NCAA Division II Meet of the Week: (#5/1) UC San Diego vs. Division I Cal Baptist
This week’s Division II meet of the week focuses on the non-conference Division II vs. Division I clash in southern California. The two schools are separated by just over 100 miles with UC San Diego having to travel up north to Riverside.
The meet will be Saturday at 12 p.m.
Division II Meet of the Week
- January 10: West Chester vs. Nova Southeastern
- January 18: Lindenwood vs. McKendree
- January 25: Wayne State vs. Grand Valley
The #1 UC San Diego women are currently ranked in the top spot in the latest CSCAA Division II poll as they shoot for their first ever national title at the end of the season. We are still roughly six weeks away from nationals so there will be no need to analyze or dissect any of that meet just yet, but this weekend is one of the last weekends of the Division II schedule with meets going on. What better time to talk about the #1 team than right before championship season?
The Tritons are led by their strongest team in history. Legendary head coach David Marsh stepped down at the end of last season but the team has not missed a beat with new head coach Marko Djordjevic.
Freshman Katja Pavicevic has been a big boost for the team this season as she is ranked in the top eight in Division II thus far this season in the 200 breast (2nd), 400 IM (3rd), 200 IM (7th) and 100 breast (8th). The Canadian has filled in any weaknesses the team may have had and has helped their medley relays up into the top three nationally.
Fellow freshman Julia Arzave has also been a big plus for the team as she is the top ranked swimmer in Division II right now in the 1000 and 1650 and is also ranked second in the 500.
The Tritons have a lot of depth in freestyle especially with the presence of junior Ciara Franke, who was second in the 200 freestyle last year. Franke is ranked fourth in Division II at the halfway point of the season as she was also on the 400 and 800 free relays at the Pepperdine Invitational that put up the top time in Division II.
Sophomores Tina Reuter and Brittney Miles have also had their hands in a number of events this season and add to what makes UC San Diego so dangerous: depth.
And with only two seniors on the women’s team, UC San Diego could be here to stay.
It does not appear to be a overly competitive meet between UC San Diego and former Division II rival California Baptist, who made the move to Division I and the WAC in the fall of 2018. The only event where they have the fastest time between the two schools this season is the 200 free where freshman Mackenzie Degn has been a 1:49.48 this season.
The men’s meet should be more competitive as the #5 Tritons team visit the Lancers in Riverside.
Sophomores Graham Hauss and Hayden Johnson lead a good distance group along with junior Zack Reuter as they look to capitalize on a weakness of Cal Baptist. Hauss, Reuter, Ivan Kurakin and Mitchell Stoddard together have the top time in Division II in the 800 free relay as the team has built their depth in the middle distance freestyle races.
Senior breaststroker Edgar Chin should also be a strongpoint of this team against Cal Baptist, but will have his hands full with junior Sean Foster of the Lancers, who has been nearly four seconds quicker than him in the 200 breast this season. Junior Jacob Leahy and sophomore Robert Moseley are also strongpoints for Cal Baptist as they have the fastest times among the two teams in the 100 back (Leahy) and the 200 back and 200 IM (Moseley).
The men’s meet should be highly competitive and that is why it is our Division II meet of the week.