Reporter
After a big step in the right direction for the women’s swim team, CSU Bakersfield’s swimming and dive teams look to build off of last year’s standing in both the men’s and women’s teams.
CSUB’s Chris Hansen is entering into his sixth year as the director of the swim program.
But this year most of the women’s top swimmers graduated last year so Hansen said he has to revamp his team’s overall strategy because he believes that you can’t rely on one person to do all the scoring.
“We lost six seniors to graduation and they were the top six scorers,” said Hansen. “We have a lot of freshman and sophomores who have to step up if we want to continue to stay where we were last year.”
CSUB started its season with the Malibu Invitational, which featured teams such as Pepperdine University, California Baptist University and Loyola Marymount University.
“So far in our first meet they were a little nervous,” said Hansen. “I think they all have potential.”
The women’s swim team came in sixth of six teams in their first meet of the year.
CSUB also competed against USC and lost 171-97. The Roadrunners then beat California Baptist 156-138 at home.
Hansen said he believes with time the team will develop confidence and become faster.
Top scorer senior Paula Hernandez is looking to build off of her last season’s success as she enters the top five fastest times for the 400 individual medley at her second meet of the season in Malibu.
Hernandez currently holds over 10 top 5 all-time CSUB records including the 400 that she achieved this past weekend.
“Its nice to know that I’m the top scorer, but this is still a growing program so hopefully in a couple of years that will be broken.” said Hernandez. “I know a lot of other swimming schools that these times are nothing.”
The men’s and women’s swim teams spend a lot of time together on and out of the swimming pool and director Hansen believes that the teams unity will help them persevere and excel in their upcoming season.
“Even now every year someone’s breaking a new record on the board and its just getting better.” said Hernandez.
Croatian junior Lovre Soric is also aspiring to do well this season as he broke CSUB’s 11-year record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 44.32 seconds, broke the record for the 200 individual medley and placed fourth at the Western Athletic Conference Championships last season.
“The transition from quarters to semester was a little bit tough, but I think the team handled it very well.” said Soric. “We also have a meet coming up and I think we are going to shock some people, too.”
CSUB is scheduled to compete against the University of Idaho Saturday, Nov. 5 at noon.
