Aztecs Cruise Past USD on Senior Day, 117-86

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State swim and dive team wrapped up its regular-season home schedule in style Saturday, knocking of the University of San Diego, 117-86, in a dual meet at Aztec Aquaplex to highlight Senior Day festivities.

SDSU recorded the fastest times in all 10 swimming events, including two relays, while adding a pair of diving crowns to finish its 2024-25 dual-meet ledger with an unblemished 10-0 record, including a 7-0 mark at home.

Individually, the Aztecs received pool record times from Kaydence Bispo (50 free) and Alli Mann (100 free) to extend their winning streak to 75 consecutive dual meets dating back to Jan. 8, 2018.

Not to be outdone, Mann (fly) and Bispo (free) swam of the final two segments of SDSU’s victorious 400 medley relay team, joining forces with Abby Storm and Moa Bergdahl to set an Aztec Aquaplex standard of their own at 3:43.09.

Shortly thereafter, the Scarlet and Black posted a 1-2 finish in the 200 freestyle, where Eva Allan touched the wall at 1:53.41, edging Avery Turney, who completed the distance in 1:53.40.

Similarly, the Aztecs flexed their proverbial muscles by grabbing the top three spots in the 50 free, led by Bispo’s personal-best sprint of 22.77, inching out Mann, who logged a career-fast time of her own at 22.82, while Meredith Smithbaker followed in third at 23.49.

With their performances, Bispo and Mann became the first two swimmers to eclipse the 23-second barrier in pool history.

SDSU continued its dominance in the 400 individual medley, where Reka Nyiradi completed a triumphant swim of 4:25.31, followed by Elisa Branca’s second-place effort of 4:34.17, while Summer West took third at 4:36.99.

After Emily Tenczar’s victory in the 200 butterfly (2:07.40), the Scarlet and Black displayed its tremendous depth once again in the 100 free, where Mann established a new Aztec Aquaplex standard with a career-fast swim of 49.73, while Turney touched the wall at 51.86, edging Smithbaker (51.96) for second place.

With the Aztecs comfortably ahead on the team scoreboard, SDSU’s four remaining swimming victories were deemed exhibitions.

Alex Roberts recorded the fastest time in the 200 back with a season-best clocking of 1:59.51, while Storm (2:04.34) and Grace Mering (2:05.86) followed in succession.

Likewise, Wilma Johansson’s triumph in the 500 freestyle was also scored as an exhibition. Still, the Aztec senior completed a season-fast swim of 4:51.05, which ranks third in pool history, while Allan logged a personal-best time of 5:05.10 to finish a solid second.

Shortly thereafter, Bergdahl was the first competitor to touch the wall in the 200 breaststroke, clocking in at 2:17.53.

Rounding out the morning’s swim events was the Aztecs’ 200 freestyle relay team of Johansson, Turney, Smithbaker and Roberts, who recorded the best time in the race with a combined effort of 1:34.55, which ranks ninth in Aztec Aquaplex history.

Over in the diving well, SDSU’s Valentina Lopez Arevalo continued her stellar season with a pair of victories, posting a winning score of 293.10 on the 1-meter springboard, which surpassed an NCAA zone qualifying standard, while Summer Westmoreland duplicated the feat with a second-place tally of 255.55, followed by Alina Skrocki (252.38), who placed third.

In 3-meter action, Lopez Arevalo claimed her 10th event title of the season with a season-best total of 322.73 points, eclipsing another NCAA zone qualifying mark, while Taylor Konopacke matched the accomplishment with a career-high 285.15 points to finish second.

Prior to Saturday’s meet, SDSU conducted a special Senior Day ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of Wilma Johansson, Valentina Lopez Arevalo, Mai McKenna, Alex Roberts, Meredith Smithbaker, Avery Turney, Summer West, Summer Westmoreland, Christiana Williams and Olivia Zamudio.

San Diego State divers will travel to the Grand Canyon State next weekend for the NAU Lumberjack Invitational, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Aztecs will be seeking their fourth consecutive conference title just over two weeks later when the full squad makes the journey to the Lone Star State for the 2025 Mountain West Championships, Feb. 19-22, in Houston, Texas.