New Team Champions Could Emerge At 3C2A State Swimming and Diving Championships
While the women's side has seen a shift toward newbies in the team trophy circle with three straight first-time state champions from 2023-2025, the men have seen the opposite in Sierra College making an annual raising of the crown the last five meets.
The freshness of new winners and the possibility that four colleges appear to be strong candidates on the men's side that might spell an end to the Wolverines' dynasty have added to the excitement in anticipation of the 2026 3C2A State Swimming and Diving Championships. This year's 77th edition of the state meet is hosted at Orange Coast College's Aquatic Pavilion Thursday, April 30 through Saturday, May 2.
MEN
Riverside City recently won the Orange Empire Conference team championship and have a bevy of strong swimmers qualified for the meet as does South Coast Conference prohibitive champion Mt. San Antonio, which won its title with 1,005 points, doubling the rest of the competitors. American River brings in a steady contingent and feel good after defeating Sierra, 897-838, for the Big 8 title.
Throw in WSC champ Cuesta, led by dolphin-like, multiple state meet record candidate Grant Huston, in the mix to challenge in what should be a very close battle for the championship. All four of those conference champs have never won the state title. Never rule out host Orange Coast, which last won the state title in 2018.
Huston and American River's David Tsypan return as two of the Tri-Swimmers of the State Meet from last year with ARC's Cayden Pitzer, now graduated.
WOMEN
In 2023, Santa Monica won the crown, followed by fellow Western State Conference foe Santa Barbara City, then Mt. San Antonio last year in a trio of brand new champions.
Now, gears are shifting again with this year's SCC champ Long Beach City leading all teams with 12 qualifying swimmers and strong leading candidate. Big 8 champ Sierra and second-place American River, 793.5-754, are poised to challenge. WSC champ Santa Barbara and Orange Empire first-place Riverside are also in thick of the race.
In the case of LBCC and American River, neither has won a state title since the women's meet started in 1978. Sierra won once in 2017 and Riverside also has one title performed in 1998.
The Prelims will take place each day preceding the later day Finals.
Here is an event-by-event preview:
DAY 1-THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Event 1-2
W-200 Freestyle Relay: Long Beach had the fastest seed time at 1:38.27, followed by Diablo Valley 1:38.69 and Santa Barbara 1:38.81. Even San Diego Miramar, the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference runaway champion has a solid 1:39.58. It's anyone's race.
M-200 Freestyle Relay: It's another case of who can raise their game as DVC (1:22.27), Sierra (1:23.36), San Mateo (1:23.51), ARC (1:23.70), and Cuesta (1:23.98) all in a position to score high.
Event 3-4
W-500 Freestyle: De Anza's Erika Correa has a 5:06.68 top seed and she will be tested by Las Positas' Filuka Houborg (5:07.05). The next best is more than 2.5 seconds off that pace.
M-500 Freestyle: Riverside phenom Eli Martinez-Spencer should be the champ as his 4:32.76 is 2.16 tics faster than Golden West's Avery Pelicano. Last year's state champ Huston chose not to defend that title after blowing away the 2025 competition in a blistering 4:24.98.
Event 5-6
W-200 IM: Mt. SAC's Spencer Damaske is the frontrunner at 2:07.29 while Orange Coast's Analiese Duncan will have a task being 1.54 back as the #2 seed.
M-200 IM: Cuesta's Huston could ask meet managers to leave the first-place medal by his lane 4 as his 1:45.53 is in line to break the state meet record set last year by American River's Cayden Pitzer (1:47.63). Mt. SAC's Lincoln Jones is almost six seconds back as the next fastest swimmer.
Event 7-8
W-50 Freestyle: OCC's Leyna Nguyen holds the top seed at 23.70, the only swimmer under 24. Next is DVC's Evalinne Vecchio (24.04), LBCC's Carolyn Kao (24.16), SBCC's Leah Rummelhoff and Sierra's Raegan Chavez, both 24.18. Last year, Kao won the bronze in helping Mt. SAC win the state title, but took her talents to Vikings land in 2026.
M-50 Freestyle: This has photo finish written all of it as Bakersfield's Jacob Zimmerman and Diablo Valley's Ray Fitch each have the fastest time at 20.61. American River's Justin Hsieh is .11 back.
Event 9-10
W-400 Medley Relay: The second relay of Day 1 features San Joaquin Delta (4:01.81) and Santa Barbara (4:01.92) as the top seeds, but expect Long Beach, Diablo Valley, and Mt. SAC all putting the pressure on in what figures to be a great finish. The Mounties won last year.
