California Lutheran University’s Regals and Kingsmen swim and dive teams celebrated Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 10, placing first in 15 of the 32 total events.
The Chapman Panthers won for both the men’s and women’s sides with an overall score of 158-142 for the women and 163-134 for the men, according to CLUsports.
Head Coach Barry Schreifels said their team utilizes dual meets to measure where they are at in the season and what they need to work on.
“We’re on our path…When we look at the big picture, we’re preparing to be our best at SCIAC,” Schreifels said.
The Cal Lutheran seniors that were celebrated included Alice Peterson, Cole Weiderman, Kyle Denson, Nektaria Anagnostou and Collin Spargur.
Peterson, senior and women’s swim and dive team captain, holds the Cal Lutheran record for the 200-yard backstroke. She also holds the second-place spot for the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard freestyle, and 500-yard freestyle.
Peterson was nominated to be a captain for her junior and senior years, despite her quiet side, Schreifels said.
“Her development was more growing as an individual and being comfortable projecting her personality out,” Schreifels said. “She started with her close group of friends and it expanded more to the team.”
Despite her many accomplishments, Peterson said she is still looking to set personal bests as well as school records for her final year.
“I would really like to have the two free [200 freestyle] record, that’s kind of been on my eye since before joining, so it’d be nice to sort of finish out with that. Maybe move up my position in the five free [500 freestyle] or drop some time in that,” Peterson said.
Peterson placed first in the 200-yard freestyle and the 200-yard backstroke on Saturday, with times of 1:56.47 and 2:11.60.
“She has a great personality; She’s a strong leader,” Schreifels said.
Peterson said she is excited to see the future of this Cal Lutheran swim and dive team, especially seeing the new leaders who will step up.
“I feel like it’s gonna be in good hands from the way everyone has sort of grown up…It makes me feel comfortable about where the team’s gonna be,” Peterson said.
Schreifels said he is proud of the atmosphere these teams have created for themselves, allowing every person to grow as an individual at their own pace. He said the mission for the swim and dive teams is to give a positive environment to someone who has not reached their full potential yet.
Graduate student Cole Weiderman celebrated his second collegiate senior day, placing first in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.
“He’s developed his role where the team needs this or that, doesn’t matter how horrible the event is, doesn’t matter if it’s right after his main event, he’s gonna do it,” Schreifels said. “He really likes that role where he can just step in and take care of our team.”
Like Peterson, Schreifels said Weiderman also did not come across as a vocal leader when he first joined the Kingsmen.
“Cole probably didn’t speak the first three months he was here,” Schreifels said. “He’s very vocal, he’s a very strong leader, he is willing to do anything and willing to lay his body on the line and endure pain for the team,” Schreifels said.
Weiderman said he was happy to take part in his second collegiate senior day, despite the exhaustion that he, along with many other teammates, felt.
“This year’s senior day was at a weird time, a little bit closer to the end of season than previous years,” Weiderman said. “When you’re going through the training cycle, you’re at the valley right before you start tapering and feeling good again. So it was interesting because the times don’t represent everyone at their fastest.”
Weiderman and Peterson said they were proud of their team’s accomplishments, despite being in the toughest part of their season due to their preparation for The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship.
Peterson said she would like the team to get more podium finishes as well as break the records they received last year. Peterson said she believes the team is set up in a position to have good times ahead of them.
The SCIAC Championship begins Thursday, Feb. 22, and concludes Sunday, Feb. 25. The location and times are to be announced.
