School record broken as Waves succeed in season-opening Malibu Invitational on Saturday.
JANE LEE
Sports Editor
Pepperdine swimmer Danielle Kimmel wiped away the nerves as she stepped onto the blocks. With her family and best friend in the stands, she looked out across the pool and told herself, “Here we go.”
And the rest is history … literally.
The freshman highlighted the start of the Pepperdine women’s swimming and diving season by setting a school record in the 100 breaststroke at the Malibu Invitational at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool on Saturday.
Competing in her first meet as a Wave, Kimmel finished the race with a time of 1:05.55, breaking Monica Oleksyn’s record of 1:06.80 set in 1998.
“I knew what the record was going into the meet, and I had it set in my mind that I wanted to beat it, if possible, in my first attempt,” Kimmel said. “As I was swimming, I heard my family and teammates cheering for me, and I just went off their adrenaline.”
Kimmel also won the 50 breaststroke with a time of 30.11 and scored in the 50 free with a fourth-place finish (24.40) and the 100 free with a fifth-place finish (54.58).
“I was satisfied with how I performed, only for now though,” she said. “I want NCAA cuts. My dad jokingly said after the meet, ‘I’ve never been to Minnesota’ because that’s where the NCAA championships are held in March.
“I have a feeling those words will stick with me and motivate me each time I race this year.”
Also turning in successful performances in the team’s impressive start was senior Alison McLeod, who was named high scorer for the sprints, and freshman Brianna Blanchard, who won the high point for distance.
In distance, senior Lindsay Adarme took the high point with a second-place finish in the three-meter dive and a first place in the one-meter dive.
“Overall the team swam very well,” Kimmel said. “Our coach (Nick Rodionoff) said we swam at about 92 percent of 100 percent, which is amazing. More than just swimming, I think the team bonded more than in the past, which was a good feeling as well.”
Leading the Waves with 38 points, McLeod won the 50 fly with a time of 27.11 and the 100 fly with a time of 56.19, which moved her into Pepperdine’s second place all-time. With a time of 27.20 and 1:00.62, she took second in the 50 and 100 back while also scoring in the 100 free with a third-place finish (53.91).
Also having a standout performance was sophomore Haley Wilson, who had three third-place finishes in the 50 free (24.65), 100 fly (1:00.14) and 100 breast (1:09.73).
Freshman Amy Nightingale swam to a second-place finish in the 100 fly with a time of 58.70 and placed fourth in the 50 fly in 27.07, while sophomore Loriann Mark placed fourth in the 100 fly (1:01.01) and 100 breast (1:10.38) and sixth in the 50 breast (32.56).
Leading the Waves in distance was freshman Brianna Blanchard with 16 points. The newcomer swam to a first-place finish in the 500 free with a time of 5:15.36 and placed second in the 200 free (1:57.33).
While freshman Marissa McDaniel also had a first-place finish, taking the top spot in the 200 back with a time of 2:15.29, junior Jaime Lyon swam to a second-place finish in the 200 back (2:16.43).
Mark’s top finish for the day was in the 500 free with a second-place finish in a time of 5:16.54 and also placed fifth in the 200 fly with a time of 2:15.94. Placing third in the 200 fly was Nightingale with a time of 2:15.81.
In the diving competition, sophomore Amanda Pond started the day with a first-place finish in the three-meter dive and placed fourth in the one-meter dive.
Newcomer Sarah Towers had success in her first meet as a Wave, placing third in the three-meter dive and second in the one-meter dive. Senior Devyn Schumacher had two Top 5 finishes in both dives, while sophomore Michelle Wargo had a Top 5 finish in the one-meter dive.
While almost every Wave enjoyed a successful day at the pool, it was Kimmel who will remember it for many years to come.
“I was happy that I pleased my parents and sisters and was able to put on a good performance for them,” she said. “Of course I was happy for myself too. I felt like I started on a good path for my swimming career at Pepperdine.”
Kimmel and the Waves will compete next at the all-day Big West Shootout in Irvine on Friday.
11-02-2006
