Aztec Swimmers Prep for Second Straight Meet at USD
SAN DIEGO – For the second time in seven days, San Diego State swimmers will square off against the University of San Diego when the Aztecs invade USD Sports Center Pool for a dual meet on Friday, Sept. 26, beginning at 1 p.m. PT. Admission is free.
Friday’s clash will feature eight scored events, starting with the 200 medley relay and 150 freestyle, followed by the 150 butterfly, 150 backstroke, 150 breaststroke, 400 freestyle, 300 individual medley and 200 freestyle relay.
The Aztecs have already faced the Toreros this season, rolling to a 33-24 triumph in the annual pentathlon meet between the two schools at USD’s home facility on Sept. 19. With the victory, SDSU has captured all 14 meetings against the Toreros in pentathlon competition dating back to 2011.
San Diego State featured the top 11 pentathlon finishers, including freshman Roni Black, who hoisted the individual crown with an aggregate time of 4:59.01, edging defending champion Reka Nyiradi (4:59.50) and sophomore Liv Peebles (4.59.81) by less than one second, while freshman Sierra Tallman (5:01.35) and sophomore Alli Mann (5:02.60) rounded out the top five.
Mann emerged victorious in a pair of pentathlon events, including the 100 free (50.96) and 100 fly (56.62), while senior Abby Storm was triumphant in the 100 back (57.27), joining fellow classmate Moa Bergdahl, who won the 100 breast (1:03.53). Not to be outdone, Tallman bested the field in the 100 IM (59.89).
Friday's crosstown battle marks the second of four scheduled meetings vs. USD this season. The Scarlet and Black will engage the Toreros and Vanderbilt in a triangular meet at Aztec Aquaplex on Monday, Jan. 5, before renewing acquaintances in another dual meet at the same venue on Friday, Jan. 23.
Including their annual pentathlons, SDSU has been victorious in 37 straight meetings against the Toreros dating back to the 2000-01 campaign. In their regular-season finale last year, the Aztecs knocked off USD at the Aquaplex by a 117-86 count, posting the fastest time in all 10 swimming events, including two relays.
Individually, the Aztecs received pool record times from Mann (100 free, 49.73) and Kaydence Bispo (50 free, 22.77) to help extend the team’s winning streak to 75 consecutive dual meets dating back to Jan. 8, 2018.
In addition, Mann (fly) and Bispo (free) swam the final two segments of SDSU’s victorious 400 medley relay team that day, joining forces with Storm and Bergdahl to set an Aztec Aquaplex standard of their own at 3:43.09.
Following Friday’s action, San Diego State returns to the competition pool on Thursday, Oct. 9, when it heads up the coast to face Pepperdine at 10:30 a.m. PT, before continuing north to the Central Valley for its annual appearance in the Fresno State Invitational, Oct. 10-11, in Fresno, California.