Dec. 14, 2006
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This Week
San Diego State closes out 2006 with a trip to Las Vegas to compete in the UNLV Winter Invitational. A total of 10 schools are expected to participate during the three-day event.
MWC Dual Meet
The Aztecs will have their final Mountain West Conference dual meet of the season incorporated as part of the UNLV Winter Invitational. Rather than swimming in a separate meet, selected events during the three-day Invitational will be scored for both teams. A dual meet score will be generated at the conclusion of the Invitational on Monday. UNLV will score a dual meet with TCU this weekend as well.
Coaching Staff
San Diego State head coach Deena Schmidt is in her 13th season as head coach of the Aztec swimming and diving program. The former Olympian, who won 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 13th season. Jim Wynne is in his fifth season as the Aztec diving coach.
Senior Leaders
San Diego State has only two seniors on its roster this season, and the duo has been among the team leaders thus far during the 2006-07 campaign. Fourth-year Aztec Emily Parker has the second best-times in the 200, 500 and 1000 freestyle this fall and is a member of the 800 relay that has SDSU's top mark. Senior Kimberlee Frith, in her second season at San Diego State, is the team leader in the 100 and 200 freestyle and is on four relays that have recorded SDSU's best times this year (400 free, 800 free, 200 and 400 medleys)
Record Setters
San Diego State divers have already set school records in both the one- and three-meter events this season. Freshman Caitlin Atkinson scored 264.08 points in the one-meter competition at North Texas on Nov. 17 to set an Aztec record. Teammate Megan Flanagan, just a sophomore, established an SDSU record in the three-meter board with 265.20 points at that same meet.
The Morrill of the Story
Freshman Jennifer Morrill has been impressive in her first season of collegiate competition. She has SDSU's top times in the 100 and 200 breast and is close to cracking the Aztec top five times in both of those events. She has taken first in either the 100 or 200 breaststroke in five meets this fall, and won both events in the triple dual meet at Colorado State. Morrill is also among the top three on the squad in the 100 and 200 free plus the 200 and 400 IM. She also swims the leadoff leg in both the 200 and 400 free relays that have SDSU's top times this season.
Double Winners
The Aztecs have three athletes who have recorded a pair of first-place finishes during the same meet. That trio includes Rosalie Raymond (500 and 1000 free at No. Colorado), Jessica Morrill (100 and 200 breast at Colorado State) and Katie Smith (200 back and 200 IM vs. Wyoming).
Among the MWC Leaders
San Diego State swimmers rank among the top 15 in the Mountain West Conference in various individual events at the mid-point of the season. Here is a listing of those athletes:
Event Athlete Ranking Mark100 Free.....Kimberlee Frith....14th......52.921000 Free....Brittany Daly......10th...10:30.381000 Free....Emily Parker.......14th...10:35.381650 Free....Brittany Daly.......9th...17:47.821650 Free....Rosalie Raymond....12th...17:52.771650 Free....Emily Parker.......13th...17:53.70100 Fly......Ana Dowell.........15th......59.04100 Back.....Katie Smith........10th......59.55200 Back.....Katie Smith.........8th....2:06.37100 Breast...Jessica Morrill....11th....1:07.39200 Breast...Jessica Morrill....11th....2:24.00400 IM.......Kendal Twilling....15th....4:37.711M Diving....Caitlin Atkinson....9th.....264.081M Diving....Megan Flanagan.....12th.....256.131M Diving....Kristen Maurer.....14th.....253.583M Diving....Megan Flanagan.....14th.....265.20A complete listing of all of the top times in the conference can be found at the MWC web site (www.themwc.com).
Aztec Notes
Of the 20 swimmers currently on the SDSU roster, 13 are either freshmen or sophomores...Junior Christine Graham in the sister of former Aztec Jennifer Graham (2002-04)...Three Aztecs have recorded times already this fall that are better than any recorded during the 2005-06 campaign: Brittany Daly in the 1000 free (10:30.38), Jessica Morrill in the 200 breast (2:24.00) and Katie Smith in the 200 IM (2:10.29).
Diving In
SDSU boasts its largest diving contingent in recent memory with five athletes competing in both the one- and three-meter. The seasonal-best marks of four of the five divers in each event are among the top-five all-time bests for an Aztec diver. Three divers have finished first in dual meets this season: Kathleen Heuring and Caitlin Atkinson in the one-meter and Megan Flanagan and Heuring in the three-meter.
Looking Ahead
Following the UNLV Winter Invitational this weekend, the Aztecs will have a break for the holidays and return to action on Jan. 6-7 with their annual trek to the UC Irvine Invitational. The team will host its final home meet of the 2006-07 campaign the following week when Howard University visits the Kroc Center on Friday, Jan. 19, at 1:00 p.m. (PST).