Sports in the News

Men's Swim Places 8th At CCCAA State Meet

The Pasadena City College men's swim team saw a streak of four consecutive years in which it won an individual state title come to an end Saturday, but it didn't stop the Lancers from matching their best team finish--eighth place--at the CCCAA State Championships in 12 seasons under head coach Terry Stoddard.

"Orange Coast won the state title with no swimmers winning as an individual," Stoddard said moments after the meet. "It just shows you that to finish high, you have to have a collective group of swimmers be consistent. We had several swimmers perform personal bests and that kept us in the top 10 this year."

While PCC didn't win a gold medal at the East Los Angeles College-hosted state meet, more Lancers for both the men's and women's teams (six different swimmers) collected top 8 medals than in any previous season under Stoddard's direction.

In men's competition, PCC last finished as high as eighth in the 2008 meet at Mission Viejo. The Lancers scored 152.50 points overall.

On Saturday, Sharif Alaoui took fifth place in the 200-yard butterfly at 1:54.74 while teammate Baldwin Ngai grabbed seventh place in the 200-yard breaststroke at 2:06.24. That race turned out to be a historic one as Cerritos College sophomore PJ Gabayeron shattered a 23-year state meet record with a 2:00.24 swim to win the event.

Andrew Genova placed 13th in the 1,650 freestyle at 17:00.88. The 400 freestyle relay squad finished 12th in a time of 3:11.95.

In the women's standings, PCC placed tied for 19th place (out of 36 teams scoring) with Santa Monica at 54 points each. The placing is the highest state finish by a women's team under Stoddard.

"We haven't had a set of women's swimmers until now that have excelled at a state-type level," Stoddard said. "The prospects for next year are very good because we should return the three freshmen who made it to state, and hopefully bring in a few more quality newcomers for 2012."

Julia Warden won the consolation heat (ninth overall) in the 100 freestyle (54.56) while teammate Mikela Velasquez was third in the same race (11th, 54,98). Warden took 11th in the 100 backstroke (1:02.49). Courtney Jensen placed 13th in the 1,650 freestyle (19:08.24).

PCC STATE MEDALISTS AT 2011 CCCAA CHAMPIONSHIP MEET, APRIL 28-30
AT EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE SWIM STADIUM

Men
400 Medley Relay, 5th Place, Sharif Alaoui, Baldwin Ngai, Cario Liu, Tabrek Seyssel
400 Individual Medley, 3rd Place, Liu
200 Freestyle, 6th Place, Alaoui
200 Butterfly, 5th Place, Alaoui
200 Breaststroke, 7th Place, Ngai
Women
100 Individual Medley, 7th Place, Mikela Velasquez
200 Freestyle, 7th Place, Julia Warden
 

[Photo--Sharif Alaoui closes out a successful two-year career at PCC as he dives to begin the Lancers' 400 freestyle relay Saturday at the CCCAA State Championships at East Los Angeles College, image by Richard Quinton.]

Release Date: 05/01/11
Robert Lewis, Sports Information
Phone: 626-585-7018, Email: rmlewis@pasadena.edu

Revised February 8, 2013 by rmlewis@pasadena.edu