Fresno State Athletics
2002-03 Swimming and Diving Recap
4/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Paced by first place finishes in all 11 events scored, Fresno State defeated Loyola Marymount 169-38 to earn its first victory of the season. Overall, the Bulldogs recorded 29 top-three finishes on the afternoon.
Junior Greer McGettrick set a new pool record in the 50 breast with a time of 30.63 as Fresno State tied Cal Baptist 57-57. McGettrick was the only Bulldog to win an event but the Bulldogs posted 12 top-three finished over six events to end the meet in a tie. In the 50 Free, sophomore Melissa Johnson swam a team season best time of 24.50 for second place.
Johnson then set a new pool record in the 200 free with a time of 1:56.17 as the Bulldogs split their two dual meets, defeating New Mexico State 86-54 and falling to Northern Arizona 187.5-112.5. The Bulldogs earned seven top-three finishes over the last eight events to outlast New Mexico State and come away with a split for the afternoon.
Fresno State competed at the prestigious Speedo Cup Invitational where it notched 64 personal season bests including 14 team highs to finish eighth out of a 23-team field. The Bulldogs garnered solid results from their team relays throughout the weekend. In the 200 Medley Relay, Wigginton, McGettrick, Collins and Johnson came in seventh out of the 56-team field, clocking a time of 1:49.23. The quartet also finished sixth in the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:56.19. Wigginton earned the highest individual finish for the Bulldogs at the meet, taking fifth in the 100 back (57.42).
The Bulldogs returned to dual meet competition with victories over Loyola Marymount and host Cal Poly in a three-way dual meet. Fresno State defeated Loyola 190-45 and Cal Poly 184-59. The 145-point margin of victory against LMU was the largest of the season for the Bulldogs, eclipsing their previous mark of 131 set earlier in the year against the Lions. Fresno State won all but one event against the Mustangs and the Lions. FS sophomore diver Ashleigh Raley established a school record in the 3-meter with 288.15 points, shattering the previous mark of 264.97 that she set last year. With her performance, Raley qualified for the NCAA Championships in March. Fresno State recorded 22 top-three finished for the meet, highlighted by ten first place results.
The UC Irvine Invitational kicked off 2003 for the squad. The Bulldogs recorded fifth place finishes in the individual and distance meets. Johnson placed third in the 100 free to lead Fresno State in the sprint session. In the distance meet, Bulldog senior Jessica Klenner posted Fresno State's best finish, placing fourth in the 1000 free with a time of 10:43.06.
In their first dual meet of the new year, Collins swam the 200 fly in a career best time 2:07.73 to help lead the Bulldogs to a 126-111 victory over San Diego. She also recorded a team season high in the 200 IM where she touched the wall in 2:12.04 to come in second. Fresno State also won the two relay events of the meet and tallied 12 top-three finished to lead them to victory.
The Bulldogs completed the weekend sweep with a 158.5-141.5 victory over UC Irvine. Fresno State won nine of the 16 events and recorded 22 top-three finished for the contest. For her efforts, Collins was named the Western Athletic Conference women's swimming and diving athlete of the week. In addition to her record-breaking performance on Friday, she was also instrumental in Fresno State's win over the Anteaters. The South Lake Tahoe, Calif., native won the 100 fly (59.78) and tied for first in the 200 fly (2:08.09). This was the first career athlete of the week honor for Collins as well as the first for Fresno State this year.
The Bulldogs wrapped up their road odyssey with a 134-120 loss at Oregon State. Johnson and senior led the Bulldogs with three top-three finishes apiece. Wigginton (100 back) and McGettrick (200 breast) accounted for the two first-place finishes for Fresno State at the meet. The Beavers won eight of the first nine events to secure the victory. However, Fresno State finished the season with a 6-2-1 record on the road.
On the strength of victories in each of the last five swimming events, San Diego State spoiled Fresno State's return home with a 160-138 victory. Wigginton, Johnson and Raley each won two events to lead the Bulldogs. Overall, Fresno State recorded 18 top-three finishes for the meet. Fresno State rebounded the following weekend with an impressive 180-120 victory over conference rival San Jose State. The win was the first at home for the Bulldogs in three meets this season. Overall, the Bulldogs won ten of the meet's 16 events. Raley paced the field in the 1-meter (248.48) and 3-meter (238.00) diving competitions and bested defending WAC Champion Tracy Harkins in both events. Jessica Klenner capped her Bulldog career by earning her first career Western Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honor. Klenner recorded a Bulldog season top time in the 1000 free with a mark of 10:32.94 and won the 500 free (5:09.35) to help lead Fresno State to victory over San Jose State.
Paced by 67 season best times, the Bulldogs tallied 403.5 points to finish fifth at the WAC Championship. Johnson clocked team season best marks in the 100 free (52.31) and 200 free (1:52.41). Her mark in the 200 free was the third fastest in school history. Wigginton touched the wall with the fourth fastest time in school history in the 100 back (57.33). McGettrick logged the second fastest times in Fresno State history in the 100 breast (1:03.45) and 200 breast (2:19.58) while Kathryn Easey clocked the third best times on the school's charts in the 100 breast (1:04.70) and 200 breast (2:20.08). Collins established team season top times in the 100 fly (57.82), 200 fly (2:06.69), and 200 IM (2:09.06). Her time in the 100 fly is the fifth fastest in school history.
Fresno State's success extended to the classroom as Jessica Klenner, Greer McGettrick, Rebecca Cannady, Kim Hitch, Kristin Leon, Ashleigh Raley and Carolyn Wigginton garnered WAC All-Academic honors. Highlighting a list of individual accolades was Klenner who was the recipient of the George Ilg Memorial Award that is given to a graduating senior for academic and athletic achievement and service to the community. In addition, she was a Mr. Bulldog Scholarship Designee and Kiwanis Torchlighter Award honoree. As a team, the Bulldogs compiled a 3.12 cumulative grade point average for the spring 2003 semester to earn Academic All-America honors.
