SAN DIEGO – Former San Diego State standouts Anika Apostalon, Ximena Lechuga, Mikaela Macklin, Klara Thormalm and Katelyn Weddle were named to the Mountain West Swim and Dive 25th Season Team in advance of this week's conference championships, scheduled for Feb. 21-24 in Houston, Texas.
The Mountain West is celebrating its 25th season of excellence on and off the field of play. During each Mountain West Championship in 2023-24, the league will recognize a 25th Season Team, as chosen by the MW selection committee.
Below is a look at the five Aztec stars who earned a spot on the MW Swim and Dive 25th Season Team.
ANIKA APOSTALON (2013-15)
2013-14 All-American (50 free) after finishing seventh in the event at the NCAA Championships… 2013-14 Honorable Mention All-American (100 back, 100 free) after placing 14th and 15th at the NCAA meet in those two events respectively… 2014-15 Honorable Mention All-American (50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay)… Finished 12th in the 100 free and 15th in the 50 free at the NCAA Championships that season… 2013-14 Mountain West Swimmer of the Year… 2013-14 MW Freshman of the Year… 13-time Mountain West champion… Two-time MW champion in 50 free, 100 free, 100 back and as a member of the 200 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley… Also added a single title in the 400 free relay… Mountain West/school record holder in 50 free (21.76), 100 free (47.73) and 100 back (51.92)… Earned all-MW honors on 14 occasions… Six-time Mountain West Swimmer of the Week… Also holds school records as a member of the 200 free relay (1:28.65) and 400 free relay teams (3:16.60).
XIMENA LECHUGA (2018-23)
Received All-America recognition on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard during the 2019-20 campaign… Qualified for the 2021 NCAA Championships after finishing second in the 3-meter event at the NCAA Zone E meet, adding a third-place effort in 1-meter competition and a 12th-place showing on the platform… Cracked the top 20 at the national meet that season, finishing 19th in the 3-meter event… Was named Mountain West Diver of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2018-19, 2019-20)… Twice garnered MW Diver of the Meet honors at the 2019 and 2022 conference championships… Was a four-time conference champion, capturing two titles apiece on the 1-meter (2019, 2020) and 3-meter springboard (2020, 2022)… School-record holder in the 1-meter (332.10) and 3-meter events (383.03)… Also ranks second in program history from the platform height (305.10)… Earned all-MW honors in all three events (1-meter, 3-meter, platform) in five straight years, taking home 15 awards overall… Also competed in five consecutive NCAA Zone E meets… Owns three of the top-10 scores in conference history on the 1-meter board and two of the top-10 marks in the league during five-dive platform competition… Merited Mountain West Diver of the Week distinction on 12 occasions… Currently a volunteer assistant coach for the Aztec diving squad.
MIKAELA MACKLIN (2010-14)
2013-14 Honorable Mention All-American (200 IM), finishing 12th in the event at the NCAA Championships with a school and Mountain West all-time record of 1:56.95… Qualified for the 2013 NCAA Championships in three events (200 breast, 200 IM, 400 IM) and four races (200 breast, 200 IM, 400 IM, 800 free relay) in 2014… 2013 Mountain West Swimmer of the Year… 2014 MW Senior Recognition Award… Four-time Mountain West champion (twice - 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breast)… 11-time all-MW honoree… Also possesses the school record in the 400 IM (4:07.32), which ranks third in Mountain West history… Owns the second-fastest 200 free time (1:47.02) and the fifth-best 200 breast clocking (2:11.23) in school history… Member of SDSU's school-record 800 freestyle relay team (7:06.64).
KLARA THORMALM (2017-22)
Earned All-America honors in three events (100 breast, 200 breast, 200 medley relay) during the 2019-20 campaign… Received All-America honorable mention with a ninth-place finish in the 100 breast at the 2019 NCAA Championships… Qualified for the national meet in two other events that season (50 free, 200 breast)… Merited second-team All-America plaudits in the 100 breast at the 2021 NCAA meet, finishing 11th with a Mountain West/school record time of 58.68)… Also competed in two other events at the national championships that year, the 50 free and 200 breast, placing 22nd in that latter race with a time of 2:08.53, which ranks second in conference/school history… Additionally, posted the sixth-best time in the 50 free (22.35) at the same meet… Garnered three straight Mountain West Swimmer of the Year accolades (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22)… Collected back-to-back MW Swimmer of the Meet honors at the 2020 and 2021 conference championships… Received Freshman of the Meet distinction at the 2017-18 MW Championships… Four-time individual Mountain West champion (twice – 100 breast, 200 breast, 50 free)… Was also a member of 11 winning relays at the conference meet (four times – 200 medley relay; three times – 200 free relay; twice – 400 medley relay; twice 400 free relay)… Swam the breaststroke segment of the Aztecs' victorious 200 medley relay at the 2020 MW Championships that set a conference/school record of 1:36.30… Received all-MW recognition on 25 occasions.
KATELYN WEDDLE (2009-13)
Received All-America honorable mention in the 100 breast at the 2010 NCAA Championships and earned the same distinction as a member of the Aztecs' 400 medley relay team at the 2013 NCAA meet… Was a three-time competitor in both the 100 breast and 200 breast at the NCAA Championships (2010, 2011, 2013)… Also swam for SDSU's 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay at the 2013 national meet… Four-time Mountain West individual champion (three – 100 breast, 200 breast)… Additionally captured four conference titles competing on the Aztecs' 200 medley relay (twice) and 400 medley relay (twice)… Garnered 14 all-MW accolades for her career… Ranks fourth in school history in the 100 breast (1:00.29) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:11.26)… Also shares the fifth-fastest time in program history as a 400 medley relay member (3:35.60), as well as the school's sixth-best effort swimming for the 200 medley relay (1:37.93)… Four-time MW Swimmer of the Week honoree.
Aztecs Place Five on MW 25th Season Team
