Aztec Swimmers Set for Two Dual Meets at Alaska Fairbanks

SAN DIEGO – San Diego State swimmers continue their fall schedule this weekend when they travel north to the Last Frontier to face the University of Alaska Nanooks in a pair of dual meets on consecutive days, Oct. 11-12, in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Friday’s action gets underway at Patty Center Pool at 5 p.m. AT (6 p.m. PT), while Saturday’s competition is slated for a 10 a.m. AT start (11 a.m. PT). Streaming video will be available on both days with links available on GoAztecs.com.

The Aztecs have won three dual meets this season, including a 95-52 triumph at Pepperdine on Oct. 3, extending their streak to 68 straight dual-meet victories since Jan. 8, 2018.

SDSU is coming off a second-place finish at the Fresno State Invitational last weekend, where the Aztecs claimed six gold, six silver and six bronze medals, compiling 920 points to trail only first-place UCLA (1097.5 pts) in the team standings. In addition, the host Bulldogs (712.50) took third, followed by Washington State (696 pts), San José State (340 pts) and Hawai’i (126 pts).

Individually, San Diego State was paced by Reka Nyiradi, who led the entire field with 74 points, capturing two event titles in the 500 freestyle (4:56.66) and the 400 individual medley (4:20.04) while placing second in the 200 backstroke (2:00.30) and 200 butterfly (2:02.38).

Additionally, Nyiradi anchored the Aztecs’ second-place 800 freestyle relay team and swam the third leg of SDSU’s third-place 200 free and 400 free relay squads.

Moa Bergdahl also emerged triumphant in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.67) and took second in the 200 IM (2:04.36), while Liv Peebles placed second in the 100 backstroke as well (55.69).

Elsewhere, Mai McKenna recorded a pair of third-place swims in the 100 IM (58.16) and 400 IM (4:22.70), joining Charlotte Sevin, who was another bronze medalist in the 200 fly (2:04.50), while Alli Mann logged an identical finish in the 50 free (23.35).

Not to be outdone, Valentina Lopez Arevalo won both diving events at the Fresno State Invite, eclipsing an NCAA zone qualifying standard on the 3-meter springboard (306.65) before winning the 1-meter event (263.10) the following day.

However, this weekend’s meets in Alaska will feature swimming races only.

SDSU boasts a 4-0 all-time record against the Nanooks, including a pair of wins at Aztec Aquaplex last January, as the Scarlet and Black posted a 158-83 triumph in a quad meet with Fresno State and Loyola Marymount before claiming a 33-24 decision in pentathlon competition the next day.

Among returning swimmers, Nyiradi (200 free, 200 back), McKenna (100 fly, 200 fly) and Meredith Smithbaker (50 free, 100 free) were double winners for the Aztecs in that first scheduled meet, while Bergdahl (200 IM) and Christiana Williams (100 breast) were victorious in their respective events.

The following day, SDSU boasted the top seven pentathlon finishers, led by McKenna, who took home the individual crown after posting a combined time of 4:58.23, edging Nyiradi (4:59.99) by less than two seconds.

The Aztecs will be making their second excursion to Fairbanks in the past five years after defeating the Nanooks on two straight days by scores of 113-54 and 117-114, Sept 29-30, 2019.

Following this weekend’s meets, San Diego State will take an extended hiatus from competition before reconvening with a full squad for the Hawkeye Invitational, Nov. 21-23, in Iowa City, Iowa.