MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine’s women’s swimming and diving team completes its 2008-09 regular season playing host to the Pacific Coast Swimming Conference (PCSC) Time Trials Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
The meet, which includes teams from Soka, Concordia and Azuza Pacific, will feature most swimming events in addition to 1- and 3-meter springboard diving.
The purpose of the time trials is to help coaches determine their rosters for the upcoming PCSC Championships, which take place in Long Beach, Calif. from Feb. 18 to 21. Coaches are allowed to bring only 18 student-athletes with three divers counting as one swimmer, and since Pepperdine diving is quite strong this season, head coach Nick Rodionoff plans to bring all six of his divers, leaving him with 16 swimmers.
There will be many tough cuts for Rodionoff to make since his current roster stands at more than 30 participants.
“This is last opportunity to qualify for the conference meet, so we’re going to look at each swimmer in terms of being able to score in three events,” Rodionoff said. “If we have some women who are behind some of their teammates in what's normally their primary race, then we’ll be sure to try them in a new event this weekend.”
In addition to the intense competition as swimmers from the four schools attempt to make the championship squad, the Waves will recognize their eight woman senior class of Jessica Brakulis (Munster, Ind./Munster HS), Michelle Fadley (Malibu, Calif./Northwood HS), Sara Kallman (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Immaculate Heart Academy), Alyson Loyd (Orange, Calif./Chapman University), Lauren Meagher (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS), Amanda Pond (Wayland, Mass./Wayland HS), Adria Stoliar (Malibu, Calif./Calabasas HS) and Haley Wilson (Carpinteria, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) during a short pre-meet ceremony.
Senior Profiles
Jessica Brakulis, a native of Munster, Ind., began her career at Pepperdine as a swimmer but converted to diving during her junior season and scored some points for the Waves off the 1- and 3-meter springboards. A communications major, Jessica is the daughter of John and Brenda Brakulis.
Michelle Fadley is a Malibu native who graduated from Irvine’s Northwood High School before becoming a Wave in 2004. She has assisted Pepperdine in a variety of events from the sprint freestyle through the 200 IM and in 2008, placed sixth in the 400 IM at the PCSC Championships. An organizational communications major, Michelle is the daughter of Steve and Debbie Sutherland. She is married to Josh Fadley and has a 2-year-old daughter named Keira.
Sara Kallman came all the way to Pepperdine from Franklin Lakes, N.J. where she was a Prep All-American for Immaculate Heart Academy. Since joining the Waves in 2005, Sara has scored at the PCSC Championships in the breaststroke and has won several different individual and relay events. A liberal arts and elementary education major, Sara is the daughter of Tom and Kathy Kallman.
Alyson Loyd is finishing her first and only year for the Waves this season after transferring from Chapman University, leaving as the school record holder in both breaststroke races. Aly continued to swim the breaststroke for Pepperdine as well as the 500 freestyle and both individual medleys, and in her first meet as a Wave helped the 800 freestyle relay team place second at the PCSC Invitational. Aly hails from Orange, Calif. and is the daughter of Bob and Terry Loyd.
Lauren Meagher has been one of the Waves most consistent and reliable swimmers in the backstroke since joining the team in the fall of 2005, qualifying for three consecutive PCSC Championships along the way. Lauren also has been frequently used in the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly, as well. A integrated marketing/communications and public relations major, Lauren is the daughter of Patrick and Lori and is originally from Eagan, Minn., where it’s currently 13 degrees.
Amanda Pond is another member of this year’s graduating class who decided to escape the East Coast for the Pepperdine’s Pacific Ocean shoreline, originally hailing from Wayland, Mass. In her three full seasons as a Wave, Amanda has continually improved at the PCSC Championships, going from 12th to sixth to third on 3-meter and from 10th to sixth on 1-meter. Amanda is majoring in psychology and is the daughter of Tim and Julie.
Public Policy graduate student Adria Stoliar was a late addition to this year’s team after transferring from the University of California, where she earned bachelor’s of art degrees in social welfare and education. Adria has been a constant presence for Pepperdine in the butterfly events, but has also occasionally competed in the breaststroke and IM. At the dual with Cal State Northridge two weeks ago, Adria’s 200 medley relay placed third in 1:53.93. A Malibu native, Adria is the daughter of Ron and Maria.
Haley Wilson leaves Pepperdine as one of its most decorated swimmers. Haley arrived in Malibu for the start of the 2005-06 season and since then has helped 12 different relay teams post some of the fastest times in program history, including varsity records in the 200 and 400 medley relays. Haley and her teammates recorded their record times in early 2007, posting a 1:46.68 in the 200 medley relay and a 3:51.92 in the 400 medley relay. Haley is the daughter of Doug and Dina Wilson and is originally from Carpenteria, Calif.
