MONTEREY PARK, Calif. – The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) wrapped up the 2022-23 Women's Swim & Dive season Wednesday through Sunday at East LA College Swim Stadium. As they did all season long, the Beavers overcame some challenges, maintained their position from last year, and made some history in the process.
Graduate student
Tara Leininger made waves for Catlech in the breaststroke events, posting a 1:08.78 time in the 100-yard championship and finishing in 2:25.96 in the 200, both new Caltech program records. An all-around swimmer, she also scored Caltech some points in the meet standings in the 200-yard individual medley (IM) and freestyle events.
First-year diver
Jana Woo represented the Beavers in both dive championships, taking fourth on the three-meter board with a 415.00 score and fifth on the one-meter with 413.85.
Representing Caltech in the 200-yard medley relay was the "A" team of
Natalie Lee,
Charlotte Zhang,
Mila Hong and
Maddie Swint, who swam a 1:51.55 race for sixth place and 26 points. The "B" team of
Favour Okodogbe, Leininger,
Brea Swartwood and
Paulina Naydenkov also scored for the Beavers in the consolation heat.
The 800-yard freestyle relay saw the Caltech "A" team of Zhang,
Elizabeth Won,
Mila Hong and Leininger claim fifth place and 28 points with a 8:06.85 championship finish, and the "B" squad of
Maddie Swint, Swartwood,
Diya Kumar and Naydenkov claimed more points with their 8:18.71 time. Mixing things up for the 200 free relay, Swartwood, Swint, Hong and Lee posted a 1:41.09 time in the championship, with Zhang, Kumar, Won and Naydenkov brought home some points in the consolation heat with a 1:44.61 time.
Later, in the 400-yard medley relay, Lee, Leininger, Hong and Won tallied 26 more points for the Beavers with their 4:07.45 finish, taking sixth place in the championship.
Won then showcased her endurance in the 1650-yard freestyle, averaging 32.06 seconds per lap for a 18:07.37 finish. Naydenkov also scored for Caltech in the 1650, finishing in 19:52.98.
And finally the quartet of Leininger, Won, Zhang and Swint took sixth in the 400 free relay championship with a 3:41.52 finish, with Swartwood, Naydenkov, Hong and Lee scoring in the consolation race.
In the end, Caltech's 254 points outscored Redlands, Whittier, and La Verne in the championship standings.
"I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish," Head Coach Andy Brabson said. "To be able to maintain last year's team standings along with some strong individual and relay performances is a testament to how well the team was able to come together."
The NCAA will announce the field for this year's National Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 22.
