Oct. 16, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
This Week
San Diego State opens its 2003-04 swimming and diving season this weekend as it travels to Stockton, Calif., to compete in the UOP Invitational at the University of the Pacific. The meet features both men's and women's collegiate teams and will run all day Friday and Saturday (Oct. 17-18) at UOP's Kris Kjeldsen Pool.
Schmidt On The Upcoming Season
"Although we lost a couple of athletes from last season's squad, we have a solid group of veterans and some very talented newcomers who give us the depth that we were lacking at times a year ago. Our seven freshmen recruits should all contribute right away. We have a good chance to finish higher in the conference this season. Everybody on this team has a ability to score at any given meet."
Coaching Staff
San Diego State head coach Deena Schmidt is in her 10th season as head coach of the Aztec swimming and diving program. The former Olympian, who won a gold as a member of the 400 medley relay team at the 1972 Olympics, is a 1988 graduate of San Diego State. Schmidt is assisted by Greg Hutt, also in his 10th season. Jim Wynne is in his second season as the Aztec diving coach. In addition, former Aztec all-conference swimmer Erin Kilpatrick will serve as a student assistant coach.
Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center
San Diego State will hold its home meets this season at the newly completed Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center pool. The facility opened in the summer of 2002 and is located at 6845 University Avenue. The Aztecs hold their daily practice sessions at the City Heights Pool.
2002-2003 Season Review
The San Diego State swimming and diving team finished its 2002-03 campaign with a 6-8 dual meet record and an eighth-place finish (263 points) at the Mountain West Conference Championships in Oklahoma City in February. The Aztecs finished their regular season with four straight dual meet victories.
Preseason Picks
San Diego State has been picked to finish seventh in the Mountain West Conference this season by a poll of the league's coaches. The Aztecs were eighth at last season's MWC Championship meet. The complete preseason poll is as follows:
Pl. Team (1st place votes) Pts.1. Colorado State (4).......462. Brigham Young (3)........443. Utah (1).................364. UNLV.....................335. New Mexico...............256. Wyoming..................197. San Diego State..........128. Air Force.................9
Who's Gone?
SDSU biggest loss was from last season was all-conference performer Erin Kilpatrick, who finished the season by setting a new Aztec record in the 200 butterfly (2:04.97). Also gone are second-team all-MWC honoree Nicole Castelyn plus freestylist Sarah Lattus.
The Senior Veterans
San Diego State will have a total of six seniors on its 19-athlete roster this season, five of whom will be in their fourth season at SDSU. The leading returnees among those swimmers are Jill Karacozoff (breast)and Megan Storey (distance free) both of whom won second-team all-conference honors last season. Also back is Jennifer Graham, who led the team in the breaststroke events at last season's conference meet, plus freestylist Hannah Ryan who recorded a pair of all-time top five times a year ago. Other seniors include Stephanie Chambers and Allison Fernandez. Chambers swims both individual and relay freestyle events while Fernandez is also a freestyle swimmer who competed at every distance but the 1,650 last year.
Youth Movement
Seven freshmen appear on the 2003-03 team roster. Three of those athletes, Caitlin Friedhoff, Emily Parker and Adriana Quirke, earned All-American honors while in high school. Friedhoff finished second in the state of Washington in both the 50 and 100 free during her prep career. Parker is also a freestyle specialist while Quirke competed in the freestyle, backstroke and individual medley.
Top Five Athletes
Last season, the Aztecs turned in 21 marks (in 18 different events) that rank among the top five in program history. Among the returning swimmers who recorded top five marks are Hannah Ryan (200 free, 1000 free), Emily Schmied ()200 fly, 100 IM), Melissa Webb (200 back), Jennifer Graham (100 breast, 200 breast), Jill Karacozofff (100 breast) and Lindsey Minnich (3-meter diving). In addition, the Aztecs had top five times in each of the five relay events.
Diving In
Freshman Shannon Colvin will join sophomore Lindsey Minnich to form the young Aztec diving team this season. Colvin is a two-time high school league champion and a top-five CIF finisher. SDSU found itself at a severe disadvantage a year ago with only one diver on the roster, causing the team to lose points at almost every meet.
The Schedule
For the second consecutive season, the Aztecs will face each of the other seven Mountain West Conference schools in dual meet action beginning with an away contest at Utah on Nov. 7. The Aztecs will host three MWC teams in dual meets at home, and conference action will be concluded by Dec. 6. SDSU will compete in the annual UCI Invitational in early January and conclude the regular season with three dual meets on the road before traveling to Oklahoma City for the annual conference championship meet in mid-February.
Looking Ahead
The Aztecs will host the first of four home meets this year when cross-town rival University of San Diego visits the Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 1. That dual meet is schedule to begin at noon.