Excitement filled the ambiance at Spieker Aquatics Center as USC danced its way around crosstown rival UCLA, creating a piece of memorable history: the program’s first-ever undefeated regular season.  

The Bruin crowd turned out in impressive numbers, trying to play spoiler to the occasion, but the Trojans (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12) seemed unfazed and embraced the occasion. While the Bruins (5-4, 3-4) took the block for each event, the Trojans were grooving to their own introduction music, which played an influence and propelled them through the afternoon as USC placed first in 12 of the 15 events.  

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“It was definitely a [UCLA] home crowd, they were not the most welcoming crowd,” said Head Coach Lea Maurer in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “I always challenge them to focus on attention and your energy, and I think that was one thing where it’s just feeling like you’re controlling your headspace and … controlling things you can control.”  

USC set the tone off the block and didn’t look back for the rest of the afternoon. The veteran medley group consisting of seniors Caroline Famous, Kaitlyn Dobler and Anicka Delgado and graduate student Vasilissa Buinaia kicked it off with a decisive 1:36.36 on the 200-yard medley relay, signaling to the Bruin faithful in the stands they meant business today.

Famous maintained her stellar performance following her first career Pac-12 Swimmer of the Week recognition. Lately, she has emerged as a standout for the Trojans, particularly excelling in backstroke events. Her crucial role in the medley relay, where she competes in the backstroke leg, has been instrumental in USC’s success, securing first-place finishes. Notably, Famous concluded the day with victories in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke events, in addition to a second-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle.

Breaststroke specialist Dobler showcased in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events, reaffirming her dominance in the pool by beating out both fields. Her 200-yard breaststroke was particularly exhilarating as she successfully fended off a comeback attempt from UCLA junior Ana Jih-Schiff. 

Dobler not only continued to establish herself as a strong producer for the Trojans in this event but also as a quintessential leader for the team.  

“As a senior especially, I have a slightly different perspective,” Dobler said. “I want to enjoy every moment of it and [I’m] trying to get younger swimmers to also appreciate what they have in every moment. And I think that that appreciation really just gives us the opportunity to just swim fast as well.”

Freshman prodigy Minna Abraham orchestrated a remarkable comeback in the final leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay, starting her leg just over half a second behind UCLA junior Joanie Cash. Demonstrating strategic awareness, Abraham kept a close eye on her opponent throughout the race, ensuring she always knew Cash’s position. Gradually narrowing the gap, Abraham positioned herself within striking distance. With unwavering determination, she surged ahead during the final stretch, narrowly out-touching Cash by a mere 0.05 of a second, clinching an exhilarating victory for the Trojans and silencing a Bruin-heavy crowd despite them leading the entirety of the relay. 

“We definitely had a fight on our hands. We all did really well under the circumstances,” Dobler said. “We knew that [UCLA] were going to rest into this beat and we’re training through it because our focus is on [the] Pac-12 and NCAAs. So that’s always a tough thing to do, especially after the weekend we had last weekend.”  

Meanwhile, on the diving front, graduate student Nike Agunbiade has been a pillar of consistency, bolstering USC’s point tally. She maintained her impressive form after clinching first place in the 1-meter competition. Agunbiade also secured third place in the 3-meter diving event.

The Trojans will now prepare for crucial races at the Pac-12 Championships Feb. 28 to March 2 at Weyerhaeuser Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.