2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving General Information SDSU QUICK FACTS Table of Contents Season Outlook Location ...... San Diego, Calif. Page 3 Founded...... 1897 Enrollment ...... 34,360 THE 2008-09 AZTECS Nickname...... Aztecs Roster ...... 2 Colors ...... Scarlet and Black Season Outlook ...... 3 Conference...... Mountain West President...... Dr. Stephen L. Weber COACHING STAFF Athletic Director ...... Jeff Schemmel Head Coach Mike Shrader ...... 4 Faculty Representative...... Dr. Roger W. Caves Assistant Coach Brendon Bray ...... 5 Diving Coach Jim Wynne ...... 5 TEAM INFORMATION Volunteer Assistant Caitlyn Shortt ...... 5 Head Coach.....Mike Shrader (Texas A&M, 1981) Undergraduate Asst. Christine Graham . .5 Dual Record at SDSU...... 8-4 (Second season) Career Dual Record ...... 97-16-1 (10th season) ATHLETE PROFILES Swimming Office Phone ...... (619) 594-5883 Atkinson/Flanagan ...... 6 E-Mail ...... [email protected] Freeberg/Henderson ...... 7 Assistant Coach ...... Brendon Bray Holland/Metsar ...... 8 Diving Coach ...... Jim Wynne Morrill/Power ...... 9 Athlete Profiles 2007-08 Dual-Meet Record ...... 8-4 Rogers/B. Vessey ...... 10 Pages 6-14 2007-08 Conference Record ...... 2-4 (6th) J. Vessey/Barstad/Bray ...... 11 2008 MWC Meet...... 8th, 161 pts. Campora/Church/Diener/Duric ...... 12 Letterwinners Returning/Lost...... 11/15 Engzell/Flynn/Hall/Krueger ...... 13 Newcomers ...... 14 McCoy/Solimani/Tompkins/ Strength/Conditioning Coach ...... Jon Francis Support Staff ...... 14 Athletic Trainer...... Brianne Bennett Home Facility ...... Aztec Aquaplex 2007-08 SEASON REVIEW Website ...... www.GoAztecs.com Highlights ...... 15 Results ...... 15 MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE Mountain West Conference ...... 15 Asst. AD/Media Relations Director...... Mike May Asst. Media Relations Director ...... Peggy Curtin HISTORY Asst. Media Relations Director...... Dave Kuhn Aztec Record Book ...... 16 Asst. Media Relations Director..Jamie McConeghy All-Time Honors ...... 17 Asst. Media Relations Director...... Darin Wong Administrative Assistant ...... Andrea Rogers UNIVERSITY SECTION Office Phone ...... (619) 594-5547 The University ...... 18 2007-08 Review Office Fax ...... (619) 582-6541 Administration ...... 19 Page 15 Mailing Address....SDSU Department of Athletics Academic Support ...... 20 Aztec Athletics Center, Suite 3014 Aztec Culture ...... 21 5302 55th Street Aztec Aquaplex ...... 22-23 San Diego, CA 92182-4309 America’s Finest City ...... 24
CONFERENCE INFORMATION Commissioner...... Craig Thompson MEDIA GUIDE CREDITS Multimedia Coord./Swim Contact....Katie Cavender Office Phone ...... (719) 488-4059 The 2008-09 San Diego State women’s Office Fax ...... (719) 487-7241 swimming and diving media guide is a E-Mail...... [email protected] publication of the SDSU athletic media Website...... www.TheMWC.com relations office. The publication was writ- Mailing Address ...... Mountain West Conference ten, edited and designed by media rela- 15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 200 tions assistant Andrea Ohta. Editorial Colorado Springs, CO 80921 assistance was provided by assistant media relations directors Peggy Curtin, Aztec Record Book Jamie McConeghy, and Darin Wong. Page 16 Photography by Stan Liu, Brock Scott, Ken Jacques and Randy Mendioroz. Printing by SDSU Reprographics.
