(above) Shasta College Swim team picture 2009
BROKE SCHOOL RECORD IN 100 BACKSTROKE
(4/25/09-Long Beach) Freshman Christa Prior continued her record-shattering weekend in Long Beach at the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships by winning the gold medal in the 100-yard backstroke. Her first-place time of 57.21 seconds is a Shasta College record. Prior, a Willows High School grad, set three school records on the weekend and is the first female state champ in swimming from Shasta College.
COACH WAGNER NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR
(4/18/09-Susiun) Shasta College swimmer Christa Prior is the Bay Valley Conference's Swimmer of the Year, Knights coach Mark Wagner is Coach of the Year and Josh Mider is the male Diver of the Year now that the BVC Championships are over. Prior set two school records Saturday at Solano College in Fairfield, winning the 100-yard backstroke in 57.3 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 52.3. Heath Eustance also set a school mark with his 1 minute, 59.75-second effort in the men's 200-yard backstroke. Matt Hoffman was second in the men's 200 breaststroke (2:30.34).
BVC CHAMPIONSHIPS
(4/16/09-Susiun) Christa Prior set a Shasta College school record by winning the women's 50-yard freestyle race in 24.03 seconds at the Bay Valley Conference Championships at Solano College in Fairfield. The Knights women's team also won the 400 medley relay in 4:25.85. Prior, Kacey Wiley, Arielle Andrews and Courtney Gywn were Shasta's swimmers. The same four swimmers were second in the 200 free relay in 1:46.98. The Shasta women are third in the team standings after the first of three days of swimming. The Knights have 335 points, behind Merced (518) and Solano (380). The Shasta men are tied with College of the Sequoias for second with 400 points, behind Merced's 525. Heath Eustance was third in the 50 free in 22.05. He was part of the 200 free relay that finished third in 1:36.01 along with Chris Williams, Matt Hoffman and Arlen Pederson.
BREAKS 5 YEAR SLUMP FOR DIVERS
(4/14/09-Merced) Shasta College's Josh Mider finished third in the 1-meter Northern California Men's diving competition at Merced Junior College on Tuesday. Mider scored 204.6 points and became the first diver for the Knights to advance to the state diving championships in five years.
The state championships are on April 23-25 in Long Beach.
JUST MISSES SETTING A THIRD
(3/31/09-Susiun) Shasta College's Christa Prior set two school records and missed a third by one-tenth of a second at a invitational meet over the weekend at Solano Junior College. Christa Prior set the Knights' mark in 100-yard individuals medley, finishing in one minute, 2.11 seconds. She also bested the Shasta school mark in the 100 freestyle, going 53.89. Prior also won the 100 backstroke in 1:00.40. She won the 50 free in 24.55, missing the Knights' mark by one-tenth. She also was second in 50 back (28.17) Shasta's Kacy Wiley was second in 100 breast (1:16.70) and second in 50 breast (35.06). For the men, Heath Eustance was third in the 100 back (58.84) and fourth in the 100 free (51.49). In men's diving, Josh Mider won the 1-meter with a 228-point total.
CHRISTA PRIOR WINS TWO RACES
(Stockton) Shasta lost both the men's and women's dual matches to San Joaquin Delta on Saturday. Josh Mider won both the one-meter and three-meter diving events for the Knights, but Delta won the meet 70-51. For the women, Christa Prior won the 50-yard freestyle in 25.33 seconds and the 100 butterfly in 1:02.07. Kacey Wiley won the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.03. The two also combined with Hope Slowik and Courtney Gwin to win the 400 medley relay in 2:45.12 for Shasta.
As far as Shasta College swim coach Mark Wagner is concerned, he's still going to have a Knights aquatics program for the foreseeable future. Ditto for Shasta College athletic director Gary Houser. When it was recently announced that some cost-saving measures were up for debate at the school, among the items was the shutting down of the school swimming pool during winter months and scontinuing athletic programs. But after some discussion, Houser said the athletic department isn't losing any teams other than the golf programs that were already on hiatus. "We're going forward with the belief that the pool will be kept open for our classes and for community programs," Houser said. He said the swimming pool is on the school's "watch status." That may indicate if economic
conditions take a considerable turn, then some issues such as the pool may be revisited. Otherwise, the pool remains open and in use by not only the Shasta College swimming team, but by other athletic programs and one of the local swim clubs. That is the word that Wagner wants to get out after a few weeks of trying to rein in rumor mill. "A lot of people thought it would be very expensive to maintain the pool," Wagner said. "They don't realize how much the pool gets used, not only by us, but by other programs and the community." The closing of the swimming pool through the months of November and February would have cropped into the Knights' swim season, thus casting the program into limbo at a time when Wagner has built up its numbers. "One of my concerns is that we finally have a good-sized and competitive squad here," said Wagner, now in his fourth year of running the program. "I want to make sure that local swimmers know that we'll still be here." Right now, Houser said swimming and all the other Knight athletic programs are safe. There won't be as many games played, but everything from wrestling to tennis should continue. To combat economic troubles, the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) board has agreed to institute a state-wide reduction in games, like it did in 2002 and 2003. That means all sports will lose contests for the 2009-2010 athletic season, with the ones that play more being the hardest hit. Junior college football programs lose its potential scrimmage, but otherwise keeps a 10-game season. Cross country loses one meet and drops from nine dates to eight, while swimming also drops one from 12 to 11 dates. Track and field (from 14 to 12) and wrestling (from 16 to 14) drops two dates and soccer and volleyball drops three, from 24 to 21. Basketball's limit of games falls from 28 to 24 and tennis falls from 30 to 26. Baseball's 44-game schedule becomes 36 games and softball goes from 50 games to 40. "The difference in 2002 was it was an emergency situation," Houser said. "This time, we know it will happen and will be able to adjust our schedules better."
