Rustlers Prepare for State Meet

The East Los Angeles College Swim Stadium pool has taken on a life of its own the past two years as the host site of the CCCAA Swimming and Diving State Championships. In 2011 and 2012, the "fast" indoor pool has produced an amazing 14 state meet records, including nine last year.

When the 2013 event takes place Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27, the cream of the crop of California Community College swimmers will do their best to add to that record-breaking total.

Here is a preview of some of the frontrunners and favorites coming into this CCCAA state meet:

WOMEN'S EVENTS

 Day 1

In event 5, Santa Rosa's Alexandria Holland is back to defend her 100 individual medley title. Holland was just .08 of a second off the meet record (57.91). She is expected to have premium company in under-a-minute seeded foes—Orange Coast's Mackenzie Bailie and Golden West's Melissa Bergesen. Bailie's 58.11 so far is the best time this season.

In event 7, Cypress's Jacelyn Youngerman earned a top seed of 23.40 in the 50 freestyle, a time that is only .16 off the state record. Golden West's Brooke Roy is the only other sprint swimmer to break 24 going into the meet at 23.99.

In event 9, Golden West again is a favorite in the 400 medley relay with a 3:53.89 seed or better than five seconds ahead of their nearest competitor. The time to beat for a state record is the 2009 swim by Santa Rosa of 3:52.76.

Day 2 

In event 13, both Orange Coast (1:46.18) and Golden West (1:46.86) already have times that beat the 2009 record in the 200 medley relay set by Santa Rosa of 1:46.92.  Both SRJC (1:47.38) and fellow NorCal squad Diablo Valley (1:47.09) both will challenge the SoCal leaders, which may provide one of the meet's most exciting races.

In event 15, Santa Rosa's Holland is the defending champion in the 200 individual medley, but no less than three other swimmers will challenge her in seed leader Melissa Bergesen (2:07.70) of Golden West, Nicole Buck (2:07.74) of Orange Coast, and Pasadena City's Shannon Cheung (2:08.51), who set a new South Coast Conference record in the event last week. Holland's time of last season is the mark to beat at 2:07.07.

In event 17, Orange Coast's Bailie is back to defend her 50 butterfly crown and she figures to crack the state record here as her state-leading seed time is already faster at 24.90 (record is 25.17). The next closest swimmer is LA Pierce's Lara Hagopian at 25.97.

In event 19, Golden West's Zeineh Kalfallah is knocking on the 200 freestyle record door at 1:50.62 (record is 1:50.34) and Ventura's Tang is not far back at 1:51.27. Last year's runner-up is San Mateo's Miya Oto, who will have her work cut out for her at 1:54.75.

In event 21, defending champion Shaila Yoder of Diablo Valley is yet another athlete who eclipsed the fastest state meet mark in the 50 breaststroke earlier with a seed time of 29.62 (record is 29.71). Yoder just missed the record in last year's win at 29.81. With no other swimmer better than 30.55 (OCC's Vivianne Mai), the event and record points to Yoder repeating.

In event 23, last year's 50 backstroke runner-up is this year's favorite in Riverside City's Kamaehu Alboro at 27.08. She will be challenged by Las Positas' McKenna Stevulak (27.20) and Golden West's Lauren Vosseler (27.22). The 10-year-old state meet record may be out of reach of 26.08 set by Orange Coast's Sherry Tsai.

In event 25, Golden West is an 800 freestyle relay prohibitive favorite with a 17- second faster seed time than the rest of the field. The Rustlers come in at 7:37.85.

In event 27, SD Mesa's McDonald is the frontrunner in the 3-meter diving competition with a 232.85 score at the SoCals. Riverside diver Aimee Bruns cracked the 200-point plateau as well at 212.05.

Day 3

 In event 29, Ventura's Tang has a good chance of catching the mark set by last year's new state record holder in the 1,650 freestyle—Golden West's Jade Morton. Tang has a seed time just .81 of a second behind Morton's and her 17:05.51 is a whopping 51 seconds faster than next fastest seed Meghan O'Rourke of Santa Rosa.

In event 31, the 100 backstroke is up for grabs between a slew of fine racers, including seed leader Christina Robledo of Ventura at 58.34. In all, eight swimmers have under 60-second marks with Robledo, Golden West's Vosseler (58.42), OCC's Buck (58.67), and Riverside's Alboro (58.98) each below 59. Alboro was the 2012 runner-up.

In event 33, Vosseler will push the record envelope with her 100 freestyle top seed mark of 50.60 (.24 off the meet standard). GWC teammate Roy is next best at 51.64. Ventura's Amy Puczkowski (52.78) was last year's runner-up in the event.

In event 35, DVC's Yoder settled for second in the 100 breaststroke last year and now tops the field with a 1:06.16 seed. Golden West's Bergesen is on her heels at 1:06.33 while Santa Rosa's Karissa DeRousseau is at 1:07.01.

In event 37, Santa Rosa's Holland passed up OCC's Bailie in last year's exciting 100 butterfly. Bailie has the top seed mark at 56.31 with defending champ Holland at 56.73. Ventura's Gaby Romero also figures to challenge at 57.75.

In event 39, Golden West wants to break its 13-year record in the 400 freestyle relay and will do so if it matches its top seed time of 3:28.32 (record is 3:28.89). Defending champion Ventura (3:35.50) and Orange Coast (3:34.07) will need to step it up to compete with the Rustlers.

Orange Coast is the 3-time defending women's team state champion, but Golden West could very well end that streak.

Release written by CCCAA State Meet Sports Information Director Robert Lewis, a member of the CCCSIA Executive Board and SID at Pasadena City College