Chilly Dawn Adventures: Exploring San Diego’s Bright Early Mornings

If you’ve awakened early to run or walk your canine, you are aware that mornings in San Diego can be brisk.

Now consider the prospect of diving into a swimming pool at 7 a.m. or standing on the edge of a 3-meter diving board a few hours later.

This is the everyday regimen for the women of San Diego State’s swimming and diving squad as the Aztecs strive for their fifth consecutive Mountain West victory and a sixth title in the last seven years.

Swimming and diving are classified as a winter sport in the NCAA framework. The majority of colleges and universities that compete have indoor swimming facilities. However, this isn’t the case along the West Coast.

“You really have to desire it to compete in the winter,” stated Aztecs head swimming and diving coach Michael Shrader. “It’s a bit insane. The pool is heated, but the air around it is not.”

“Steam rising from the water is a good indication,” mentioned swimmer Meredith Smithbaker. “Sometimes the water isn’t as warm as one might hope.”

“The most challenging aspect is standing on the board or platform before leaping,” explained Aztecs diver Valentina Lopez Arevalo. “Our pool is situated on the edge of a canyon. It’s breezy, and certainly colder up there.”

The divers benefit from two key advantages. They practice later in the day and have access to a hot tub to keep warm between dives.

“Personally, I’m not fond of the hot tub,” stated Lopez Arevalo. “Once I enter, I don’t want to leave.”

The Aztecs are not the only team in the area. The University of San Diego also boasts a women’s swim and dive team, while UC San Diego has robust men’s and women’s teams.

“The athletes within the swimming and diving squads tend to form a tight-knit community,” noted Shrader. “I believe this arises from the rigors of the sport combined with the backgrounds and discipline of the participants. Swimmers and divers also commonly excel academically.”

Guided by swimmers Smithbaker, Abby Storm, Mal McKenna, Reka Nyiradi, and Kaydence Bispo, as well as a talented group of divers led by Lopez Arevalo, Taylor Konopacke (Canyon Crest Academy), and Olivia Zamudio (Valhalla High School), the Aztecs’ swimming and diving team comprises only 28 athletes.

As of now, the Aztecs hold a record of 5-0 in dual meets this season, gearing up for a double-dual meet against Pepperdine and New Mexico on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Aztec Aquaplex on campus. Additionally, they have secured second place in a couple of multi-team invitational competitions.

SDSU swimmers maintain the top Mountain West times in five events this season.

Smithbaker ranks No. 1 in both the 50-meter (22.42 seconds) and 100-meter (:48.33) freestyle events. Storm has the top time in the 200 backstroke (1:55.11), while McKenna is leading in the 400 individual medley (4:17.05). Also leading the Mountain West is the 200 freestyle relay team of Smithbaker, Alli Mann, Bispo, and Liv Peebles (1:30.08).

Seniors Smithbaker and Lopez Arevalo spearhead the Aztecs in individual accolades.

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Lopez Arevalo is the reigning Mountain West champion in both the 3-meter and platform events, having finished second in the 1-meter finals. Awarded Diver of the Meet at the 2024 Mountain West Championships, Lopez Arevalo holds the record for the highest score in San Diego State’s history on the platform and the second-highest totals from the one and three-meter boards.

Lopez Arevalo has represented Mexico in the 2016 and 2018 Junior World Cup as well as the 2019 Junior Pan-American Games. She is a multi-time medalist in the Mexican National Games and a two-time recipient of Mexico’s National Sports Award.

“My ambition is to represent Mexico at the Olympic Games,” stated Lopez Arevalo. “However, I am not currently affiliated with the Mexican National Team because my immediate objectives lie here: assisting San Diego State in winning the Mountain West and qualifying as many as we can for the NCAAs. We have a solid team, and I take pride in our achievements.”

Smithbaker aims to clinch the Mountain West 50 and 100-meter titles for the third consecutive year. Including relays, she has garnered a total of 10 Mountain West titles in her first three seasons with the Aztecs. She has the second and third-fastest freestyle sprint times in Aztec history and participated in the 50-meter freestyle at the latest U.S. Olympic Trials.

“My target is to qualify for the NCAAs, which is more challenging than qualifying for the Olympic Trials,” asserted Smithbaker, a Fort Collins, Colo. native who cited the outdoor pool as one of her main reasons for selecting San Diego State.

“I was raised swimming and competing in indoor pools,” she elaborated. “I despised the chlorine in the air of an indoor pool. I was drawn to the outdoor pool, even if it is chillier.”

Another factor that attracted the graphic design major to San Diego State? “The team,” she noted.

“It’s incredible to be part of a team that has showcased such dominance in the conference,” Smithbaker emphasized. “However, it wasn’t solely that. This team spends time together every day. We motivate and uplift one another. I wouldn’t be as skilled without the encouragement and challenge from my teammates.

“I transitioned from a small club team to a smaller college program. Upon reviewing the Aztec roster, I saw the opportunity to bond and befriend everyone. Quality over quantity is what makes us unique. Every individual and every point counts.”

Shrader is in his 18th season as the head coach of the Aztec swimming and diving team. He has earned the Mountain West Coach of the Year title a record ten times, including each of the past three seasons and five out of the last six. Since 2011, San Diego State has secured eight Mountain West championships in swimming and diving.

“We’re off to an excellent start,” remarked Shrader, whose teams have won 70 successive dual meets since January 8, 2018. “However, this sport is difficult to evaluate accurately until we come together in the pool.”

The Mountain West Conference Championships are scheduled for February 19-22 in Houston. The NCAA Finals will take place a month later in Federal Way, Wash.

Each week, U-T contributor Bill Center spotlights a San Diego college team making progress both on and off the field. To propose a team for consideration, please email [email protected].