UCLA Swim and Dive Honors Seniors With Wins Over Kansas, San Diego

Photo Credit: UCLA Athletics

LOS ANGELES – The UCLA swim and dive team sent its senior class out in style Saturday afternoon at the Spieker Aquatics Center with a pair of dual meet wins over San Diego (154-83) and Kansas (168-126). The Bruins won more than half of the events in their final home meet of the season.

UCLA Press Release

Seven swimmers closed out their collegiate home careers on Saturday, helping the 10th-ranked Bruin swimming and diving teams to a tri-meet victory over Kansas (168-126) and San Diego (154-83) at Spieker Aquatics Center.

The Bruins had the best mark in 11 of 16 events, as sophomore Linnea Mack won a pair of races, sophomore Ciara Monahan claimed both diving events and UCLA took two relays. Also winning were seniors Monica Dornick and Jessica Khojasteh, junior Katy Campbell and freshmen Katie Grover and Carly Reid.

The meet began with the 200 Medley Relay, as sophomore Madison White, junior Allison Wine, senior Noelle Tarazona and Mack won in a time of 1:43.31. The Bruins also had the second-best time with junior Katie Kinnear, Khojasteh, Grover and Dornick (1:44.70). Kansas took the 1000 Freestyle. The Bruins’ best finisher was sophomore Michaela Merlihan, who was second (10:07.37).

In the 200 Free, another freshman claimed first-place honors, leading a 1-2-4-5 finish for the Bruins. Reid was first in a time of 1:51.57, followed closely by White (1:51.74). Campbell was fourth (1:53.09) and freshman Sarah Kaunitz tallied the fifth-best time (1:53.25). The Jayhawks won the 100 Backstroke. Tarazona was the top Bruin, finishing second at 57.96.

Khojasteh started a streak of four straight swimming victories for UCLA, taking the 100 Breaststroke in a time of 1:03.61. Wine was second (1:04.50), followed by sophomores Brigitte Winkler (1:05.81) and Maggie Burton (1:06.84). In the 200 Butterfly, Grover won in a time of 2:02.29, followed by junior Arlyn Upshaw (2:02.62) and freshman MK Kish (2:05.86) to lead a 1-2-3 UCLA finish.

Prior to the initial swimming break, Mack won her first of the afternoon in the 50 Free with a time of 23.16. The Bruins had the top five times in the event, as Mack was followed by Kaunitz (23.80), Khojasteh (23.91), Kinnear (24.02) and senior Courtney Wilde (24.27). After the break, Dornick won the 100 Free (51.41), as the Bruins had the top four marks. Grover was second (52.12), senior Taylor Carlson third (52.32) and sophomore Savannah Steffen fourth (52.67).

Ciara Monahan won both diving events, taking the 3-Meter with a score of 260.63 and the 1-Meter with a 269.55. Sophomore Danni Repper was second in both events, totaling a 247.28 in the 3-Meter and a 252.38 in the 1-Meter.

Kansas won both the 200 Back and the 200 Breast. The Bruins finished 2-5 in the 200 Back, as freshman Hannah Grubbs placed second (2:03.42), followed by Kish (2:03.48), freshman Marie-Pierre Delisle (2:04.51) and senior Ally Loper (2:05.62). In the 200 Breast, the Bruins had the second through fourth times, as Winkler was second (2:21.50), Upshaw third (2:23.34) and Burton fourth (2:25.67).

UCLA was back in the winner’s circle in the next two events, as Campbell claimed the 500 Free (4:55.54). Reid was third at 4:59.19. In the 100 Fly, Mack was first with a 55.20. Kinnear placed second (55.98) and freshman Anna Quinn was fourth (56.69).

The 400 Individual Medley went to the Jayhawks, as the Bruins posted the second (Tarazona, 4:27.91) and third-best (Campbell, 4:28.21) times. In the final race, the 200 Free Relay, the quartet of Grover, White, Kaunitz and Dornick recorded the top time with a 1:34.84.

The UCLA swimmers are back in the pool next weekend with a two-day meet at Oregon State (Friday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11 a.m.), while the divers hit the boards next weekend with the Bruin Diving Invitational (Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. and Monday, Jan. 19 at 10 a.m.) at Spieker Aquatics Center.

Kansas Press Release

Yulduz Kuchkarova and Chelsie Miller each won a pair of individual events and Bryce Hinde added another win for Kansas as the team opened its winter training trip with a double dual split against UCLA and San Diego Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Center. Kansas dropped a 168-126 decision to UCLA, but topped San Diego, 158.50-89.50.

Kuchkarova started the new calendar year just like she ended the last, sweeping the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events, and Miller continued to stockpile points for Kansas with wins in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 400-yard individual medley. Hinde won the 200-yard breaststroke in her fastest un-tapered time of the year and second-fastest overall, 2:20.99.