The California State University system is committed to providing equal opportuni- ties to men and women CSU students in all campus programs including intercolle- giate athletics.
1 2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving
2008-09 SAN DIEGO STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING ROSTER BY CLASS Seniors (3) Megan Flanagan, Alexandra Rogers, Jamie Name Event(s) Ht. Yr. Exp Hometown (Previous School) Vessey *Caitlin Atkinson Diving 5-5 Jr. 2L Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Santa Margarita HS) Juniors (6) Alex Barstad Diving 5-7 Jr. TR Eden Prairie, Minn. (Univ. of Minnesota) Caitlin Atkinson, Alex Barstad, Amy Freeberg, Shannon Bray Fly, Free 5-9 Fr. HS Reno, Nev. (Reno HS) Nino Metsar, Jessica Morrill, Kyla Power Dominique Campora Diving 5-6 So. TR Auburn, Calif. (Sierra College) Sophomores (6) Melissa Church Free, Fly 5-9 So. TR Aliso Viejo, Calif. (Saddleback Junior College) Dominique Campos, Melissa Church, Allison Kelsy Diener Back, IM, Free 5-11 Fr. HS Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain HS) Hall, Stephanie Henderson, Noelle Holland, Team Roster Bojana Duric Distance 5-9 Fr. HS Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (Silverthorn Collegiate Inst.) Brooke Vessey Jeanette Engzell Breast, IM 5-10 Fr. HS Falun, Sweden (Falu Frigymnasium) Freshman (9) *Megan Flanagan Diving 5-7 Sr. 3L Oakdale, Minn. (North HS) Shannon Bray, Kelsy Diener, Bojana Duric, Ashley Flynn Distance, Fly 5-6 Fr. HS Sacramento, Calif. (St. Francis HS) Jeanette Engzell, Ashley Flynn, Elisabeth Amy Freeberg Diving 5-5 Jr. 2L Pasadena, Calif. (Alverno HS) Krueger, Alexis McCoy, Shaida Solimani, Lisa Tompkins Allison Hall Fly, IM 5-2 So. TR Camarillo, Calif. (Boise State) Stephanie Henderson Free 5-9 So. 1L La Quinta, Calif. (La Quinta HS) *Noelle Holland Fly 5-5 So. 1L Casa Grande, Ariz. (Casa Grande Union HS) Elisabeth Krueger Fly, IM, Free 6-0 Fr. HS Erlangen, Germany (Emmy-Noether-Gymnasium) BY STATE/COUNTRY Alexis McCoy Free, Back, Fly 5-8 Fr. HS San Diego, Calif. (Seisen International School) Arizona (2) Nino Metsar Fly, Breast, IM 5-8 Jr. 1L Tallinn, Estonia (New Mexico State) Kelsy Diener, Noelle Holland *Jessica Morrill Breast, IM 5-8 Jr. 2L Rio Vista, Calif. (Rio Vista HS) *Kyla Power Distance, Free 5-8 Jr. 2L San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian HS) California (13) Alexandra Rogers Back 5-10 Sr. 1L Los Angeles, Calif. (Pierce College) Caitlin Atkinson, Dominique Campos, Melissa Shaida Solimani Back, Free 5-9 Fr. HS Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs HS) Church, Ashley Flynn, Amy Freeberg, Allison Lisa Tompkins Breast, IM 5-9 Fr. HS Camas, Wash. (Camas HS) Hall, Stephanie Henderson, Alexis McCoy, Brooke Vessey Fly, Free, Back 5-2 So. 1L Redlands, Calif. (Redlands HS) Jessica Morrill, Kyla Power, Alexandra Rogers, Brooke Vessey, Jamie Vessey Jamie Vessey Fly, Free 5-3 Sr. 1L Redlands, Calif. (Redlands HS) Canada (1) *Captains Bojana Duric
Head Coach: Mike Shrader (Texas A&M, 1981), Second season Estonia (1) Assistant Coach: Brendon Bray (Washington, 2005), Second season Nino Metsar Diving Coach: Jim Wynne (Niagara, 1994), Seventh season Germany (1) Volunteer Assistant: Caitlyn Shortt (Washington, 2008), First season Elisabeth Krueger Undergraduate Assistant: Christine Graham, First season Minnesota (2) Alex Barstad, Megan Flanagan
Missouri (1) Shaida Solimani
Nevada (1) Shannon Bray
Sweden (1) Jeanette Engzell
Washington (1) Lisa Tompkins
LETTERWINNERS RETURNING (11) Caitlin Atkinson Megan Flanagan Amy Freeberg Stephanie Henderson Noelle Holland Nino Metsar Jessica Morrill Kyla Power Alexandra Rogers Brooke Vessey Jamie Vessey Aztec seniors Alexandra Rogers, Jamie Vessey and Megan Flanagan
