Seniors ruled the day Friday for the San Jose State swimming team, playing a part in seven of the Spartans’ 10 wins to defeat Cal State East Bay 137-81 at the SJSU Aquatics Center. Spartan divers also had success in day one of the Stanford Diving Invitational at Stanford.
A quartet of seniors started off the dual meet against the Pioneers with a 200 medley relay win. Heather Denman, Karly Brown, Kirsten Trammell and Meghan McCurley finished in 1:50.13 for the win. All four of them would win individual events as well later in the meet. Denman was a double winner as an individual, taking first in the 100 backstroke (57.60) and the 500 freestyle (5:06.49).
"Senior Day is always a tough one in a bittersweet way," said San Jose State head coachSage Hopkins. "It’s great to have seen what the seniors have accomplished over their four years here, but it’s always tough."
The Spartans honored seven seniors before Friday’s meet. Christina Bergis, Brittney Boyd,Megan Mills, Brown, Denman McCurley and Trammell all swam their final meet as a Spartan at the Aquatics Center.
As a group, the seven have totaled four CollegeSwimming.com All-American honors, two College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American awards and 14 Academic All-WAC certificates. They have also pulled in 37 All-WAC awards (14 first team, 23 second team).
The seven have also done their part to re-write the San Jose State record books, setting 13 school records and swimming 56 top-10 all-time marks as a Spartan.
In diving, Amy Kilby was the winner of the 3-meter springboard consolation final at day one of the Stanford Diving Invitational in Stanford. Her score of 248.85 in the finals bested 11 other divers for a ninth-place overall finish. Jessica Holden was sixth in the consolation final, 14th overall, with a score of 210.95.
"It was a solid performance today," Hopkins said of the team’s combined efforts. "We were better this week than we were last week and the challenge from here on out is to get better each week."
The Spartans head back to the Hillman Aquatics Center at CSU Bakersfield Friday, January 20, to face the roadrunners for the second time this season.