Rustlers Open OEC Championships with Strong Day One Performance

COSTA MESA, Calif. - The Golden West College women's swim team opened competition at the Orange Empire Conference Championships on Thursday, April 16, with a strong showing at the Orange Coast College Aquatic Pavilion.

Golden West was led by standout distance efforts and key finals appearances across multiple events, setting the tone for the remainder of the championship meet.

Sienna Abernathy highlighted the day with a runner-up finish in the 500-yard freestyle, touching in at 5:26.48 to earn 17 team points. Teammate Mimi Versegi joined her on the podium with a third-place finish in 5:33.08, while Sam O'Donnell added valuable points with a sixth-place finish (5:46.58). Catherine Le and Crystal Fernandez rounded out scoring in the event with 11th- and 14th-place finishes, respectively.

In the 200-yard individual medley, Zoe Esquivel led the Rustlers with a fourth-place finish in 2:20.78 after advancing through prelims. Hanna Menyhart followed with a sixth-place finish (2:24.51), while Kaylee Huynh (8th) and Monet Panter (9th) also scored in the championship and consolation finals. Mya Huynh added a 12th-place finish to contribute to the team total.

Sprint events saw Savanna Ettinger pace Golden West in the 50 freestyle, finishing fifth overall with a time of 26.09. Emily Cislo (13th) and Sophie Kresge (16th) also scored for the Rustlers in the event.

Golden West opened the meet with a sixth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Savanna Ettinger, Hanna Menyhart, Sophie Kresge, and Sam O'Donnell combined for a time of 1:48.80 to secure 26 points.

The Rustlers closed out the day with a fifth-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. The quartet of Ettinger (backstroke), Esquivel (breaststroke), Abernathy (butterfly), and Versegi (freestyle) posted a time of 4:27.50, adding 28 points to the team total.

With multiple podium finishes and scoring depth across events, Golden West positioned itself well heading into the remaining days of the Orange Empire Conference Championships.

The Rustlers will return to the pool on Friday for day two of competition, looking to build on their momentum and continue climbing the team standings.