2 2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving Season Outlook oming off its most successful season since Diener, Alexis McCoy and Shaida Solimani. the 2001-02 campaign, excitement is at an Vessey and McCoy, along with sophomores Call-time high for the San Diego State swim- Stephanie Henderson and Melissa Church will ming and diving team as it returns 11 letterwin- also be key factors in the freestyle sprint events. ners and welcomes a highly touted group of new- “Stephanie has been training so much bet- comers in 2008-09. ter than she did last year, so we are really excited Second-year head coach Mike Shrader has about her in the sprint events,” Shrader said. laid the groundwork as he continues on his mis- “Brooke is doing a great job in the sprints also. sion to build SDSU into a Mountain West She will really help us in the 50 and 100 free.” Conference championship contender. Shrader, Once again, the SDSU diving squad is shap- who has compiled an overall head coaching ing up to be one of the Aztecs’ strongest areas. record of 97-16-1 over nine years, had a positive Senior Megan Flanagan and junior Caitlin impact in his first season on The Mesa, leading Atkinson, who are both two-time NCAA Zone E the Scarlet and Black to an 8-4 mark in dual-meet Regional qualifiers, currently own the school competition. The Aztecs also had multiple all- record in the 3- and 1-meter diving events, MWC performers for the first time since 2004, respectively. Junior Amy Freeberg is also coming while placing a program-record 10 student-ath- off a record-breaking season in which she estab- letes on the MWC all-academic team. lished the Scarlet and Black’s top mark on the “I just want to get better every week and I platform en route to her first career all-MWC feel like we have done that so far,” Shrader said. award. Joining the trio of returnees this year are “We simply need to continue to improve and have transfers Alex Barstad and Dominique Campora. a phenomenal conference meet.” “We have a solid group that is dedicated and Despite losing its top five scorers from a committed to the sacrifice, hard training and Junior co-captain Jessica Morrill ranks among the year ago, the Scarlet and Black hopes to surpass focus of our season goal, which is to improve top five in school history in the 200 breaststroke. last season’s success with an experienced core everyday, challenge for top spots in our confer- of returnees and one of its best recruiting classes “Noelle had a good summer and is training ence meets and make a big mark on all three in recent history. really well right now,” Shrader said. “She is show- boards at the MWC championship,” said seventh- “Roughly 70 percent of the team is new, so ing excellent leadership skills.” year diving coach Jim Wynne. we are definitely counting on some freshmen to Joining Holland in the fly events will be soph- After posting a 3-0 dual-meet record at the step up this year,” said Shrader. “I am excited omore Allison Hall and freshmen Shannon Bray Aztec Aquaplex last year, SDSU will look to contin- because they are all first-class young ladies who and Elisabeth Krueger. ue its success at home in its second season at its are very good students and who are willing to Morrill will anchor a strong group of breast- new on-campus facility as the Scarlet and Black is push themselves to see how good they can be.” strokers after earning her first MWC swimmer of set to host five meets. Leading a well-rounded group of swimmers the week award in 2008. The junior from Rio SDSU will open the 2008-09 campaign this season will be tri-captains Noelle Holland, Vista, Calif., also owns the fifth-fastest 200 against Utah on Oct. 11, before returning to the Jessica Morrill and Kyla Power. breast time in SDSU history. Newcomers Jeanette Aquaplex two weeks later when it welcomes Air Holland, a sophomore from Casa Grande, Engzell and Lisa Tompkins will add depth to the Force, Colorado State and New Mexico for a MWC Ariz., will pace the butterfly specialists after swim- 100 and 200 breast events. quad meet (Oct. 25). After playing host to non- ming personal bests in the 100 and 200 fly last Morrill will also be expected