M-400 Medley Relay: Riverside has a sizeable top mark at 3:22.71, 2.17 faster than #2 American River and 2.48 over Cuesta.
Event 11-12
W-1-Meter Diving Board: Santa Monica's Karla Perez was the SoCal low board champion with a 269.20 points total, but North champ Ashley Johnson (266.20), and two Las Positas divers--Ainsley Wade (245.25, third place at state last year) and Laina Stifter (242.95) are all candidates to win the gold.
M-3-Meter Diving Board: Long Beach/SoCal champ Ian Dien could be the class of the bunch in the high board with a 312.65 points seed. Next best is NorCal top diver American River's Lucas Van Hagel (253.90), then De Anza's Milo Switzer (249.50).
DAY 2, FRIDAY, MAY 1
Event 13-14
W-200 Medley Relay: Another flurry of arms to the wall as top seed Santa Barbara (1:48.52), Orange Coast (.16 back), and Mt. San Antonio (1.15 off the pace) are the fastest three slated.
M-200 Medley Relay: The top eight teams are all within 1.75 seconds of the frontrunner RCC at 1:32.28. A few good splits could give anyone in this final the gold.
Event 15-16
W-400 IM: Mt. SAC's Damaske set the SCC record at a top seed of 4:30.12 and she will be challenged by Cypress' Chantee Nguyen, only .11 behind her. No other swimmer is within 16 seconds of this swift pair.
M-400 IM: Cuesta's Huston is a definite Swimmer of the Year candidate and he could have two golds by this point as his 3:50.73 is on pace for a new state meet record. That mark is held by Sierra's Jake Reuter at 3:52.54 set in 2023. The Mounties' Jones 3:58.25 and De Anza's Gunner Hopkins 3:59.51 are the only other swimmers under 4 minutes.
Event 17-18
W-100 Butterfly: Santa Barbara's Trinity Link hopes to click her way to first as her 57.27 tops a strong field of Miramar's Lexi Kershner (57.50), De Anza's Correa (57.57), and Sierra's Chavez (57.89).
M-100 Butterfly: This will be an epic repeat battle between defending American River defending state champ Tsypan (49.34 third seed, 48.12 to win last year), last year's third-place and Orange Coast talent Kaua Mota (top seed 48.47, 48.72 in 2025), and Ventura's Jaiden Monroe (48.49 second seed, fourth last year at 49.07). Put this on your popcorn watch list.
Event 19-20
W-200 Freestyle: The Long Beach dynamo duo of Samira Semaan (1:53.96) and Kao (1:55.59, silver medal last year at 1:54.63) could finish 1-2 like they were at the South Coast finals. Next best is Las Positas' Houborg (1:56.58).
M-200 Freestyle: With defending state champ Huston also not defending this title, that opens the door for Golden West's Wyatt Mitchell, who has a decided top seed at 1:38.81. RCC's Jeremiah Ireland and is almost two seconds behind followed closely by Sierra's Rhett Wildenradt and GWC's Ryan Novak.
Event 21-22
W-100 Breaststroke: LPC's Samantha Fehr (1:04.67) and Ventura's Faith Marshall (1:04.83) should battle it out for the gold. Next fastest are OCC's Duncan and Delta's Kylie Richardson.
M-100 Breaststroke: Last year, Riverside's Jared Ladinez won the silver at 55.63 and he would love nothing better than move up one more place for first as his top seed time is 55.54. He will try to hold off Orange Coast's Jun Caruso (56.49), American River's Joshua Noonan (56.52) and four other swimmers all under 57 seconds.
Event 23-24
W-100 Backstroke: Ventura's Olivia Badaracco (third last year at 58.23) has the top seed in a faster 57.77 and will have to hold off Diablo Valley's Vecchio, who is .06 back as #2 seed.
M-100 Backstroke: Get the movie candy ready as defending champ Tsypan (49.17 last year, but just 50.47 second seed) and top time Monroe at 49.11 (led the opening 50 last year before settling for second at 49.72) will challenge again. RCC's Martinez-Spencer is #3 seed at 50.61.
Event 25-26
W-800 Freestyle Relay: Long Beach is a runaway favorite at 7:53.48 with Mt. SAC next best way back at 8:00.85.
M-800 Freestyle Relay: Golden West has the top seed at 6:50.96 with Cuesta (6:51.91) not far back. Next fastest is Riverside's 6:53.70.
