Athenas Ready to Dive Into the 2017-18 Season
CLAREMONT, Calif. – This Saturday marks the start of the 2017-18 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's swimming and diving season. The Athenas, who were recently picked No. 16 in the CSCAA NCAA Division III Preseason Poll, start off the season with a dual at UC San Diego. The Athenas will travel to the Tritons tomorrow afternoon for their opening season meet at 12:00 p.m.
See below for a preview of the upcoming season:
A Look Back
Last season the Athenas won the SCIAC Championship for the 18th time in program history with 1289 team points at the Conference Championship. The Athenas won the meet in convincing fashion, topping second-place Pomona-Pitzer (993 points) by 296 points and more than doubling third-place Redlands' total of 501 team points. The Athenas won nine individual medals and claimed five relays at the SCIAC Championships.
CMS capped off their season by sending six individuals to the National Championships. The Athenas showed well, earning a 21st place finish in the team standings.
The Athenas lose eight seniors from last season due to graduation, including Kelly Ngo (CMC) and Stephanie Doi (CMC) who both made the trip to Nationals last season. In her career, Ngo earned 15 All-American or Honorable All-American honors, the third-most in program history.
In the Pool
Despite the departure of a strong senior class from a year ago, the Athenas return a talented and youthful roster for the 2017-18 season, including four individuals that competed at the National Championships. Sophomores Claire Bacon-Brenes (SC) and Jocelyn Crawford (CMC) got their first taste of the National Championships during their freshman season while seniors Elizabeth Carrade (CMC) and Maia Presti (SC) are ready for their final season in a CMS suit.
Of the nine individual medals claimed at the SCIAC Championships by the Athenas, only Doi (100 butterfly) is not back in the pool this season. Presti is looking for her third-straight conference title in 1-meter diving after claiming the 2016 and 2017 titles.
Sophomore Ivy Chen (HMC) won the 200 backstroke conference title in her freshman season while Carrade, Crawford, and Bacon-Brenes each claimed two conference titles each. Carrade claimed the 500 and 1650 freestyle races last season. Crawford won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke while Bacon-Brenes swept the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
Along with their experienced core, the Athenas welcome 12 new members to the roster for the 2017-18 season.
What to Watch For
As mentioned, the Athenas begin the 2017-18 season tomorrow afternoon at UC San Diego at 12:00 p.m. The dual between the Tritons and Athenas beings a stretch of four-straight Saturday's with events for CMS. Included in those four weekends are home meets against the Alumni (Nov. 4), Whittier/La Verne (Nov. 11), and Redlands (Nov. 18). After a week off for Thanksgiving, CMS will cross the street to take to take on the Sagehens on Dec. 1 and 2.
Following the meet with the Sagehens, the Athenas will not compete until the calendar flips to 2018. The Cal Baptist Distance Meet on Jan. 5 starts off a busy month preparing for the SCIAC Championships at the end of February. Home meets against Whitman (Jan. 10), Occidental/Caltech (Jan. 20), and Loyola Marymount (Jan. 27) highlight the January slate.
The SCIAC Championships will take place in Commerce, Calif. on Feb. 21-24 while NCAA Diving Prelims are scheduled for San Antonio, Texas on Mar. 2-3. The NCAA Championships will wrap up the 2017-18 season on Mar. 21-24 in Indianapolis, Ind.
On the Deck
Head coach Charlie Griffiths enters his 17th season at the helm for both the Athenas and Stags. During his tenure, CMS swimming and diving has claimed 24 SCIAC team titles and a 218-12 record in SCIAC duals.
Griffiths is joined on the deck by assistant coaches Courtney Eads (sixth season), David Fahey (sixth season), and Juliet Suess (second season) along with diving coach Fran Jobes (fourth season).
Around the SCIAC
Last night the SCIAC released their Preseason Poll. The coaches selected the Athenas first in the nine-team conference. CMS received eight of the nine first-place votes and picked-up 80 of a possible 81 points to take the top spot. Just behind CMS was Pomona-Pitzer (73 points) in second-place with Redlands (61), Chapman (53), and Occidental (42) rounding out the top-five.
2017-18 SCIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
1. CMS (8) - 80 points
2. Pomona-Pitzer (1) - 73 points
3. Redlands - 61 points
4. Chapman - 53 points
5. Occidental - 42 points
6. Cal Lutheran - 39 points
7. Whittier - 27 points
8. La Verne - 20 points
9. Caltech - 10 points