to contribute in conference foes Fresno State (Nov. 1) and Cal year. In addition to her success in the pool, she the individual medley, where she will be joined by State East Bay (Dec. 31), the Aztecs will close out also excelled in the classroom, garnering MWC Hall, Krueger, Tompkins and junior Nino Metsar. its home schedule by entertaining Wyoming, UC all-academic and scholar-athlete honors. Power, meanwhile, will spearhead a young San Diego and Northern Colorado on Jan. 31. contingent of distance swimmers. The two-time MWC scholar-athlete had a breakout sophomore campaign in which she established lifetime bests in the 200 and 500 free. Senior Jamie Vessey will also be counted on to provide leadership in the distance events, while freshmen Ashley Flynn and Bojana Duric are expected to make an immediate impact in their initial season on The Mesa. “Kyla is doing a phenomenal job training- wise and is an outstanding leader,” Shrader said. “She had a great summer and we are looking for- ward to seeing what she can accomplish this year.” Senior Alexandra Rogers will guide the back- strokers this season after swimming the Aztecs’ second-fastest times of the season in the 100 and 200 back last year. Rogers is looking to improve on those marks after a strong showing in training. “Alexandra is light years ahead of where she was at this time last year,” said Shrader. “She had some injuries in the past, but for the most part she is pretty healthy right now and is training at a very high level.” Alexandra Rogers will provide senior leadership Also contributing in the backstroke will be Senior Megan Flanagan is a two-time NCAA Zone on a young Aztec squad this year. sophomore Brooke Vessey and freshmen Kelsy E Diving Regional qualifier and holds the school record in the 3-meter event.
3 2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving MMIKEIKE SSHRADERHRADER Head Coach Second Season Texas A&M, 1981 ntering his second year at the helm of the Shrader helped the team place in the top 12 at the Aztec swimming and diving program, head NCAA championships three times. Ecoach Mike Shrader continues on his mission In the summer of 2005, Shrader served as to build San Diego State into a championship con- an assistant coach with USA Swimming at the tender. world championships that were held in Montreal, In his first season on The Mesa, Shrader led Canada. He coached the open water swim team to the Scarlet and Black to its best season since its best performance ever with the squad capturing
Coaching Staff 2001-02 with an 8-4 dual-meet record. SDSU also a gold and two silver medals. went undefeated (3-0) in its first year of competi- In recognition of his coaching accomplish- tion at the Aztec Aquaplex. ments, Shrader was a guest of honor at the 2005 “I am extremely excited to be part of the Golden Goggle Awards in New York. He also Aztec family,” said Shrader. “San Diego State is a received the 2005 Glenn S. Hummer Award, which fantastic university with remarkable facilities and I is given to a person for outstanding committee look forward to building a program that will com- service and the advancement of open water swim- pete for championships and make fans proud.” ming in the United States. Prior to his arrival in “America’s Finest City,” Shrader also had a stellar swimming career Shrader spent eight seasons as the head coach of himself, as he was a junior college national cham- The Shrader File the women’s swimming and diving team at the pion and a seven-time All-American while leading University of Nevada, where he established an Midland College to a second-place finish at the jun- impressive 89-12-1 overall record while leading ior college national championships. He continued Hometown the Wolf Pack to four NCAA championship appear- his collegiate career at Texas A&M, where he Fort Worth, Texas ances. earned all-Southwest Conference honors and was Under his tutelage in 2007, UNR posted a a senior national qualifier. High