Lancer Trio Wins Big at Host Invite

Friday, December 14

Riverside, Calif.

2:00 PM

California Baptist University

Lancer Swim/Dive Invitational

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

Lancer Trio Wins Big at Host Invite

12/14/2018 5:44:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

SWIM RESULTS

DIVE RESULTS

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Isabella Rhodes, Buse Topcu and Hannah Parson each pulled out victories for California Baptist University to highlight day one of the Lancer Swim/Dive Invitational on Friday.

The Lancers are in second place with 427 points, trailing Western Athletic Conference foe NM State (592) while leading the four other teams: Fresno Pacific (230), Concordia (113), Azusa Pacific (84) and Pomona-Pitzer (20) by wide margins.

CBU also managed to log six automatic-qualifying times and two other consideration marks for the 2019 College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America National Invitational Championship.

"We are following the format from the CSCAA National Invite, where they do 50-yard swims on the first day," Coach Rick Rowland said. "We had a lot of kids get those cuts today, that was kind of the focus. It is tough to get those 50-yard cuts because you rarely swim a 50 fly or breaststroke. Those should give us some extra swims at our national meet when we go."

The Lancers started out the day with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay, as Rhodes, Parson, Rita Smirnova and McKenzie Kelly swam the event in one minute, 34.01 seconds for automatic qualification for the National Invitational Championship.

Topcu provided CBU's first individual win in the 500 free when she clocked an NIC consideration time of 4:55.78. It was a healthy margin of victory over NM State's Moana Houde-Camirand (5:01.08).

"That was a really good time, Buse is getting back to where she wants to be," Rowland said. "I think we will really see her pick it up and go even faster in February and March."

Rhodes clocked a consideration time of 2:03.85 in the 200 individual medley to win the event. It left a big impression on Rowland after she has been battling an injury for a month and a half.

"Isabella has been training and wanting to race, but couldn't push off the wall on her turns in practice," Rowland said. "I think she is really going to show us some things, this was only her second race of the season and she was dying to race. She really doesn't have a weak event, she can swim just about anything."

Parson added an individual win and automatic time for herself in the 50 backstroke (26.53), while her Lancer teammate Andrea Laliena took third with another auto mark of 26.74.

"Hannah has been working on her backstroke a lot," Rowland said. "She probably has one of the best underwaters on the team, and they were phenomenal today."

Rhodes (third, 25.68), Emily Longfellow (fourth, 25.73) and Parson (fifth, 25.75) all got automatic NIC times (26.18) in the 50 butterfly. Kelly also took third in the 50 free (24.24), as well, for the Lancers.

All three divers: Savannah Uhlir, Kiree Lowe and Janae Jizmejian enjoyed good days on Friday, even while experimenting a bit on the boards.

"Just about everyone has a new dive they are throwing," Dive Coach Jeff Couto said. "We are really trying to get better so that by conference we have the list we want to throw down. It's all about getting ready for March right now."

Uhlir took second on 3-meter with 206.50 points, while Jizmejian (196.20) and Lowe (169.20) took third and fifth, respectively. On 1-meter, the Lancers placed fourth through sixth, with Uhlir (199.80), Lowe (197.80) and Jizmejian (186.75) in that order.

"Kiree is really coming in her freshman season. Athletically, we are really seeing what she is capable of, and I am excited to see where she's at in a few months. Janae and Savannah were solid for us like always today."