Aztecs Surge to Double Dual Sweep over Pepperdine, CSU East Bay

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State swim and dive program kept its unblemished record intact this season after sweeping Pepperdine (162-128) and Cal State East Bay (183-91) in a double dual meet Monday at Aztec Aquaplex.

SDSU posted the fast times in 13 of 14 swimming events and were awarded first-place points in 11 of those races while capturing a diving crown.  With their success, the Aztecs raise their record to 9-0 for the 2025-26 campaign.

Alli Mann, Sierra Tallman and Elisa Branca were double winners for the day, while Grace Mering, Melanie Quinto, Isabella Gomez, Kaydence Bispo and Abby Storm also emerged triumphant in individual events, helping the Scarlet and Black extend its winning streak to 84 consecutive dual meets, a span of eight years.

Mann etched her name on the Aztec Aquaplex top 10 list after winning the 100 and 200 butterfly. In the 100 fly, the SDSU sophomore touched the wall at 54.11, which ranks third in pool history, while her collegiate-fast clocking of 2:02.23 in the 200 fly is slotted sixth.

Tallman also set a pair of Aztec career-best times after winning the 200 and 500 freestyle. The SDSU freshman recorded a victorious time of 1:51.53 in the 200 free, followed by a swim of 5:04.66 in the 500 free, her first appearance in the event as a collegian.

Meanwhile, Branca took home the gold in the 100 breast after completing the race at 1:04.30. The Aztec sophomore also logged the fastest time in the 400 individual medley at 4:28.55. With the Scarlet and Black comfortably ahead on the team scoreboard, however, the result was scored as an exhibition.

Not to be outdone, Mering turned in a career-best performance in the 1,000 freestyle with a triumphant time of 10:46.84.

Monday’s winners for SDSU also included Quinto, who registered a personal-best sprint of 23.65 in the 50 freestyle, while Bispo topped the field in the 100 freestyle after touching the wall at 51.69.

Quinto also swam anchor on the Aztecs’ victorious 200 medley relay team, joining forces with Storm, Roni Black and Liv Peebles for a winning time of 1:45.68.

SDSU also boasted the top 400 freestyle relay team, as the foursome of Mann, Bispo, Storm and Alyssa Schiller combined for a victorious effort of 3:30.14.

Earlier, Storm logged the fastest time in the 200 backstroke with a clocking of 2:02.32; however, her result was deemed an exhibition.

Over in the diving well, Gomez claimed her third event crown of the season after winning the 1-meter springboard with a score of 265.73, which eclipsed an NCAA zone qualifying standard, while Meja Palmer (247.65) placed second.

Gomez (254.70) also took third on the 3-meter board, finishing behind teammate Alina Skrocki (265.13) for the second spot.

San Diego State divers will be back in action this weekend when they travel up the freeway for the UCLA Bruin Diving Invitational, Jan. 9-11, at Spieker Aquatics Center in Westwood, California.