Aztecs to Open 2026-27 Season on Friday at USD Pentathlon
SAN DIEGO – San Diego State swimmers fervently open their 2026-27 season on Friday, Sept. 18, when they make the short drive down Interstate 8 to battle the University of San Diego in the annual pentathlon meet between the two schools at USD Sports Center Pool. First race is set for 2 p.m., and admission is free.
The Aztecs posted a 10-0 record in dual meets last season and have not been defeated in their last 85 duals since Jan. 8, 2018, a span of over eight years. In addition, SDSU has completed an unblemished dual-meet schedule in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
Head coach Mike Shrader, who is entering his 20th season at the helm of the Aztec program, guided the Scarlet and Black to its fifth consecutive conference title in its final year of Mountain West membership during the 2025-26 campaign and 10th overall since 2010-11.
The consummate SDSU staff also features Joe Spahn, who begins his fifth season as the program's associate head coach and seventh overall, along with Roland McDonald, who was named Mountain West Diving Coach of the Year for the third straight season in the spring of 2026 and the fifth occasion during his tenure on The Mesa.
Friday's meet will mark the 15th time in the last 16 seasons in which San Diego State opened its season with a pentathlon meet against USD, with the Aztecs winning all 14 previous encounters.
Last year, the Scarlet and Black boasted the top 11 pentathlon finishers, including Roni Black, who claimed the individual title with a combined time of 4.59.01, topping former Aztec Reka Nyiradi (4:59.50) by just 0.49 seconds, while Liv Peebles (4:59.81) was a close third.
SDSU returns six additional swimmers from that list, including Sierra Tallman (5:01.35), who was slotted fourth in the final standings, while Alli Mann (5:02.60) placed fifth, followed by Melanie Quinto (6th, 5:04.78), Kaydence Bispo (8th, 5:07.78), Elisa Branca (9th, 5:08.31), Amber Janky (10th, 5:10.06), and Charlotte Sevin (11th, 5:1181).
Mann emerged victorious in victorious in a pair of pentathlon events, including the 100 free, where she touched the wall at 50.96, topping Bispo, who clocked in at 51.60, while Alyssa Schlller took third at 52.06. The Orange County native also conquered the field in the 100 fly with a time of 56.62, while Nyiradi (57.27) edged Sevin (57.98) for second place.
Among this season’s returners, Tallman (59.89) was triumphant in the 100 individual medley, where she edged Peebles (59.95) at the wall in a thrilling finish.
The teams conducted additional events that were not scored in the final results, including the 50 free, where Mann sprinted to a winning time of 23.88, besting Camille Seiley (24.45), while Quinto took third (24.82).
Similarly, Tallman was a narrow winner in the 50 fly, touching the wall at 26.78, while Sevin (26.85) was a close second.
In all, the Aztecs return 20 letterwinners from last year’s squad, including nine student-athletes who combined to earn 31 all-conference honors. Following the 2026 Mountain West Championships, Mann collected seven all-conference certificates, while Schiller merited six plaudits, followed by Bispo with five.
San Diego State returns to competition in two weeks when it renews acquaintances with the Toreros in another dual meet at USD Sports Center Pool on Friday, Oct. 3, beginning at 2 p.m.
Later this season, the Aztecs will square off against former MW rivals Colorado State, Fresno State and Washington State at the Pac-12 Championships, with California Baptist joining the new circuit as a swimming and diving affiliate.