PEPPERDINE PREPARED FOR PCSC CHAMPIONSHIPS
February 8, 2010
Two-time PCSC Coach of the Year Nick Rodionoff talks about his team heading into the PCSC Championships.
- Psych Sheet
- Schedule of Events
MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine's women's swimming and diving team heads to the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach, Calif., this week for the 2010 PCSC Championships, which run from Wednesday to Saturday night.
The Waves' postseason roster - comprised of 16 swimmers and four divers - will be facing competition from 15 different schools, whose locations range from as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska to as far south as San Diego. Regional rivals such as Loyola Marymount, Cal Baptist and Azusa Pacific also will be part of the massive field.
Pepperdine placed third out of 14 teams at last year's championships, scoring 1,025 points, and head coach Nick Rodionoff was presented with his second PCSC Coach of the Year award.
In the meet within a meet, if Pepperdine places ahead of its archival LMU in the conference standings, the Waves will earn yet another point in the PCH Cup Challenge. Pepperdine currently leads the intercollegiate athletic series, 7-5.-4.5, following last Saturday's basketball games.
The Waves lay claim to some of the best divers in the conference and should collect a number of points through the first two days of competition. The divers compete off the 3-meter springboard Wednesday and the 1-meter Thursday.
Junior Tiffany Martz (Folsom, Calif./Folsom HS) won last year's 1-meter title with 392.00 points and was second off 3-meter with 368.10 points. And although the Waves' lost defending PCSC Diver of the Year Amanda Pond to graduation after last year, freshman Jenna Tenwolde (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills HS) has done everything to ensure the Waves won't lose their advantage on the boards.
Sophomore Leslie Wade (Atlanta, Ga./The Lovett School), a two-time finalist from last year, could also dive her way up to a top-three showing, and freshman Klaire Korver (Redwood City, Calif./Pinewood School) should be a fourth finalist for Pepperdine.
The Waves return several veterans to the pool, each of whom will be determined to finish higher than they did a year ago. Senior Dani Kimmel (Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake HS) placed among the top five in three individuals races and combined with junior Kayleen Hicks (Chico, Calif./Chico HS) to give Pepperdine a solid one-two punch in the breaststroke events.
The Kimmel and Hicks tandem placed second and eighth, respectively, in the 100 breast, and were fourth and seventh in the 200 breast. Hicks, however, has established herself as the varsity record holder in each event this season, clocking times of 1:04.47 and 2:21.31.
Freshman Rachel Dekar (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School) gives Pepperdine a triple threat in the breaststroke and has already posted regular season times that will likely place her within the conference's top five.
With Dekar, the Waves not only have themselves a third breaststroke finalist, but a scoring entry in the 200 individual medley, and a competent relay racer for the 200 and 400-yard events.
In the distance races, Pepperdine brings back sophomore Madison Krall (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo Centennial HS) who placed second in the 1650 freestyle, 10th in the 500 free, and fifth in the 400 IM. Krall's 500 and 1650 free times last year of 5:01.22 and 17:14.15 were both personal bests and just two seconds behind Jennifer Antimarino's varsity records.
Krall could again receive help in the 400 IM from sophomore Joanne Perry (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School) who placed eighth a year ago in 4:39.11, as well as the team's top returning backstroke swimmer in senior Ali Chester ( Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly HS).
Pepperdine missed scoring at last year's championships in the 100 and 200 freestyle, but may have this issue resolved with the addition of freshman Sarah Burris (Virginia Beach, Va./Cox HS). Her season best times in each event stand at 54.86 and 2:00.32, which are good enough to place among the top 16.
Two other Pepperdine freshmen, Shannon Adkins (Granite Bay, Calif./Granite Bay HS) and Andrea Kacynski (Superior, Colo./Monarch HS) will both provide extra depth in the 500 free and 400 IM. Adkins also will be entered in the 200 back, while Kacynski is set to compete in the swimmer's mile.
In the butterfly, junior and PCSC championship finalist Francesca Cyphers (Lake Oswego, Ore./St. Mary's Academy) leads a group that also features sophomore Martha Murphy (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain HS), senior Amy Nightingale (Paradise, Calif./Home Tech Charter School) and junior Jessell Owens (Winnemucca, Nev./Lowry HS).
Cyphers, who also will assist on medley relays and compete in the 200 IM, placed sixth last season in the 100 fly with a time of 58.34. Her season best from this year is 59.10.
Admission charges to the PCSC Championships are $5 per session (including diving) and $30 for an all-sessions pass.
Daily parking costs are $10 per day. Meter parking is $1 per hour until 6 p.m.
Additional PCSC Championship information and results can be found at http://www.pacificswimanddive.org/champresults.html.
