Bakersfield - The California State University, Bakersfield Swimming & Diving team opens the 2022-23 season, with a pair of invitational meets at The Hillman Aquatic Center this weekend. The Roadrunners will welcome Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rivals California Baptist, Cal Poly, San Jose State, UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara for Friday's Sprint Invitational at 1 p.m., and Saturday's Roadrunner Invitational at 10 a.m.
"This is my 15th season at CSUB, and I still get so excited about starting a new season with a new team," said CSUB Director of Swimming Chris Hansen. "This year's freshmen and transfer classes have brought some energy that we've missed on the pool deck since the pandemic began. That energy instantly spread throughout our upperclassmen and coaching staff and has us ready to race."
Returner Mikayla Popham will lead the Roadrunner women. Popham brings tremendous experience, including four conference championships, into her junior season and is expected to be one of the MPSF's top overall swimmers again this season. A versatile swimmer, Popham is at her best in the freestyle, but could compete in several different events over the coming year. She enters the season with 31 career victories, most among current 'Runners.
The women's squad will be bolstered by the return of veterans Lorena Jerebic, Danielle Albright and Hannah Marsh, along with newcomers Holly DiSimone, Nicole Horton, Kylie Ney and Chelaine Van der Westhuizen.
Jerebic battled injury for much of her freshman season, but still qualified to compete at both the MPSF Championships and the National Invitational Championships. The Croatian National Team member won six times and posted 15 Top-10 finishes her first year in Bakersfield while competing in the butterfly and freestyle.
Albright and Marsh also reached the NIC during the 2021-22 campaign, in the breaststroke and distance freestyle, respectively.
Horton is an experienced transfer from Southern Illinois, while Van der Westhuizen comes to Bakersfield from Northern Colorado. Horton was an Honorable Mention All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as a freestyler, while Van der Westhuizen was First-Team All-Western Athletic Conference in the 100 Breaststroke last Spring.
Ney and DiSimone are expected to make an immediate impact. Ney is a two-time Arizona state champion as a freestyler, while DiSimone holds several school records from her time at Paso Robles High School.
On the men's side a strong group of returners has been supplemented by a recruiting class with high expectations.
Milin posted a pair of Top-12 finishes at last season's MPSF Championships and competed at both the US Open and the NIC as a junior. He spent the summer back home in Croatia, excelling at his country's national championship meet.
Horky was 12th in the 200 Breaststroke at last season's conference meet, improving significantly over the course of his freshman season. The same could be said for classmates, Carmelich and Engel, who each posted Top-25 finishes at the event.
Paseta, a butterfly and freestyle specialist from Lima, Peru, has five Top-20 finishes at conference championship meets under his career belt.
Sivec and Saglam are butterfly specialists, expected to immediately challenge Loren Gillilan's Bakersfield records, while Arthur Schneider swims every freestyle event and is a long, lean and gifted natural talent.
Returner Dyson Modica and freshman Robert Vlad will lead the 'Runner men in the Diving Well, while team captain Madi Gray will do the same for the women.
Admission for both invitational meets is free, and fans can enter the Hillman Aquatic Center through the entrance near the Icardo Center parking lot.
"This is a great field of schools from the state of California," Hansen said. "This is a great chance to show everyone what we are made of here at CSUB. I suspect we'll win some events and I wouldn't be surprised if we challenge the CSUB Top-5 a few times during these meets."
Friday Schedule of Events - CSUB Sprint Classic
200 Medley Relay
500 Free
50 Fly
50 Breast
800 Free Relay (two entries per school)
50 Back
50 Free
200 IM
200 Free Relays
Saturday Schedule Event's - Roadrunner Invite
400 Medley Relay
1000 Free (2 entries per team)
200 Free
200 Breast
200 Fly
50 Free
100 Free
200 Back
100 IM
400 Free Relay
