LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The No. 18 UCLA swimming and diving teams open 2016 action this weekend as the swimmers head to Salt Lake City, Utah, to compete against Utah and Boise State, while the divers host the Bruin Diving Invitational.
Winter Break Recap
Junior Annika Lenz competed in the 3-meter and platform events at the 2015 USA Diving Winter National Championships, held Dec. 15-20, at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis. She placed 20th with a score of 190.10 (just 8 points from the semifinal) in the women's 10-meter prelim, and placed 31st with a score of 211.20 on Friday in the women's 3-meter prelim (35 points from the semifinal).
Freshman Eloise Belanger hit the boards at the Canadian Winter National Championships, held Dec. 18-20 in Saskatoon, Canada. Belanger recorded two top-five finishes in the springboard events—placing second in the 1-meter (273.) and fourth in the 3-meter (284.50). On the platform, the Bruin finished seventh.
Sophomore Maria Polyakova was named Pac-12 Diver of the Month for the month of December. This was the second consecutive and third-career Diver of the Month honor for Polyakova.
On the Boards
A total of 13 schools will be sending more than 50 divers to this weekend's Bruin Diving Invitational. Competition kicks off on Friday with the women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter events. On Saturday, the women will switch to the 3-meter while the men take to the tower. The meet will conclude on Sunday with the women's platform and men's 1-meter events.
For the Bruins, Lenz, senior Montana Monahan, and freshmen Belanger, Kat Friese, Madeline Russell, and Traci Shiver will compete in all three events. Polyakova and sophomore Ciara Monahan will take part in the springboard events.
Prelims will begin at 10:30 a.m. PST each day. All results will be available on DiveMeets.com. Admission to the Bruin Diving Invitational is free.
Between the Lanes
The Bruins travel to Utah to take on the Utes and the Broncos on Friday and Saturday. Friday's events will begin at 5:00 p.m. PST, while Saturday action will kick off at 10:00 a.m. PST.
Last time out, the Bruins made a splash at the Texas Invitational. Sophomore Katie Grover nabbed the team's only first-place finish of the meet, swimming a personal best in the championship final of the 200 Butterfly. Grover's time of 1:55.45 in the 200 Fly on Saturday moves her to fourth on UCLA's All-Time list.
Caroline McTaggart broke one of the oldest freshman records in the 200 freestyle with her 17th-place time of 1:46.90. The previous record of 1:47.16 was set in 2001 by Malin Svahnstrom, a former All-American. In the relays, Linnea Mack, Madison White, Katie Kinnear, and McTaggart's 1:30.83 in the 200 Free Relay was a season best. White, Mack, Alex Hubel, and Madison Applegate also posted a season-best 7:15.49 in the 800 Free Relay.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday
4 x 100 IM Relay
50 Fly
50 Back
50 Breast
50-100-150-200 Free Relay
Saturday
200 Medley Relay
1,000 Free
200 Free
100 Back
100 Breast
200 Fly
50 Free
100 Free
200 Back
200 Breast
500 Free
100 Fly
400 IM
400 Free Relay
Only Saturday's swim events will be scored. The diving scores from the Bruin Diving Invitational will be tallied into the final score.