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Jan. 24, 2012
The No. 3 USC women's swimming and diving team, led by 2011 Swimmer of the Year Katinka Hosszu and a host of All-Americans, resumes its conference schedule this week when it hosts No. 2 California on Friday (Jan. 27) at 2 p.m. and No. 6 Stanford on Saturday (Jan. 28) at 12 p.m. NOTE - The 2 p.m. start time of the USC-Cal meet was changed from the previously scheduled 4 p.m. start.
The Trojans, who finished third at the 2011 NCAAs, is 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the Pac-12 as three ready for their final home meets of the season. Cal is 5-0, 5-0 while Stanford is 6-1, 2-0.
The Golden Bears, the 2011 NCAA champions, are led by senior Liv Jensen and junior Caitlin Leverenz. Leverenz was a three-time NCAA finalist in 2011 in the 200y breast (third), 400 y IM (fourth) and 200y IM (fifth) and swam on Cal's NCAA winning medley relays. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the 200y breast, No. 2 in the 200y fly and 400y IM, No. 3 in the 100y breast and No. 4 in the 200y IM. Jensen anchored all of Cal's relays at the 2011 NCAAs, including the aforementioned NCAA winning medley relays and the 200y free relay. She was also second in the 50y free and eighth in the 100y free. Among Cal's top underclassmen are sophomores Cindy Tran and Stephanie Au and freshmen Catherine Breed and Melanie Klaren. Cal leads the series, 17-14, though USC has won two of the past three meetings.
The Cardinal are led by seniors Besty Webb and Sam Woodward and sophomores Maya Dirado and Felicia Lee. Woodward, a three-time NCAA finalist last year in the 50y free, 100y free and 100y fly, owns the nation's second-fastest time in the 100y fly and is fifth in the 50y free while Webb, a three-time career Pac-10 champion and a six-time All-American last year, is ninth in the 50y free. Dirado's 200y back tops the country while she is second in the 200y IM and third in the 400y IM. She was the 2011 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and was second in the 200y IM at the NCAAs and third in the 400y IM. Lee is seventh in the 100y fly and 12th in the 200y IM. Stanford leads the series, 31-2. USC's last win over the Cardinal came in 1996, 153-147.
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Between Hosszu, Cal's Leverenz and Stanford's Dirado, this weekend will feature the NCAA's top three ranked swimmers in the 400y IM and three of the top four in the 200y IM.
Records
Senior Katinka Hosszu has broken three of her school records this year, posting a 1:44.01 in the 200y free, a 1:52.71 in the 200y IM and a 3:58.86 in the 400y IM. Her time in the 400y IM is just off the NCAA record of 3:58.23. Hosszu just missed erasing her mark in the 200y fly by 0.01. Sophomore Kasey Carlson eclipsed the school mark in the 50y free with a 22.10. Carlson also came close to Rebecca Soni's record in the 100y breast (58.10) with a 58.46. Junior Haley Anderson has also neared Kalyn Keller's record in the 500y free (4:37.76) with her 4:38.73.
Fast Times -- Women
Hosszu, the three-time NCAA and Pac-10 champion from 2011, currently holds the nation's top times in the 200y and 400y IM and the 200y fly and is second in the 200y free, with `A' cuts in all four. Sophomore Kasey Carlson holds USC's other `A' cuts in the 100y and 200y breast, holding the nation's top time in the former, the third fastest in the latter. Other Trojans listed in the top 10 of an event include junior Haley Anderson in the 500y and 1650y free, sophomores Stina Gardell and Meghan Hawthorne, both in the 200y and 400y IM, senior Tanya Krisman in the 200y fly, junior Jessica Schmitt in the 200y breast, junior Yumi So in the 100y fly and senior Amanda Smith in the 200y fly.
Below is a complete list of USC swimmers with NCAA `A' and `B' cuts. Times that are `A' cuts are specified. Times ranked nationally (if among the top 25) are also listed.
Haley Anderson: 200y free (1:47.25), 500y free (4:38.73, 6th), 1650y free (16:03.22, 4th), 400y IM (4:09.90, 12th).
Kasey Carlson: 100y breast (58.46, A, 1st), 200y breast (2:08.40, A, 3rd), 50y free (22.10, 4th), 100y free (49.02, 18th).
Jordan Danny: 200y IM (2:01.15), 400y IM (4:19.14), 100y breast (1:02.28), 200y breast (2:11.91, 20th)
Stina Gardell: 200y IM (1:56.67, 6th), 400y IM (4:05.82, 5th), 200y free (1:46.57), 100y fly (52.86, 13th), 200y breast (2:12.92), 200y back (1:59.15).
Meghan Hawthorne: 200y IM (1:57.96, 10th), 400y IM (4:08.99, 10th), 100y fly (53.48), 200y fly (1:59.03), 100y breast (1:02.59).
Katinka Hosszu: 200y fly (1:51.03, A, 1st), 200y IM (1:52.71, A, 1:52.71), 400y IM (3:58.86, A, 1st), 200y free (1:44.01, A, 2nd), 200y back (1:57.76), 100y fly (52.83, 11th).
Ania Kowalczyk: 100y breast (1:02.09), 200y breast (2:14.01)
Tanya Krisman: 200y IM (1:59.25, 16th), 400y IM (4:11.10, 16th), 100y fly (52.83, 11th), 200y fly (1:56.17, 7th), 100y breast (1:02.41).
Lynette Lim: 200y free (1:46.41, 25th), 500y free (4:45.22).
