Swimming & Diving Opens Season in Larry Baratte WSC Preview
The Pirates' men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened their 2023 seasons at the Larry baratte Western State Conference Preview at the Ventura Aquatic Center. VC's women placed third overall and the men came in sixth in the meet named for the late Hall of Fame Ventura College swim coach. VC's trio of women divers, Kendal Santos, Allison Harris and Lauren Pierce, along with Michael Andrews and Ayden Jacobus for the men had strong season debuts, as did Shelby Jackson and Allison Donnelly for the women and Carlos Gonzalez for the men.
The Pirates' men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened their 2023 seasons at the Larry Baratte Western State Conference Preview at the Ventura Aquatic Center Friday. VC's women placed third overall and the men came in sixth in the meet named for the late Hall of Fame Ventura College swim coach. VC's trio of women divers, Kendal Santos, Allison Harris and Lauren Pierce, along with Michael Andrews and Ayden Jacobus for the men had strong season debuts, as did Shelby Jackson and Allison Donnelly for the women and Carlos Gonzalez for the men.
Jackson had a solid individual performance for the Pirates, finishing second in the 100-yard backstroke and third in both the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. She was also a part of the 200-yard medley relay along with Donnelly, Stephany Dijar and Ahna Davis, that came in fourth and the 200-yard freestyle relay team along with Santos, Cassidy Yanca and Gabrielle MacNeill that placed eighth.
Donnelly claimed bronze in the 200-yard individual medley and sixth in the 500-yard freestyle. She was eighth in the 200-yard free and was also a part of the fourth-place 200-yard medley relay team.
Dijar came in sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke and eighth in the 200-yard IM. Yanca touched in seventh in the 500-yard free and 10th in the 100-yard free. Davis was in the Top-10 in the 100-yard backstroke. VC's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Davis, Dijar, Emily Baughn and Samantha Moran came in sixth.
Gonzalez recorded a fourth place finish in the men's 500-yard freestyle and was in the Top-10 in the 200-yard freestyle. He joined George Bonilla, and Hunter Johnson for a ninth place finish in the 200-yard medley relay and swam with Rafael Rodriguez, Johnson and that finished eighth. He also competed in the 100-yard freestyle event.
Rodriguez finished eighth in both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle events and Johnson came in 10th in the 50-yard free. Sebastian Ayala was ninth in the 500-yard free
The Pirates swept the women's 3m diving with Santos, Harris and Pierce claiming gold, silver and bronze, respectively. The trio also placed in the 1m event with Harris winning second, Pierce third, and Santos fourth.
Freshman Kendal Santos pulled off 7s & 8s with this 3M dive.
— VC Swim & Dive (@VCPirateSwim) February 11, 2023
She finished 2nd in this event behind her teammate, Allison Harris, with a 1st place finish. Pirate Lauren Pierce took 3rd. Clean sweep for the Pirates ��☠️ in the 3M board. @VCAthletics #VCweplayhard pic.twitter.com/xfMdgF9X5Q
Andrews won the men's 3m diving event and Jacobus won the 1m event with Andrews coming in second.
The Pirates next take to the pool on Friday Feb. 17 at Allan Hancock College in the WSC No. 1 event featuring VC, Canyons, Santa Barbara Hancock and LA Pierce.