully laid the groudwork for the Aztecs to become a competitive Division I program. That transformation is no more evident than in the successes of the 2000-01 season, one of the Aztecs' most successful thus far under Schmidt.
With the 2001-02 squad returning all but one of last season's record setters and welcoming in a host of talented newcomers, this year's campaign should prove to be as interesting as the last.
"I feel that this year is potentially a much better situation for us," said the eighth-year head coach. "We have always struggled with depth and that is something we have more of this year than ever before. We have people we can move around in dual meets and that gives us more flexibility than in recent years."
The spot where SDSU should be most competitive will be in the stroke events, boasting at least three competitive athletes in each.
The backstrokers will be led by one of the Mountain West Conference's top competitors in the event, senior Meghan Casillan. Casillan owns the school record in the 100 and 200 back. The school record of 56.67 in the 100 back earned her a silver medal at last year's league championships.
Senior Tara Johnson will be looked upon to carry things in the butterfly after she set the school record in the 100 fly last year at the conference meet.
Another senior and top returner in the conference is Heather DeFelice who should continue the team's successes in the breaststroke. She set the school record of 1:04.43 in the 100 breast last season at the league meet and was an academic all-conference selection.
Perhaps the biggest improvement depthwise comes in the individual medley, with Erin Kilpatrick and newcomers freshmen Erin Whalen, Ericka Sjoholm and sophomore Jennifer Graham lining up in that event.
Kilpatrick holds the school record in the 400 IM and placed fourth in that event at the league meet last season. Whalen and Sjoholm are both decorated prep swimmers and Graham was a three-time state champion at Santa Rosa Junior College before transferring to the Mesa this year.
"I'm expecting these newcomers to have an immediate impact," said Schmidt. "Each of them should come in and help tremendously in terms of experience and scoring."
The team's experience level only increases when one looks at the freestyle events. To say the Aztecs will be strong in that department could be the understatement of the year.
Back for her sophomore season is school-record holder Megan Storey. Storey earned an NCAA consideration mark in the 1,650 free as a freshman and holds the program records in that event and in the 1,000 free. She took second-place in the 1,650 at conference in 2001.
Backing up Storey is sophomore Hannah Ryan and junior Amy Van Dyke, along with five talented newcomers. In fact, the Aztecs' roster lists 11 athletes that compete in the freestyle.
A large part of last season's success came in the relays where the Aztecs set three school records. Things should be similar in 2001-02.
The record-setting 200 medley relay team of Meghan Casillan, Heather DeFelice, Tara Johnson and Hannah Ryan return, as does the record-setting 200 freestyle quartet of Johnson, Ryan, DeFelice and sophomore Aletta Haff.
The program's other record in the relays last season came in the 800 freestyle. That team returns three members (Ryan, Megan Storey, and Erin Kilpatrick).
Not only will the Aztecs have the advantages of increased depth on their side, the team should also have an easier time negotiating its schedule.
The Aztecs host two meets, a double dual with Air Force and New Mexico on Nov. 3 and also square off against Northern Arizona on Dec. 8. The team's home matches will be held at Southwestern Junior College in Chula Vista.
SDSU gets another semi-home meet on Nov. 10, competing in a dual at USD.
"Having two home matches is one thing that definitely helps this year," said Schmidt. "Travel was hard on us last season. Being on the road every week wore us out."
Another big difference is that this year's Aztec squad will be competing in diving events, something that was a big factor in terms of wins and losses last season.
"Having divers this year should help us score more consistently," said Schmidt. "In the past we have lost divings points by default and that won't be the case this season."
Taking to the springboards for the scarlet and black this year are juniors Teri Hodgkinson and Ashley Noyer, both of whom transferred from Sierra College in Rocklin. Hodgkinson was a state qualifier last season and Noyer a two-time participant at the state meet. That experience adds to the team's competitiveness and character.
"We have so much potential and so many factors in our favor this year," said Schmidt. "We have gotten a little better and a little stronger each year and this year should be our strongest yet. The team would like to move up our finish at the conference meet and I'm counting on the depth in swimming and addition of our divers to do that. We are all excited."
Excited for an encore performance.