SAN DIEGO – After a two-week respite from competition, the San Diego State swim and dive program returns from its holiday break in earnest on Thursday, Jan. 5, when it plays host to Incarnate Word and Cal State East Bay in a double dual meet at Aztec Aquaplex. First race is set for 10 a.m. PT and admission is free.
The Aztecs will be looking to extend their dual-meet victory streak after winning their 46th straight with a 126-115 triumph over the University of San Diego at home on Dec. 19.
With the results, SDSU raised its record to 10-0 on the year and defeated the Toreros for the 29th consecutive occasion since 2001, including pentathlon meets. Additionally, the Aztecs have not lost a dual meet in five years dating back to Jan. 8, 2018.
Against USD, the Scarlet and Black recorded the fastest time in all 14 swim events, winning the first nine to build a commanding lead, while the final five races were scored as exhibitions.
Meredith Smithbaker and Mai McKenna captured two individual event titles that counted towards SDSU's team score, while Paige Mitchell, Wilma Johansson, Emily Tenczar and Lizzie Menzmer also won individual races.
All three of McKenna's individual performances were Aztec Aquaplex pool records as well as collegiate bests. The San Jose, California, native won the 100 backstroke with a 53.92 clocking, which ranks fifth in school history, before emerging victorious in the 200 backstroke with an effort of 1:58.32. Later with the Aztecs in complete control on the team scoreboard, the SDSU sophomore logged the fastest time in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.30, which ranks seventh on the program's all-time list.
Not to be outdone, McKenna also established a new pool standard in the 50 backstroke after posting a split of 25.30 leading off one of the Aztecs' top three 200 medley relay teams.
Meanwhile, Smithbaker prevailed in the 50 freestyle with a winning time of 50.75 after notching a victory in the 100 breaststroke at 1:02.20.
For the season, SDSU has recorded 16 of the top-10 fastest times in program history, including Alex Roberts, who claimed event titles at the SMU Invitational in November in the 200 backstroke (1:54.91) and 100 backstroke (52.90), both of which rank second on the school's all-time charts.
Thursday's clash with Incarnate Word marks the sixth meeting between the two squads, while the Aztecs will be battling CSU East Bay for the fourth time in program history.
San Diego State defeated UIW in a home dual by a count of 134-119 almost a year ago to the date on Jan. 4, 2022, to maintain an unblemished 5-0 mark against the Cardinals. Among Aztec returners, Johansson and Kristina Murphy won multiple races in that encounter, while Roberts and Riley Tapley also captured individual titles.
Johansson emerged triumphant in the 200 butterfly (2:05.58) and 200 IM (2:08.29), while Murphy was victorious in the 200 freestyle (1:53.70) and 200 breaststroke (2:19.19). In addition, Roberts took home the crown in the100 back (57.60), while Tapley bested the field in the 200 backstroke (2:05.19).
The Aztecs also topped UIW in 2014 (142-133) and 2018 (166-73) at the Aquaplex, sandwiched around a pair of neutral-site victories over the Cardinals in 2015 (184-107) and 2016 (220-70), both of which were conducted at UCSD's Canyonview Pool.
SDSU last faced Cal State East Bay on Dec. 31, 2008, when it prevailed by a score of 105-80 at home. In addition, the Aztecs defeated the Pioneers twice in a seven-week span during the 2007-08 campaign, winning by a 120-76 count in Hayward, California, on Dec. 1, 2007, before posting a 55-39 victory a month later in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Jan. 19, 2008, as part of a double dual with Colorado College.
Incarnate Word has been idle since Dec. 13, when it placed second out of four teams at the Delta State Christmas Invitational in Cleveland, Mississippi, while Cal State East Bay finished second out of 14 schools in its last outing at the La Verne Winter Invite, held Nov. 18-20 at East LA College Swim Stadium in Monterey Park, California.
In addition to SDSU, the Pioneers have two to other Mountain West squads on its 2022-23 schedule, including a road clash at San José State on Jan. 13. Earlier in the fall, CSUEB dropped home meet vs. Nevada 183-73 on Oct. 22.
Following Thursday's meet, San Diego State returns to the competition pool on Friday, Jan. 13, when it battles Pepperdine for the second time this season to highlight Senior Day festivities at Aztec Aquaplex. First swim is slated for 10 a.m. PT. The Aztecs defeated the Waves 83-59 in the first meeting between the teams in Malibu on Oct. 6.