USC Swim teams prepare for Pac-12 Championships


By
 in ,
Stanford and USC swimmers diving into pool.
Men’s swim competed against Stanford Feb. 5, where the Trojans suffered their second-consecutive loss 164.5-96.5. (Richard Tao | Daily Trojan)

Men and women’s swim will compete in the Pac-12 Swimming Championship over the next two weeks after a competitive dual-meet season. Both teams stand at a 5-2 record, with their only two losses against highly ranked teams in the collegiate competition: UC Berkeley and Stanford. 

The men’s team wrapped up its regular season with a win against Utah last weekend, finishing with 164.5 points over Utah’s 96.5 points. Among the 12 wins earned by the Trojans were two dominant relays, the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. The 200-yard medley — swam by sophomore Vaggelis Makrygiannis, fifth year Trent Pellini, redshirt senior Nikola Miljenic and freshman Artem Selin — took first with a 1:26.50. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the Trojans took the win with a 2:57.20, swam by Selin, Miljenic, Pellini and junior Max Saunders. 

A decisive win against UCLA last weekend, which included the Trojans setting three pool records and winning seven events, has the women’s team feeling confident about future competition outside of the dual meet season. 

Women’s team captain senior Isabelle Odgers’ spirits are high regarding the end of the dual meet season.

“We had a super dominant victory over UCLA this year which was also really exciting and inspiring for us just moving into [the Pac-12 Championship] this next week,” Odgers said.

The 200-yard medley relay was one of three swims that broke records last weekend against the Bruins. Swam by fifth year Calypso Sheridan, sophomore Kaitlyn Dobler, sophomore Anicka Delgado and senior Laticia Transom, the relay team finished with a 1:35.32. Individually, Transom set the next pool record in the 100-yard freestyle, finishing with a 47.62, and Sheridan took another record in the 200-yard breaststroke, finishing with a 2:07.18. 

This season, the entire team will be able to attend the championships for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’ll just be fun to have the whole team there together again,” Odgers said. “I think one of the things that we’re always really great at is bringing really great energy, and we’re always the loudest team on deck at [the Pac-12 Championship] which is something that we hope to maintain for this year too.” 

Senior team captain Makenna Turner views the championships as an opportunity to celebrate her team after a long season.

“That’s honestly the best part,” Turner said. “All the hard work is over, and now, it’s like you just get to put on a fast suit with your best friends and race your butt off and enjoy seeing each other’s success and our success for the end of the season. We’re really looking forward to that as well.” 

Ahead of a long awaited postseason, the Trojans will be back in Federal Way, Wash. for their championship meets, with the women’s team swimming Feb. 23 through Feb. 26 and the men’s team swimming Mar. 2 through Mar. 5.