School perfect 18-0 mark and captured the program’s Shrader earned his bachelor’s degree in psy- Southwest first Western Athletic Conference championship. chology from Texas A&M in 1981, before finishing After the flawless season, Shrader was named the a master’s degree in exercise and sports science Alma Mater WAC swimming coach of the year for the second from West Texas A&M in 1991. Texas A&M (1981), West Texas A&M (1991) time in his career. He previously earned the honor Shrader and his wife, Catherine, reside in La in 2002. Mesa. Family Shrader made an immediate impact in his Wife, Catherine first year at Nevada in 1999-00, guiding the Wolf Pack to its fifth consecutive Big West Conference Head Coaching Career title and a 13th-place finish at the NCAA champi- onships. That squad boasted two-time national 2007-Present champion and NCAA record holder Limin Liu, in San Diego State addition to four other All-Americans. After his initial season, Shrader and the 1999-2007 Pack made a smooth transition into the nationally University of Nevada, Reno competitive Western Athletic Conference. With Shrader at the helm of the program, Nevada won Coaching Career Highlights 10 or more dual meets and placed in the top three Coached two all-MWC performers at the conference championships in each of his last six seasons, including the aforementioned 2002 and 2007 WAC swimming coach of first-place finish in 2007, as well as second-place the year performances in 2002, 2003 and 2006. Before his stint at Nevada, Shrader was an 2007 WAC championship assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Methodist in Dallas, Texas. While at SMU, Mike and Catherine Shrader Led Nevada to a perfect 18-0 dual meet record in 2007 SHRADER’S HEAD COACHING LEDGER 2000 Big West Conference champions Year School Dual Meet Record Pct. Conference Finish Conference Academic All-America team (2002-06) 1999-00 Nevada 6-1 .857 1st Big West 2000-01 Nevada 5-3 .625 4th WAC Has coached multiple NCAA qualifiers 2001-02 Nevada 10-2 .833 2nd WAC 2002-03 Nevada 10-1 .909 2nd WAC Has coached eight Olympians 2003-04 Nevada 14-3 .824 3rd WAC 2004-05 Nevada 14-1 .933 3rd WAC Coached the 2005 United States world championship team 2005-06 Nevada 12-1-1 .857 2nd WAC 2006-07 Nevada 18-0 1.000 1st WAC 2007-08 San Diego State 8-4 .667 6th MWC TOTAL 97-16-1 .855
4 2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving Coaching Staff BBRENDONRENDON BBRAYRAY JJIMIM WWYNNEYNNE Assistant Coach Diving Coach Second season Seventh Season Washington ‘05 Niagara ‘94
im Wynne enters his seventh season as the rendon Bray is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Aztec diving coach at San Diego State. A former women’s swimming and diving team. In his first year at San Diego Jdiver at Niagara, Wynne has a solid back- BState, Bray helped guide the Scarlet and Black to its most successful ground both as a competitor and coach in his specialty. season since the 2001-02 campaign. He also played an instrumental part in Last year, Wynne guided the Scarlet and Black to one of its best diving developing the Aztecs’ two Mountain West Conference swimmers of the seasons in school history. SDSU’s top three marks on the 1- and 3-meter week, as well as all-MWC performer Katie Smith (100 backstroke). boards as well as the platform were set during the 2007-08 campaign, while During the summer, Bray directed the Nike Boys and Girls Swim Camp, the Aztecs also had their first-ever diver earn all-MWC honors. which was held at the Aztec Aquaplex for the first time. Before coming to San Diego State, Wynne was the head coach for men's Bray came to SDSU from Washington, where he was the men’s and and women's diving at Niagara from 1994 to 1997. During that time, he guid- women’s swimming assistant coach for ed two divers to the conference champi- The Bray File three years. During his time at UW, Bray onship and a placing in zones, and also The Wynne File helped coach multiple