Dec. 17, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK
The San Diego State Aztec swimming and diving team will close out the calendar year with a double dual meet against Oregon State and UNLV on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 1:00 p.m. at the Aztec Aquaplex. The meet will feature a 16-event program including diving.
LAST TIME OUT
The Aztecs improved to 6-1 on the season with a dual meet win over Cal State Bakersfield at the Aztec Aquaplex on Dec. 5. SDSU captured first place in all 11 swimming events as three freshman won two events apiece. That trio included Meghan Zimmer (1000 free, 200 breast), Leona Jennings (200 free, 200 fly) and Stephanie Koch (500 free, 200 IM).
AZTECS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
San Diego State has moved up to 34th in this month's national poll released by the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America this week. The Aztecs had been ranks 41st in the November poll, marking the first time the program had ever received votes in the national poll. The CSCAA will release its poll twice monthly after the first of the year.
MWC SWIMMERS OF THE WEEK
Leona Jennings was named the Mountain West Conference Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 24 for her performance during the Toshiba Classic in Long Beach the previous weekend. The freshman from Seattle set four individual San Diego State records including the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke, 100 fly and 200 IM. In addition, she swam on SDSU's record-setting 200-yard medley relay team.
Jennings is the second Aztec to receive the league honor this season after senior Petra Radovic was named the MWC Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 10 for her effort during the meet held at SDSU on Nov. 6. Radovic, who hails from Zagreb, Croatia, set the school records in the 500 and 1000 free at that meet and also swam the third leg of the Aztecs' victorious 400-yard free relay team that won with a time of 3:30.36.
SCHOOL RECORDS
San Diego State swimmers have set new school records in 11 of 14 individual events and two of the five relays after the first eight weeks of the 2009-10 season. Nine of those 11 school standards are now held by swimmers who are freshmen this season. The other two are held by seniors. The complete list of new SDSU records is as follows:
50 Free......Stephanie Koch......23.61100 Free.....Stephanie Koch......50.33200 Free.....Stephanie Koch....1:48.60500 Free.....Meghan Zimmer.....4:51.831000 Free....Petra Radovic....10:10.17100 Back.....Leona Jennings......54.22200 Back.....Leona Jennings....1:57.57100 Fly......Leona Jennings......55.12100 Breast...Katelyn Weddle....1:01.45200 IM.......Leona Jennings....2:01.04400 IM.......Elena Karpeeva....4:22.03800 Free Relay....Koch, Zimmer, Radovic, Crider.........7:26.35200 Medley Relay..L. Jennings, Bierwith, Weddle, Koch...1:41.93MWC TOP TIMES
After the first eight weeks of the season, Aztec swimmers have posted the top times in the Mountain West Conference in 10 of the 14 individual events and three of the five relays. A total of 27 times that rank among the top five in the league during the 2009-10 campaign have been turned in by SDSU swimmers this fall. Entering the week, top MWC times have been recorded by Stephanie Koch (100 & 200 free), Meghan Zimmer (500 free) Petra Radovic (1000 & 1650 free), Leona Jennings (100 & 200 back, 200 IM) and Katelyn Weddle (100 & 200 breast).
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Freshmen Leona Jennings and Katelyn Weddle have recorded times this fall that rank among the top 50 in the nation this season. Jennings nationally ranked times include 54.22 in the 100 back (17th), 1:57.57 in the 200 back (21st) and 2:01.04 in the 200 individual medley (34th). Weddle has turned in marks of 1:01.45 in the 100 breast (12th) and 2:14 20 in the 200 breast (21st). All five of those times meet the 'B' Qualifying Standard for the NCAA Championships next March.
In addition, three Aztec relay teams have recorded times that rank among the top 30 in the country in Division I this fall. The 800 free relay foursome of Stephanie Koch, Meghan Zimmer, Petra Radovic and Jessica Crider have turned in a 7:26.35 to rank 27th nationally. In the 200 medley relay, Leona Jennings, Katelyn Weddle, Kim Bierwith and Stephanie Koch's mark of 1:41.93 is the 24th-best time in Division I. And the 400 medley quartet of Stephanie Koch, Leona Jennings, Emilee Jennings and Kim Bierwith ranks 28th with a mark of 3:44.42. The 800 free and 200 medley teams have met the 'B' Qualifying Standard as well.
ON DECK
After the holidays, San Diego State will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 7, when it hosts a double dual meet against Tulane and Boise State at the Aztec Aquaplex beginning at 1:00 p.m. (PT).