Lindsay Parrish: 100y fly (54.61)
Jessica Schmitt: 200y IM (1:59.68, 23rd), 400y IM (4:14.23), 100y breast (1:01.66), 200y breast (2:09.90, 6th).
Christel Simms: 50y free (22.95), 100y free (49.75), 100y fly (54.02), 100y back (53.55).
Yumi So: 100y fly (52.67, 9th), 200y fly (1:57.65, 21st), 200y IM (2:00.57), 100y back (53.22, B, 23rd).
Amanda Smith: 200y free (1:47.46), 500y free (4:42.64, 23rd), 100y fly (54.46), 200y fly (1:56.28, 9th).
USC relays are also ranked highly. Troy's 200y free relay is 7th (1:29.75, B), the 400 free relay is 6th (3:16.24, B), the 800y free relay is 4th (7:03.85), the 200y medley relay is 5th (1:37.69) and the 400y medley relay is 2nd (3:31.92).
Season Outlook in Brief
The women are led by 2011 NCAA Women's Swimmer of the Year Katinka Hosszu, a senior, as well as fellow returning All-Americans senior Amanda Smith, juniors Haley Anderson and Christel Simms and sophomores Kasey Carlson and Stina Gardell. The Trojans finished third at the Pac-10s and third at the NCAAs, their best NCAA finish since 2003. Senior diver Victoria Ishimatsu, an All-American as a freshman and a sophomore, is also back.
In addition to the returning All-Americans, the squad returns a host of experience as the Trojans look to build on their success under sixth-year head coach Dave Salo. The women's squad complements its six All-Americans with returning 2011 NCAA point scorers Ishimatsu, senior Tanya Krisman and juniors Jessica Schmitt and Yumi So as well as 2011 NCAA participants Meghan Hawthorne, a sophomore, and junior Lindsay Parish.
Trojans in the 2011 Postseason
USC's third-place finish at the 2011 NCAAs was led by Katinka Hosszu, who became just the second Trojan ever to win three NCAA titles in one season and the first to win the 200y fly en route to five All-American honors. In addition to her NCAA crowns, she also anchored USC's second-place 400y medley relay and led off its eighth-place 800y free relay. Hosszu was the only swimmer to win three titles at this year's NCAAs and her time in the 400y IM (3:59.75) was an NCAA Championships record. Hosszu was also a three-time 2011 Pac-10 champ in the 200y and 400y IM and the 200y fly, which helped her earn the 2011 Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year honor. USC's departed seniors Lyndsay DePaul and Presley Bard went out with a bang, earning five and four All-American honors, respectively. DePaul was a three-time NCAA finalist (100y and 200y fly, 200y IM) while Bard did it twice (100y and 200y back). Junior Haley Anderson was a three-time All-American last year (500y and 1650y free, 800y free relay) while sophomore Kasey Carslon debuted at the NCAAs last year as a four-time All-American (50y free, 100y breast, 200y and 400y medley relay). Senior Amanda Smith and sophomore Stina Gardell earned their All-American honor as part of USC's 800y free relay while junior Christel Simms did so in the 200y medley relay ... At the 2011 Pac-10s, USC won a combined eight titles en route to a third-place finish. Winners included the aforementioned Hosszu, Victoria Ishimatsu, who repeated as 1- and 3-meter springboard champion for the third time, Anderson (repeated as 1650y free champ, won first 500y free) and DePaul (100y fly).
2010-11 HONORS
Katinka Hosszu - 2011 Honda Sports Award for Swimming, NCAA Women's Swimmer of the Meet, 2011 Pac-10 Women's Swimmer of the Year, Nominated For ESPY as top 2011 NCAA Female Athlete
Victoria Ishimatsu - 2011 Pac-10 Women's Diver of the Year (third year in a row)
Hongping Li - 2011 Pac-10 Women's Diving Coach of the Year
SALO NAMED TO 2012 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIM STAFF
USC sixth-year swimming coach Dave Salo was selected as a 2012 U.S. Olympic women's swim team assistant coach in September. Salo will team with the women's head coach Teri McKeever, a former USC All-American who is now the head coach at Cal. Next year's Olympic Games will mark Salo's third time on the U.S. Olympic coaching staff. Salo served as a women's assistant coach in 2000 and a men's assistant coach in 2004. In 2008, Salo was a part of Tunisia's Olympic coaching staff and helped guide Trojan Ous Mellouli to a gold medal in the 1500m free.
SALO RECEIVES 5-YEAR EXTENSION
Dave Salo, whose women's and men's teams finished third and seventh, respectively, at the 2011 NCAA Championships and featured a combined 16 All-Americans, signed a five-year contract extension with the Trojans, USC Athletic Director Pat Haden announced in July. "I am proud of the improvements we have made and quite eager to continue progressing in this direction," Salo said. "The vote of confidence from Pat Haden and (senior associate athletic director) Donna Heinel on the job that we are doing is greatly appreciated. It's great to be a Trojan!" Salo, in his sixth year at the helm of both prestigious programs, is one of the most highly regarded swim coaches in the world who was inducted into the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame in September of 2010.
2011-12 USC CAPTAINS
Seniors Katinka Hosszu, Amanda Smith and Victoria Ishimatsu and senior Jack Ostler and junior Alex Lendrum were named captains for the 2011-12 USC swimming and diving teams, elected by their teammates. Hosszu was a three-time NCAA champion in 2011 while Smith earned All-American honors. Ishimatsu is a career-three-time All-American diver. Lendrum was a 2011 NCAA consolation finalist and 2011 Pac-10 finalist and joined Ostler on the 2011 Pac-10 All-Academic first team (the second time in a row for Ostler).
