Swimming
By Sarah Irvin
Staff Writer
A strong showing in the Pacific Coast Swimming Championships in Long Beach last weekend left the Pepperdine women’s swimming and diving team in a satisfying fourth place for the second consecutive year.
The four-day event held in Belmont Plaza consisted of 14 teams from across the West Coast.
Pepperdine held the top spot after the first day of competition thanks to outstanding performances from the divers. All five of Pepperdine’s divers placed in the top nine — freshman Lindsay Stephens finished in second place, qualifying herself for the NCAA Championships, while junior Emily Andrews took third.
At the end of the second day the Waves had fallen to fourth place, where they remained for the rest of the championships.
First-year law school student Maura Bolger, competing in her final meet in a Pepperdine uniform, said her teammates were happy with where they ended up.
“Because we got fourth last season our goal was to hopefully get third, if not, at least stay in fourth,” Bolger said. “We worked together and we worked hard so everyone was excited at the results.”
The team credited new training techniques implemented by Head Coach Nick Rodionoff for the strength of the new freshmen class and rest of the team as well. If all of the hard work from this season carries over, next year’s team will be even stronger competitors in the PCSC championships.
“I hope the freshmen class will step it up and rise to the full potential I know they are capable of,” Stephanie Hammond said. “This years sophomore class is an amazing class that is full of natural leaders and naturally talented girls.”
The added support and strength training must have worked because the team broke over 10 of Pepperdine All-Time best records. Sophomore Nicole Okuna swam her way into third and fourth place for the 100 butterfly. In just her second season swimming Okuna now dominates the entire category for the 100 butterfly.
Okuna was also a part of the ‘A’ team, along with Ketrina Lemmen, Stephanie Hammond and Megan Kelly, who broke into the charts for the fifth fastest time in the 200 medley relay.
Bolger took the second and fifth place spots in the 1000 freestyle as well as fourth in the 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. She also placed third in the 200 butterfly. A standout on the team, in just one season Bolger broke five of Pepperdine’s all-time records.
“This season was my chance to swim as best as I could,” Bolger said. “I knew that I did not have another meet and after this, there is nothing more I could do.”
This year proved to be an eventful one for the women’s swimming and diving team. The presence of hard working younger women and the motivation of the last-year seniors helped the team to grow more than years before. This year’s team surpassed all goals and expectations they had for themselves and were rewarded in the PCSC championships.
“The fact that we came together and turned an individual sport into a team sport really helped,” Brehmer said. “It is always good to have that extra support.”
For many of the women, this was their first college championship and for others, this was their last.
The team will lose six seniors after this spring including Maura Bolger, who is actually a law student, Stephanie Hammond, Lindsey Krusen, Michelle Lydin, Meghan Melton and Alison Reddick, but have little to worry about with 10 new freshmen that joined the team last fall.
“The six seniors who we are losing this year will be hard positions to fill,” Rodionoff said. “Although many of our undergraduates had a fine championship meet and show lots of potential.”
In addition to the team practices for approximately two hours a day, and the occasional strength training, the women showed dedication and determination in the pool.
“Everyone worked hard together not to simply do the workout,” Brehmer said. “Everyone put all of their energy into practice and never did anything half way.”
While each member of the team had their own individual goals, they all were out there for one central focus: to bond and turn the individual sport of swimming and diving a team sport. Through overcoming their fears together the team grew closer and learned many valuable things from each other.
“I have experienced things I would never want to trade,” Hammond said. “It was all about the team work and when you are on a team you have to remember why you are doing it, for the love of the sport.”
February 19, 2004