The UCSB women’s swimming and diving team will travel to Belmont Plaza this week for the first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships. The Gauchos, who won 13 Big West team titles before the conference stopped carrying swimming and diving, will be on a quest to become the first MPSF women’s swimming and diving champions.
In addition to competing for conference titles this week, several UCSB swimmers will be looking to earn their spot at the 2011 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, which will be held in Austin, Texas the week of Mar. 17-19. Freshmen Sophia Yamauchi and Allie Knight have both achieved ‘B’ cuts that could lead to berths into the championship, but don’t guarantee a spot. Yamauchi has achieved ‘B’ cuts in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.33) and the 200 breaststroke (2:14.31). The ‘A’ cuts (automatic qualifying times) in the events are 59.99 seconds in the 100 and 2:09.72 in the 200. Knight has posted ‘B’ standards in the 200 backstroke (1:58.63), the 200 IM (2:01.93) and the 400 IM (4:19.00). The ‘A’ cuts in the events are 1:53.37 in the 200 back, 1:56.13 in the 200 IM and 4:07.33 in the 400 IM.
UCSB heads into this week’s meet with the top seed in six of the 20 events. The Gauchos’ 400 free and 200 medley relays are the top-seeded teams. In the individual events, Allie Knight is seeded first in the 200 back and 400 IM. Paige Bradley has the top time in the 200 fly and Kendall Neely owns the top time in the 50 free.
Missy Burley will attempt to earn UCSB diving points at a championship meet for the first time in 11 years. Burley is the first member of the Gaucho diving team since the sport reemerged on the UCSB campus this fall. She will compete in the one-meter and two-meter events.
