University of California Athletics

Bears prepare for weekend meets

Jan. 19, 1998

THIS WEEK
Fri. Jan. 23 - vs. Arizona State, USF Koret Center, San Francisco, CA - 1 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 24 - vs. Arizona, USF Koret Center, San Francisco, CA - 1 p.m.

LAST WEEK: On Jan. 7 at Terry Pool on the San Diego State campus, the No. 8 ranked California women's swim team (9-0) defeated San Diego State, 105-76, and UNLV, 113-83, while the No. 14 ranked Cal men (1-1) defeated the UNLV men, 108-89, also at San Diego State. On the women's side, the Bears won nine of the meet's 11 events. Junior Marylyn Chiang (The Pas, Manitoba, Canada) was a triple winner for Cal, placing first in the 200 free (1:52.92), 200 IM (2:06.63) and 500 free (5:11.96). The Bears also had an outstanding performance from freshman Hanna Jaltner (Vaxjo, Sweden) in the 100 breast (1:03.80), and Cal won both the 400 medley relay (3:51.95) and 200 free relay (1:36.73). On the men's side, the Bears won five of the meet's 11 events. Individual winners for Cal included junior Greg Gaggero (Redwood City, CA) in the 200 free (1:42.34), senior Damon Szymanowski (Sacramento, CA) in the 50 free (21.17) and junior Gordan Kozulj (Zagreb, Croatia) in the 200 back (1:50.00). The Bears also won the 400 medley relay (3:20.84) and the 400 free relay (3:05.88).

HEAD COACH TERI MCKEEVER: Teri McKeever is in her sixth season as Cal's head women's swim coach. McKeever has a 50-25 (.667) dual meet record with the Golden Bears and a 104-47 (.689) overall record (five years as women's coach at Fresno State). She has led Cal to a 15th place NCAA finish in 1993, a 21st place finish in 1994, a 28th place finish in 1995, a 17th place finish in 1996 and a ninth place finish in 1997.

HEAD COACH NORT THORNTON: Nort Thornton is in his 24th season as Cal's head men's swim coach. Thornton has a 170-70 (.708) dual meet record with the Golden Bears. He has led Cal to 18 Top-10 NCAA finishes, two national titles (1979-80) and an impressive collection of 38 Olympians and 104 All-Americans. Thornton was named an assistant coach to the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in May of 1995.

NOTING ARIZONA STATE AND ARIZONA: The No. 22 ranked Arizona State Sun Devil women are 6-1 in dual meets this season and placed 28th at the NCAAs last year. They are led by sophomore Amanda Clegg, who has already qualified for the NCAAs in the 200 fly with a time of 2:00.15. The Bears have a 5-10-1 career record versus the Sun Devils, with ASU winning the last meeting, 175-125, Jan. 25, 1997 in Tempe. The No. 5 ranked Arizona Wildcat women are 5-1 in dual meets and placed fourth in last year's NCAAs. A top swimmer for the Arizona women is sophomore Trina Jackson, who won the NCAA 1650 free (15:59.82) title as a freshman. The Bears have a 11-3 career record versus the Wildcats, with Arizona winning the last meeting, 157-85, Jan. 24, 1997 in Tucson. The No. 11 ranked Arizona State men are 2-2 in dual meets and placed 11th at the NCAAs last year. They are led by junior Francisco Sanchez, who was the NCAA Champion in the 50 free as a freshman and holds school records in the 50 (19.32) and 100 free (42.89). The Bears have a 14-4 career record versus the Sun Devils, with Cal winning the last meeting, 138.5-104.5, Jan. 25, 1997 in Berkeley. The No. 10 ranked Arizona men are 3-1 in dual meets and placed 16th in last year's NCAAs. A top swimmer for the Arizona men is sophomore Ryk Neethling, who won the NCAA 1650 free (14:43.44) title as a freshman and placed second in the 500 free (4:16.46). The Bears have a 13-3 career record versus the Wildcats, with Cal winning the last meeting, 151-101, Jan. 24, 1997 in Berkeley.

NCAA QUALIFIERS: The Cal women have six swimmers who have automatically qualified or swam consideration times for the NCAAs so far this season. Chiang has automatically qualified for NCAAs in the 100 fly (54.25) and 100 back (54.07), and has consideration times in the 100 (50.68) and 200 free (1:51.13), the 200 back (1:58.71) and the 200 (2:01.91) and 400 IM (4:21.86). Sophomore Elli Overton (Sydney, Australia) has automatically qualified in the 200 IM (1:59.83), and has consideration times in the 200 free (1:50.45), 100 back (55.41), 200 breast (2:16.53), 100 (56.45) and 200 fly (2:00.31), and the 400 IM (4:22.38). Jaltner has consideration times in the 100 (1:03.22) and 200 breast (2:18.21). Sophomore Waen Minpraphal (Bangkok, Thailand) has consideration times in the 100 (55.50) and 200 fly (2:01.49), and freshman Haley Cope (Chico, CA) has a consideration time in the 100 back (56.18). The Cal men have five swimmers who have NCAA consideration times-junior transfer (Auburn) Dan Lindstrom (Borgholm, Sweden) in the 50 (20.28) and 100 free (44.30), and the 100 fly (47.77); sophomore Bart Kizierowski (Warsaw, Poland) in the 50 (20.36), 100 (44.68) and 200 free (1:39.24); senior Bart Sikora (Gdynia, Poland) in the 200 back (1:46.46); sophomore Lars Merseburg (Wurzburg, Germany) in the 100 free (44.94) and sophomore Ratapong Sirisanont (Bangkok, Thailand) in the 200 breast (2:01.71).

BEAR NOTES: A highlight for the Cal women this season was Overton's performance at the Speedo Cup, Dec. 4-6 in Long Beach, CA. The Australian native recorded the fastest time in the nation this year in the 200 IM (2:01.03), topping the meet record of 2:01.69 set by Stanford's Summer Sanders in 1993. The Cal women have also set three dual meet school records this season. Jaltner set a record in the 100 breast (1:03.22) Oct. 25 at Nevada, the Bears 400 medley relay (Overton, Jaltner, Minpraphal, Chiang) set a record (3:47.63) against Washington, Washington State and Oregon State Nov. 1, and Chiang set a record in the 100 back (54.07) Nov. 14 at Texas. On the men's side, during Cal's close 155-143 loss to No. 3 ranked Texas Nov. 1 at the Koret Center (all of the Bears men's and women's home swim meets will be held at USF's Koret Center due to the construction of the Haas Pavilion on the Cal campus), the Bears received outstanding efforts from Sirisanont and Kizierowski. Sirisanont, a two-time Olympian for Thailand, notched three victories, winning the 100 breast (57.08), the 200 breast (2:01.71) and the 200 IM (1:51.43). Kizierowski placed first in the 50 (20.81) and 100 free (45.29).