In all, Kansas posted 25 top-five performances during Saturday’s meet, including three from Miller. In addition to winning two events, Miller was defeated for the first time in seven races this season in the 500-yard freestyle as she finished second to UCLA’s Katy Campbell, a school record holder in the event and US National Team member. Miller’s 1,000 free time of 10:05.43 was her second win in two swims in the event during the 2014-15 season and topped her previous season-best by more than four seconds.

On the diving boards, UCLA’s Ciara Monahan and Danielle Repper finished first and second, respectively, in both the one- and three-meter competitions. Sydney Power was Kansas’ top performer in three-meter diving with a 241.58 and Graylyn Jones was the leading Jayhawk scorer on the one-meter board with a score of 246.00 – an event she’s qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships in.

Kuchkarova and Hinde joined Deanna Marks and Hannah Driscoll to open the meet with a third-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.76. Kansas then wrapped the first event wins from Miller (1,000 free) and Kuchkarova (100 back) around a third place finish by Haley Molden in the 200-yard freestyle (1:52.12). She was edged by UCLA’s Carly Reid (1:51.57) who out-touched fellow Bruin Madison White (1:51.74) for the event win.

Kansas had three of the top five times in the 100 back, with Hannah Angell and Madison Hutchinson both swimming in the 58s to finish tied for third, and fifth, respectively. The event was perhaps topped only in strength by the 500 free, where four Jayhawks finished among the top six, with Sammie Schurig (5:03.50) and Lindsay Manning (5:03.63) swimming nearly identical times for fourth and fifth place behind Miller’s (4:56.58).

Though not an event winner Saturday, KU’s Pia Pavlic was one of the most active Jayhawks in the water. The sophomore from Slovenia swam season bests in the 50-yard freestyle (24.29) and 100-yard butterfly (56.38), the latter serving as the fastest by a Jayhawk this season.

In addition to Monahan’s two wins in diving, Bruin swimmer Linnea Mack claimed two event wins during Saturday’s meet. The third fastest in the Pac 12 this season in the 50 free, Mack was one of three Bruins under 24 seconds in the event Saturday with a 23.16. She then won the 100 fly, edging Pavlic, with a time of 55.20.

Following the conclusion of the event, the Jayhawks traveled south to San Diego where the team will train outdoors for the week before returning to Kansas for the start of the spring semester. Kansas’ next competition is a double dual against William Jewell and Truman State in Liberty, Mo., on Jan. 24.

San Diego Press Release

The USD Swim Team competed against UCLA and Kansas Saturday afternoon at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Los Angeles. Although the final score favored the No. 8 Bruins and Jayhawks, the Toreros recorded numerous top five swims.

Sarah Reierson had the top finish for USD, coming in third in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.02. Christina Jonsson finished in the top five in the 400 yard IM (4th; 4:40.20) and the 200 breaststroke (2:26.06), while also earning a sixth place finish in the 200 butterfly (2:11.57).

Jackie Taylor continued her strong season in the freestyle, coming in fourth in the 100 freestyle (52.99), while also finishing in the top ten in the 50 Free (7th; 24.70) and 200 Free (8th; 1:56.26).

Danielle Deiparine had a strong day, finishing in the top ten in three events. She finished fifth in the 400 IM (4:44.95), while taking home 7th in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.18) and 10th in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.75).

Taylor Noonan also had a top five finish in the 100 butterfly (58.88), and came in tenth in the 200 freestyle (1:57.84).

Gwen Walter and Julia Personeni each notched three top ten finishes. Walter came in sixth in the 1000 freestyle (10:46.54), eighth in the 100 freestyle (54.80), and ninth in the 500 freestyle (5:13.69). Personeni took eighth in the 100 (1:09.25) and 200 breaststroke (2:28.33) and tenth in the 50 freestyle (26.88).

In addition to Reierson’s third place finish in the 100 backstroke, she also finished sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:00.28), and eighth in the 200 backstroke (2:09.60).

Rounding out the USD top ten finishers: Morgan Scarth (6th; 400 IM, 4:48.86), Paige Sellers (7th in 400 IM 4:52.17; 9th in 200 butterfly 2:20.44), Sammi Cohn (8th in 100 butterfly 1:02.51; 9th in 100 breaststroke 1:09.52), Kiko Lamb (9th in 50 Free 25.47 for career best; 10th in 100 backstroke 1:02.59), and Jordan Martinko (10th in 100 freestyle 58.33)

The Toreros return to water next weekend when they compete in the Beach Cup against LMU, Fresno State, and Pepperdine in Fresno beginning Friday.

Results: Kansas, San Diego vs. UCLA

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