One For the Record Books - A Season in Review

Photo by: Robert Jordan

One For the Record Books - A Season in Review

4/7/2020 2:29:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE -- California Baptist University built on an impressive debut in NCAA Division I and the Western Athletic Conference with an even stronger showing in year two.

The Lancers capped off the year with a runner-up finish in the WAC in 2019-20. CBU was looking to build on its impressive season at the 2020 College Swimming Coaches Association of America National Invitational Championship, but it was canceled after day one due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seven women qualified for the CSCAA NIC, and were looking to help their team improve on CBU's 21^st-place finish at the national meet from 2019. The Lancers were in a good position to do just that after they moved up from fourth to second in the WAC in 2020.

It was largely a youth movement for CBU, as six of its seven NIC qualifiers were underclassmen. Sophomores Rebeca Oviedo, Rita Smirnova and Isabella Rhodes were among the team's top performers, along with true freshmen Faith Brazil, Mackenzie Degn and Hannah Houlton. Seniors Emily Longfellow, Mackenzie Mergel and junior transfer Nicole Cienega put together strong seasons as upperclassmen. Fellow seniors Taylor Dowden, Savannah Uhlir and Morgan Giordano also provided leadership to a 30-woman team made up of 19 underclassmen.

They all came together to put together a season for the record books, as the Lancers clocked 42 new top-10 marks, including four new program records. Rhodes had a hand in all four new CBU records, which all came at the WAC Championships, this season.

🤓📋📊

Let's break down the Lancers' #⃣#⃣#⃣ from the @WACsports Championships!

🔷 7⃣ new program records - 4⃣ women, 3⃣ men
🔷 3⃣1⃣ new top-🔟 marks - 1⃣8⃣ women, 1⃣3⃣ men
🔷 2⃣ WAC titles
🔷 1⃣3⃣ All-WAC/top 3⃣ finishes - 9⃣ women, 4⃣ men#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/HCbyjnNhGd
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) March 3, 2020

Rhodes set the Lancers' lone individual record this season in the 100-yard butterfly, with a time of 54.38 seconds. Degn also swam on all three record-setting relays with Rhodes at the WAC Championships. Houlton and Smirnova teamed up with Degn and Rhodes in the 200 (1:31.26) and 400-free relays (3:21.36). Oviedo and Mergel helped Rhodes and Degn to set a record in the 800-free relay (7:20.58).

🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨

Isabella Rhodes set another program record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.38 seconds. It bested the previous CBU record of 54.74, which was set at altitude, and was good for fourth place in the @WACsports.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DxdB59pKkX
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 28, 2020

The Lancers' two victories at the WAC Championships came in the 200 and 800-free relays, while they logged nine total all-conference or top-three finishes. CBU's 400-free relay team took runner-up, while Rhodes (200 IM), Mergel (500 free), Degn (200 free) and Oviedo (1650 free) all completed second-place swims in individual events. Oviedo and Emily Longfellow also took third in the 200 free and 100 back, respectively.

🚨🚨🚨

CBU's 800-free relay time of 7:20.58 from Rebeca Oviedo, Mackenzie Mergel, Isabella Rhodes and Mackenzie Degn was nearly 7⃣ seconds faster than the previous record of (7:27.22). #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/E2JU8JQxUy
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 27, 2020

It was an impressive season for the dive team, as well. The Lancers' four divers combined for nine new top-10 scores in program history, including three in each event. Madeline Wiese posted top-four scores in all three events after starting to dive for CBU about halfway into the season. Kiree Lowe updated her top-10 scores in all three events, while Uhlir put up new personal bests on the 1 and 3-meter boards.

Lowe led the Lancers' divers at the WAC Championships, with top-five finishes in all three events, which were all team bests. The entire CBU team managed to overcome challenging circumstances at the WAC Championships, as the conference meet was moved to timed finals after day one because of a massive water main burst in the host city of Houston.

Kiree Lowe logs her best-ever finish at the @WACsports Championships by taking fifth place on the 1-meter board. She scored a 242.70 in the finals after opening with this 50-plus-point dive. #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/zJKAesv3ZX
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) February 27, 2020

The Lancers proved to be a dangerous tournament team, with several impressive finishes this season. CBU finished top-three in all four regular-season tournaments this year, including a strong runner-up performance at the UNLV Invite.

In dual action, the Lancers logged a 2-5-1 record this season. They faced top competition in UNLV, Grand Canyon, Wyoming, CSU Bakersfield and UNLV. Along with wins over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer, the highlight of their dual season came in a 150-150 tie against a quality Incarnate Word program.