Jan. 31, 2008

SAN DIEGO -

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SDSU TO HONOR SENIORS IN FINAL HOME MEET OF THE SEASON
The San Diego State women's swimming and diving team (7-4 overall; 2-4 Mountain West Conference) will return to action after a two-week hiatus, as the University of San Diego makes its way to the Aztec Aquaplex on Saturday, Feb. 2. SDSU will honor its seniors before the 1 p.m. showdown.

PREVIOUSLY ON THE MESA
San Diego State's last competition was on Jan. 19, when the Aztecs swept their double dual meet at Colorado College. The Scarlet and Black cruised by Cal State East Bay (55-39) and host Colorado College (62-32) to improve to 7-4 overall. Sophomore Jamie Vessey, who is in her first year on the swim team, had one of her best meets of the season, winning both the 200 (2:01.28) and 500 (5:30.81) free.

Freshman Gina DiDomenico was also a double winner for the Aztecs as she captured the 200 individual medley in a time of 2:12.92, before claiming the 100 fly (1:00.45).

Elsewhere, SDSU received first-place finishes from Jessica Morrill (1,000 free; 11:25.53), Kyla Power (50 free; 25.30), Brittany Daly (100 free; 56.93), Brooke Vessey (100 back; 1:00.92) and Christine Graham (100 breast; 1:09.77).

SCOUTING THE TOREROS
The University of San Diego (1-7 overall) is coming off a 140-122 loss to Loyola Marymount (Jan. 27). The Toreros, who dropped their second consecutive meet, were unable to capitalize on an outstanding performance from sophomore Kristen Yoon. Yoon captured both the 100 (59.85) and 200 (2:08.52) back, and also swam a first-place time of 2:13.12 in the 200 IM.

Head coach Mike Keeler is in his 10th year at the helm of the USD swimming and diving program.

SERIES HISTORY
Since the 1994-95 season, SDSU trails in its all-time series with USD by a 6-4 count, but the Aztecs have picked up all of their victories in the last four meeetings with the Toreros. Last year, SDSU ran away with a 177-123 win at the USD Swim Complex.

THE COACHES
Mike Shrader, who spent the past eight years as the head coach at Nevada-Reno, is in his first season at San Diego State. While at Nevada, Shrader led the Wolf Pack to an 89-12-1 record, two conference titles and four NCAA championship appearances.

Brendon Bray, who came to The Mesa from the University of Washington, begins his first season as an assistant coach at SDSU, while Jim Wynne enters his sixth year as the Aztec diving coach.

THE SENIORS
San Diego State will bid farewell to its seniors in the last home meet of the season on Saturday. Brittany Daly, Ana Dowell, Christine Graham, Kathleen Heuring, Kathleen Merrill and Katie Smith have all played a vital role in SDSU's turnaround this season, as the Aztecs boast a 7-4 record and their highest winning percentage (.636) since the 2001-02 season.

Daly (Bay Shore, N.Y.) was recently a winner in the 100 free (56.93) at the double dual meet vs. CS East Bay and Colorado College. She also holds the fourth-fastest time in school history in the 1,000 free with a 10:23.96 mark established on Feb. 3, 2007.

Dowell (Phoenix, Ariz.) has won three individual events this year, including the 100 fly at Wyoming, the 200 free at CS East Bay and the 100 free vs. TCU/Air Force. She currently holds SDSU's top marks of the season in the 100 free (54.24) and the 100 fly (58.69).

Graham (Santa Rosa, Calif.) picked up her first win of the season in the 100 breast (1:09.77) on Jan. 19, helping the Aztecs to victories over CS East Bay and Colorado College. She turned in personal bests in the 100 (1:07.11) and 200 (2:32.12) breaststroke events last year.

Heuring (La Verne, Calif.), the Aztecs' only senior diver, recorded a season-best 241.27 on the 3-meter board in the Aztecs' double dual meet against Air Force/TCU (Jan. 4) and followed that up with a season best in the 1-meter (228.20) on Jan. 12. She recorded third-place finishes in the 3-meter event at Utah and vs. Boise State/Colorado State.

Merrill (Elk Grove, Calif.) swam a personal-best 2:04.44 in the 200 free against Colorado State/Boise State (double dual) on Jan. 9 and also captured the 50 free (27.00) at Cal State East Bay. She is a 2006-07 MWC all-academic selection.

Smith (Los Angeles, Calif.), a 2006-07 all-MWC performer, claimed the 100 back with a season-best mark of 1:00.52 in the Aztecs' victories over TCU and Air Force. She also swam a lifetime-best in the 200 breast (2:38.21) at BYU. Smith currently ranks among the top five on the all-time charts in the 100 and 200 backstroke.

ATKINSON QUALIFIES FOR ZONES
Sophomore Caitlin Atkinson qualified for the NCAA Zone E Diving Regionals when she captured the one-meter board with a season-best 269.10 in the Aztecs' double dual meet on Jan. 4. The NCAA diving zones will take place in Oklahoma City, Okla., from March 13-15.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Since the 1999-00 season, the San Diego State women's swimming and diving team has called the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center its "home." But this year, the squad makes the transition to a state-of-the-art swimming facility on campus, the Aztec Aquaplex.

The 112,000 square-foot Aztec Aquaplex features a 50-meter competition pool that can also accommodate diving events with its one- and three-meter springboards.

San Diego State currently holds a 2-0 record at the Aztec Aquaplex.

AZTEC NOTES
- Of the 29 swimmers and divers on SDSU's roster, 15 are either freshmen or sophomores.
- On Jan. 9, sophomores Jessica Morrill and Caitlin Atkinson were named the MWC swimmer and diver of the week, respectively. It was the first time the Aztecs have ever swept the weekly awards.
- San Diego State defeated TCU (169-129) for the first time in program history on Jan. 4.
- Sophomore Kyla Power swam personal bests in the 50 (25.30) and 200 (1:57.49) free earlier this year.
- The Aztecs captured every event in its non-conference meet at Cal State East Bay on Dec. 1.
- Junior Rosalie Raymond holds the Aztecs' top times of the season in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650 free.

ON DECK
The Aztecs will take a couple weeks off from competition to prepare for the 2008 Mountain West Conference championships in Oklahoma City, Okla., from Feb. 27-Mar. 1.

Caitlin Atkinson will also be participating in the NCAA diving regionals from Mar. 13-15.