Women’s Swimming & Diving | November 08, 2024
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LOS ANGELES – In a spectacular display of athleticism, USC’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams maintained their pristine records in dual meets, triumphing over the Arizona Wildcats on Friday, November 8, at the prestigious Uytengsu Aquatics Center.
The women’s team decisively defeated Arizona with a score of 193-107, while the men’s team showcased dominance as well, securing a 169.5-130.5 victory. Both squads now find themselves with a perfect 2-0 record as they progress through the season.
The Women of Troy kicked off the competition on a high note, winning the 200y medley relay. The team, comprised of Caroline Famous, Asley McMillan, Genevieve Sasseville, and Vasilissa Buinaia, finished with an impressive time of 1:37.94.
USC’s women displayed extraordinary depth in the 1000y freestyle, sweeping the event with a commanding performance. Ella Ristic secured first place with a stellar time of 9:52.23, followed closely by teammates Marlene Kahler (9:55.39) and Alexa Wong (10:03.10), achieving a remarkable 1-2-3 finish for the Trojans.
On the men’s side, sophomore All-American Krzysztof Chmielewski showcased his talent by clocking a rapid 8:48.78 in the 1000y freestyle, which ranks as the sixth fastest time nationally this season. Additionally, Chmielewski excelled in the 200y butterfly with a time of 1:42.37 and claimed victory in the 500y freestyle, finishing in 4:22.86.
Sophomore All-American and Olympian Minna Abraham delivered an outstanding performance, clocking the fastest time in the country so far this season in the 200y freestyle at 1:42.01, earning an NCAA automatic qualifying cut. Later in the day, she successfully claimed first in the 100y freestyle with a swift time of 47.96, marking the third fastest time nationally this season. Abraham also showcased her skills in the 100y butterfly, finishing second with a personal best time of 53.17.
In the women’s 100y backstroke, USC fifth-year swimmer Caroline Famous secured first place with a noteworthy time of 52.33, achieving an NCAA B cut in the process. Famous continued her success by winning the 50y freestyle in a time of 22.45.
On the men’s side, sophomore Olympian Michal Chmielewski claimed first in the 100y backstroke with an outstanding time of 47.21, further solidifying his position as a top competitor. He also finished second in the 100y butterfly with a time of 47.19.
Freshman Junhao Chan demonstrated exceptional prowess in the 100y breaststroke, tying for first with Arizona’s Daniel Young with a time of 52.66. Chan later triumphed in the 200y breaststroke, recording an impressive NCAA B cut time of 1:55.53.
Sophomore Macky Hodges led the Women of Troy to a 1-2 finish in the 200y backstroke with an admirable time of 1:54.76, while freshman teammate Isabella Schneider captured second place with a time of 1:58.39.
Continuing the Trojan dominance, USC sophomore Sanberk Oktar led an impressive 1-2-3-4 sweep in the 200y individual medley. Oktar touched the wall first in 1:46.65, with Ben Dillard (1:48.31), Chris O’Grady (1:49.05), and Luke Maurer (1:49.16) following closely behind.
The Women of Troy sealed their victory with another relay win in the meet’s concluding event. The Trojan quartet comprised of Abraham, Vasilissa Buinaia, Hodges, and Ristic combined their talents to clock a winning time of 3:15.23 in the 400y freestyle relay.
DIVING RESULTS:
In a remarkable debut at the Spieker Aquatics Center, USC freshman Moritz Wesemann showcased his diving prowess by sweeping both springboard events. The talented German Olympic diver claimed victory in the 1-meter with an impressive score of 403.60 and followed up with another win on the 3-meter, scoring 407.20.
On the women’s side, USC’s Grace Lee earned a commendable second place on the 3-meter with a score of 279.40 points. Freshman Kate Miller closely trailed, finishing third with 278.05 points to deliver a solid performance.
UP NEXT:
The USC swim and dive program now looks ahead to the Texas Hall of Fame Swimming Invitational, which will take place from November 20-22 in Dallas, Texas. Additionally, the diving team will host the three-day Trojan Diving Invitational from November 22-24.
**Interview with USC Swimming & Diving Head Coach**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today! It sounds like USC had an impressive meet against Arizona. Can you share your thoughts on the performance of both the men’s and women’s teams?
**Coach:** Absolutely! I’m incredibly proud of both teams. The women won decisively with a score of 193-107, and our men followed suit with a strong 169.5-130.5 win. It’s always great to come out strong early in the season, and both teams are now 2-0, which is a fantastic start.
**Interviewer:** The women’s team had a remarkable 1-2-3 finish in the 1000y freestyle. How does that kind of depth benefit the team overall?
**Coach:** Depth is crucial in swimming. It means we not only have a few top athletes but a strong roster that can compete at a high level across all events. Ella Ristic and her teammates showed tremendous skill and determination, and that kind of performance instills confidence in the whole team.
**Interviewer:** On the men’s side, Krzysztof Chmielewski had an outstanding performance, especially in the 1000y freestyle. How do you assess his growth this season?
**Coach:** Krzysztof has been phenomenal this season. His time of 8:48.78 is impressive and ranks among the best nationally. His consistency and ability to perform under pressure have been vital for our team’s success. He’s definitely someone to watch as the season progresses.
**Interviewer:** It seems like Minna Abraham is also setting the bar high with her times. Can you discuss her impact on the team?
**Coach:** Minna is a game-changer. Her performance in the 200y freestyle and the 100y freestyle shows not just her talent but her leadership ability as well. She’s setting school records and NCAA qualifying cuts, and her drive inspires her teammates to push harder every day.
**Interviewer:** How do you plan to maintain this momentum in the upcoming meets?
**Coach:** We focus on gradual improvement and keeping our athletes healthy and motivated. We’ll be analyzing our performances to identify areas for growth, and we’ll continue to emphasize teamwork and support. With our collegiate season being competitive, it’s essential to keep that momentum going.
**Interviewer:** Thank you so much for your insights, Coach! Best of luck with the rest of the season.
**Coach:** Thank you! We appreciate your support and look forward to making more waves this season!
