Three top-five teams match up; men split while women fall to Cal Baptist and Concordia
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – With a little more than a month to go before Nationals, the Sunbirds got a preview of some of the other best swimmers in the NAIA. Both men and women Sunbirds are ranked No. 1 in the nation, but were challenged as the women fell to both No. 4 California Baptist and No. 5 Concordia, while the men split defeating No. 2 Concordia but falling to defending national champions No. 4 California Baptist. The Sunbirds took eleven events including three of the four relays, but it wasn’t enough for the outright victory.
The Sunbirds opened the meet with a huge statement, winning both medley relays (women: 1:49.64; men: 1:33.38). This set the stage for four more men’s victories and five more women’s, including the women’s 400 freestyle relay (3:38.37).
Head Coach Peter Richardson commented, “We swam well today. It’s always great to get a win over a big opponent, and even though we didn’t win all the meets, we got up and raced all day.”
Carl Weigley,
Stacy Carter and
Cheyenne Coffman led the Sunbirds with multiple victories from each. Weigley took the men’s 50 freestyle (21.33) and 100 butterfly (51.01). Carter took the 100 freestyle (54.18) and the 400 individual medley (4:36.96), while Coffman won the 50 freestyle (24.05) and the 100 backstroke (56.55). Coffman was also a part of both the Sunbird women’s relay victories; she got the Sunbirds a huge lead in the medley relay and closed a two-body-length lead to beat out the Lancers in the final freestyle relay.
Bart Kelly also won the men’s 100 breaststroke (58.54) while
Erik Thiessen won the men’s 100 backstroke (51.24).
Coach Richardson concluded, “In the end, today’s meet was a great test, but all that matters is that we’re ready to go in March.”
As the Sunbirds continue their road to St. Louis for the NAIA National Championships, Fresno Pacific will return home for their final dual meet against Biola next Friday, January 22. After their dual meet with the Eagles, the Sunbirds will finish out their season with the PCSC Conference Championships in February and then the NAIA National Championships on March 3-6.