Nov. 28, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
SAN DIEGO -
THIS WEEK
The San Diego State swimming and diving team will head north to Hayward, Calif., for a dual meet with Cal State East Bay at noon on Saturday, Dec. 1. After opening their season two weeks ago, the Aztecs are 1-1 in dual meet action, while the Pioneers are 1-3 overall.
PREVIOUSLY ON THE MESA
After postponing its first two meets of the season, San Diego State opened the 2007-08 campaign on the road, as they traveled to Salt Lake City for a double dual meet with Utah and Boise State. The Aztecs defeated the Broncos, 168-132, but fell to the host Utes, 128-156.
Ana Dowell and Brooke Vessey led SDSU with a pair of second-place performances, while Caitlin Atkinson was the top-finisher among the Aztec divers, placing second in both the one- and three-meter events.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Led by head coach Anthony Garcia, Cal State East Bay is off to a 1-3 start in dual meet action. The Pioneers' last meet was on Nov. 10, when they fell to Fresno Pacific, 79-110. CS East Bay is led by returning NAIA national qualifiers, Allison Edminster (distance free) and Melissa Erottkau (breaststroke).
SERIES HISTORY
This will mark the first meeting between San Diego State and Cal State East Bay. The Aztecs will face off against the Pioneers once more this year in a double dual meet at Colorado College (Jan. 19).
THE COACHING STAFF
Mike Shrader, who spent the past eight years as the head coach at Nevada-Reno, begins his first season at San Diego State. While at Nevada, Shrader led the Wolf Pack to an 89-12-1 record, two conference titles and four NCAA championship appearances.
Brendon Bray, who came to Montezuma Mesa from the University of Washington, begins his first season as an assistant coach at SDSU, while Jim Wynne enters his sixth season as the Aztec diving coach.
DOWELL AND VESSEY SHINE
Senior Ana Dowell swam a personal-best 54.33 in the 100 free to capture second place in San Diego State's season-opener at Utah. Dowell also finished second in the 50 free (25.41) and third in the 100 fly (59.49).
Freshman Brooke Vessey was the top-finisher for the Aztecs in both the 100 backstroke (59.86) and the 100 fly (59.01) in her first collegiate meet.
ATKINSON LEADS DIVERS
Sophomore Caitlin Atkinson placed second in both the one-meter (217.55) and three-meter (227.35) events at the double dual meet vs. Utah and Boise State. Atkinson was also the only Aztec to qualify for the finals in both springboard events at the USC Diving Invitational on Nov. 2.
Junior Megan Flanagan had a solid day at Utah, finishing third on the one-meter and fourth on the three-meter boards.
SENIOR LEADERS
The Aztecs have selected their five seniors as captains for the 2007-08 season, and the group's accomplishments show why they deserve to be in such a leadership position. Brittany Daly swam the fourth-best time in Aztec history in the 1,000 free last year, while Ana Dowell held the team's top marks of the season in both the 100 and 200 fly. Christine Graham and Kathleen Merrill each swam personal-bests in the 100 and 200 breaststroke in 2006-07, and Katie Smith currently ranks among the top five all-time at SDSU in the 100 and 200 backstroke.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Since the 1999-00 season, the San Diego State women's swimming and diving team has called the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center its "home." But this year, the squad makes the transition from the Kroc Center to a state-of-the-art swimming facility on campus, the Aztec Aquaplex.
The 112,000 square-foot Aztec Aquaplex features two pools, one for competition and another for recreation, in addition to a hydrotherapy spa. The competition pool can accommodate a multitude of swimming and diving events with its one- and three-meter springboards.
The Aztecs' first home meet is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2008, against TCU and Air Force.
AZTEC NOTES
- Of the 29 swimmers and divers on SDSU's roster, 15 are either freshmen or sophomores.
- The Aztec 200 medley relay squad of Smith, Graham, Dowell and Henderson finished third at the double dual meet vs. Utah and Boise State.
- San Diego State was scheduled to hold its first two meets at the Aztec Aquaplex, but they were postponed due to the wildfires in San Diego County. The triple dual meet (vs. Air Force, Colorado State and New Mexico) and the dual meet against UNLV have yet to be rescheduled.
ON DECK
The Aztecs will resume Mountain West Conference action on Saturday, Dec. 8, when they travel to Laramie, Wyo., for a dual meet with the Cowgirls at noon (MT). SDSU will then take a short break before it hosts TCU and Air Force in a double dual meet at the Aztec Aquaplex on Jan. 4.