HEATH EUSTANCE LEADS MEN, CHRISTA PRIOR LEADS WOMEN
(1/30/09-Redding) Shasta College swept past Solano in its lone home dual meet of the season.
The Knights men's team won 80-14 and had numerous of event winners. Heath Eustance took first in both the 50-yard freestyle in 22.8 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 1:00.67. David Dekker also was a double-winner, taking the 500 free (6:14.38) and the 1,000 free (13:20.90). Evan Waits won the 100 butterfly (1:07.80), while Chris Williams won the 200 individual medley (2:26.01) and Arlen Pederson the 200 free (2:02.33). Josh Mider also took first in diving with 241.1 points. The Knights women's team also won 84-21 as Christa Prior took first in the 200 free (2:02.64) and the 100 IM (1:04.93). Arielle Andrews also won two events in the 50 fly (30.72) and the 50 back (34.53). Kacy Wiley won the 50 breast (36.05), Hope Slovik won the 500 free (7:20.09) and Rachel Ottem won the 1,000 free (14:52.94). Maria Jensen finished first in diving with 101.55 points.
(1/28/09) This is the year’s team will be the largest in the school history of Aquatics. The addition to Divers to the squad and a great recruiting class the Knights look forward to the 2009 season. Our first competition of the season is with a Solano College on January 30, a conference rival that should be a contest. Our second event will be traveling to Santa Rosa for three-way contest with Santa Rosa a very strong competitor in the Super 8 Conference, and the Merced the Bay Valley Champions in 2008 and College of Sequoias another Bay Valley rival. The head-to-head meets in the early season will provide the Knights with some early directions in the beginning of the season before hitting the Invitational circuits. Our Invitational schedule includes the Nor-Cal Invite, Sac City, and Solano Pentathlon. Our final dual meet will be against Delta, who is in the Super 8 Conference and always has a very strong squad. The Nor-Cal Diving and Bay Valley Conference Championships will be our last regular season competition. Our goal this season is to win conference. It will be a tough task but we look forward to the challenge.
The Lady Knight’s will be lead by stand out freshmen Christa Prior and Sophomore Kacy Wiley. Christa will be specializing in Backstroke events but has the ability for to a forced in the conference in any event that she chooses. She is joined by a number of freshmen that adds depth and experience to this year’s squad. Courtney Gwin, recruited as a Breaststroker has turned into a double threat in the Freestyle events, along with Arielle Andrews assisting is Butterfly events as well adding depth in Backstroke. Cat Favero and Rachel Ottem are adding depth in the distance program an area that has been lacking. These ladies are more than willing to swim some of the toughest races in swimming. Caitlyn Zielensky is coming into the program as a Breaststroker and Mid Distance Freestyler. Maria Jensen and Sundara Griffiths will provide additional depth in our Backstroke events. Maria will also have double duty as a 1-meter and 3-meter diver. Returning Ladies, Hope Slowik will be a utility swimmer providing has experience in a number of events. Kacy Wiley will be leading our Breaststroke events as well IM events. Natasha Ott, much improved swimmer, will be specializing in Back and Free events this season. New sophomores, Jessica Laux a transfer will add depth in our Distance events and positive role model for the newer members. Angelica Campanale is turning out to be a strong Mid-distance swimmer needed this season. Natalie Marquez a new swimmer is aiding the team in Mid-distance and Distance events this year.
Our Men’s Squad is by far the biggest in the Schools history. A great group a freshmen aids in the teams depth and versatility this season. Our Sprinters are being lead by Heath Eustance, Sophomore Arlen Pedersen, and Freshemen Evan Waits. Heath will also be specializing Backstroke and Evan is going to add depth in our Butterfly events. The twin’s Matt and Chris Hoffman were recruiting as sprinters, but will be adding depth in our Backstroke and Breaststroke events as well. Transfer Aaron Turinpseed will be a force in the Butterfly, Breaststroke and IM events at conference. Justin Forrest and David Dekker are providing the back bone of our Distance Events, fearless and gutsy swimmers. Freshmen Brenton Dunaj and Kyle Bishop will be specializing Breaststroke and IM events this season. Jackson Wright, sophomore transfer has potential to aid our Mid-distance program as well providing great depth in Breaststroke events. Andy Coutant and Erick Taslim will be swimming Mid-distance as well working on Back and Breast events. Jacob Laux, former water polo player joined the squad to assist the sprints and Backstroke events. Williams, a familiar name of Shasta Swim Team, since brother and sister has been on the squad in recent years. Chris, the youngest Williams sibling will be swimming IM and Butterfly events. Our divers this year will be lead by Josh Mider, who has shown a great deal aptitude in this new addition to our program. Brian Nunes and Trevor Lewis are challenging Josh and will give our squad strength in an area that is needed this season.
This 2009 season is going to be exciting and filled with great rewards for these student/athletes. The staff and athletes are looking forward to opportunities to improve themselves and represent Shasta College to the best of their ability.
Mark Wagner
Head Coach – Swimming/Diving