If you looked up “bittersweet” in the dictionary you’d probably find a note saying “refer to the Pepperdine women’s swimming and diving team’s last meet.”
History was rewritten as records were set while tears were shed almost simultaneously to what was an eventful weekend at the Pacific Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference championships in Long Beach.
Freshman swimmer Rachel Dekar broke Pepperdine’s varsity record for the 200 breaststroke in the prelims Saturday providing a spectacular conclusion to the season and quite possibly the swimming and diving program as it stands now for the foreseeable future.
“It’s definitely a good way to end the season Dekar said. It makes you want to try harder next season and push yourself for those kind of results.”
Dekar wasn’t the only bright spot in the tournament as several other swimmers also performed admirably during the four-day meet.
Junior Kayleen Hicks recorded Pepperdine’s third-and fourth-fastest times in the same event while sophomore Madison Krall also finished with the third-fastest time in school history in the 1650 freestyle and fourth overall.
Freshman Sarah Burris and senior Brianna Blanchard also set personal bests in the 100-yard split and the 1650 freestyle respectively rounding out a successful meet for the emotionally charged Waves.
“We performed very well considering the circumstances also that our coach wasn’t able to come because he got sick at the last minute Dekar said. And we haven’t swam many meets that long so it tested our endurance as well.”
The Waves faced their fair share of challenges this year including a sizeable budget cut by the University. Given the situation there were some positives that came from the adversity they faced. Hicks said that despite the many obstacles the year presented the team was able to come together more so than any other time of her collegiate career as a Wave.
“It was definitely a very emotional year she said. I’ve never felt so close with a group before in my life and I’ve been swimming since I was 7 years old.
Hicks also felt team chemistry was a positive element this season.
We faced a lot of struggles this year but I think we really preserved through them well and had a great showing for the amount of girls we had. It’s kind of a bond where it doesn’t matter what’s against us—were in it together.”