Event 27-28
W-3-Meter Diving Board: Once again ARC's Johnson and SMC's Perez are the tops from each region. Johnson scored 259.35 while Perez's best was 250.70. LPC's Stifter and Sequoias' Reannon Herrera are also hoping to challenge.
M-1 Meter Diving Board: From a points standpoint, Long Beach's Dien looks to be the class of the field (331.65). In 2014, Sierra's Brandon Cox set the state meet record with 317.55, so judges will make the final call if Dien has enough to beat it. De Anza's Switzer (274.10) and RCC's Zachary McDonald (271.28) will also be diving for high points.
DAY 3, SATURDAY, MAY 2
Event 29-30
W-1,650 Freestyle: The grueling mile swim is a test of endurance and consistency in the strokes. Las Positas' Houborg has the fastest seed at 17:44.43 with Mt. SAC's Autumn Moya her closest challenger at 17:48.53. El Camino's Olivia Mozian placed fourth last year and comes in with a 18:08.19 mark as #3 seed.
M-1,650 Freestyle: Mt. SAC is trying to have a team member win the mile for the third straight year after Jack Painton (2025) and Samuel Slezak (2024) took gold. Mountie Cooper Golling has the fastest seed at 16:14.30 and will be tested by Golden West's Pellicano (16:15.38) and likely fourth seed/Golden West's Novak, who swam a far better 15:54.53 and closed with a flourish to take the silver behind Painton.
Event 31-32
W-100 IM: Santa Barbara's Link is the only sub-1 minute seed at 58.33 with Long Beach's Devon Fletcher 1:00.77 and Cypress' Jasmine Liu 1:01.08 potentially chasing her. The state record was set in 2013 by Santa Rosa's Alexandria Holland in 57.67.
M-100 IM: Huston, the King of the Cougars, could very well achieve a historic three state meet records as his 49.72 is ahead of last year's meet record gold posted by Riverside's Zeke Serrano of 50.67. Orange Coast's Mota (50.56) and De Anza's Brandon Wang (51.71) are next best.
Event 33-34
W-200 Backstroke: Cypress' Nguyen has distanced herself as the favorite here at 2:02.82, a full 3.25 ahead of Mt. SAC's Damaske and Ventura's Badaracco (2:06.37), who took bronze at last year's meet.
M-200 Backstroke: ARC's Tsypan performed the state meet record last year in winning at 1:44.75, although he has only reached 1:50.89 as a seed. Meanwhile, silver medalist Monroe has the top seed (1:48.37, better than his 1:49.74 of 2025) and Mt. SAC's Jones is third fastest with a 1:49.13 mark.
Event 35-36
W-100 Freestyle: This sprint figures to be a mad dash to the wall in DVC's Vecchio (52.11), and the LBCC pair of Semaan (52.21) and Kao (52.29). Sierra's Chavez could also challenge (52.79).
M-100 Freestyle: With last year's champion not entered--who else but Huston (44.26)--that leaves last year's fifth place finisher in OCC's Mota as the top seed at 45.11, followed by ARC's Hsieh (45.54), and Modesto JC's Benjamin Svoboda (45.68). In fact, the top seven have 46-second or lower times. Should be a fun one.
Event 37-38
W-200 Breaststroke: Las Positas' Fehr is well ahead of the field at 2:20.89 with OCC's Duncan next fastest at 2:23.46.
M-200 Breaststroke: Orange Coast's Caruso holds top seed (2:02.20) with RCC's Ladinez (2:03.25) in pursuit in a possible 1-2 OEC finish.
Event 39-40
W-200 Butterfly: The Chargers' Nguyen is the class of this field at 2:06.21, a good 2-plus seconds faster than next seed--DeAnza's Correa at 2:08.45. No one else is under 2:14.
M-200 Butterfly: Riverside's Wyatt Miner has the top seed 1:51.24, well ahead of OCC's Oscar Cruz 1:53.58. Interestingly, last year's bronze medal was taken by Zixi Xu of Chaffey at 1:51.38, but he is only 11th thus far as a seed.
Event 41-42
W-400 Free Relay: Long Beach is the frontrunner at 3:33.39, followed by Santa Barbara 3:35.70, and Sierra 3:37.86.
M-400 Free Relay: A crystal ball could see this as being a potential make or break for the men's team champion as San Mateo 3:04.87, Sierra 3:04.93, Golden West 3:05.15, and Diablo Valley 3:06.21 have the fastest marks, but ARC, Cuesta, Mt. SAC, and Orange Coast are not far off the pace.
Preview by Robert Lewis, for the 3C2A/CCCSIA