NCAA qualifiers produced a pair of academic All- Hometown Hometown Reno, Nev. and NCAA championship scorers. He Americans. In addition, Wynne was the also served as the recruiting coordinator founder of the Niagara Sunbirds, a com- Buffalo, N.Y. and oversaw the day-to-day operations of munity-based diving club comprised of High School the Huskies’ swimming program. novice and junior divers. High School Reno Bray also had a stellar collegiate Wynne has also recently been work- Grand Island career, competing on the swim team at ing with the junior national team of the Alma Mater Washington for three years before begin- Mexican Federation at the Centro de Alto Alma Mater Washington ning his stint as an assistant coach. He Rendimiento (CAR) in Tijuana, Mexico. Niagara was a senior national qualifier and left During his stint as an instructor at the Coaching Career UW ranked among the top 10 on the CAR, Wynne has worked alongside inter- Coaching Career Huskies’ all-time list in the 200 back- national coaches, including Wang Yu 2007-Present 2002-Present San Diego State (Assistant coach) stroke. A native of Reno, Nev., Bray was a Ping, Andres Romo and Arnoldo Ramos- four-year letterwinner and an All- Mangana. San Diego State (Diving coach) American at Reno High School. 2004-07 As an athlete, Wynne had top five Bray received his bachelor’s finishes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic 1994-97 Washington (Assistant coach) degree in economics in 2005 and his Conference three consecutive years and Niagara (Diving coach) master’s degree in intercollegiate athlet- was a four-time Division I Zone A qualifi- ic leadership (2007) from Washington. er while at Niagara. Prior to competing at the collegiate level, he was a junior national qualifier and finished among the top five at the junior Olympics from 1986 to 1990. The 36-year-old Wynne is a 1994 graduate of Niagara with a bachelor's degree in political science. CAITLYN SHORTT CHRISTINE GRAHAM VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT UNDERGRADUATE ASSISTANT FIRST SEASON FIRST SEASON WASHINGTON ’08 SAN DIEGO STATE
aitlyn Shortt, who is fresh off an impressive three-year swimming career hristine Graham begins her first year as an undergraduate assistant at Washington, enters her first season as a volunteer assistant at San after lettering two years for Aztec swimming. The former SDSU team CDiego State. Ccaptain specialized in the breaststroke and freestyle sprint events for Shortt claimed the Huskies’ top times of the 2004-05 season in the the Scarlet and Black. 100 and 200 breaststroke as well as the 400 individual medley to earn MVP While at San Diego State, Graham was a finalist in the 100 breast at the honors as a freshman. That year, she also ranked among the squad’s top five Mountain West Conference championships as a junior and senior. She also swimmers in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 IM. swam the team’s fasest time in that same event in 2007-08. Shortt left UW with the fourth-best marks in school history in the 100 Before making her way to SDSU, Graham competed two years for Santa and 200 breast and the 400 IM. She was also ranked among the Huskies’ all- Rosa Junior College where she was a two-time All-American and all-confer- time top 10 in the 200 IM. ence honoree. Graham helped SRJC win the 2005 state championship and A native of Hood River, Ore., Shortt graduated from Reynolds High School was named the team MVP as a sophomore. She also lettered in water polo where she was a five-time state champion, three-time team MVP and was for the Bear Cubs. named the 2004 Oregon female athlete of the year. Graham is majoring in interior design at San Diego State. Shortt recently received her bachelor’s degree in English from Washington.
5 2008-09 San Diego State Swimming & Diving CAITLIN ATKINSON MEGAN FLANAGAN Diving Diving 5-5, Junior 5-7, Senior Laguna Niguel, Calif. Oakdale, Minn. Santa Margarita Catholic HS North HS