Dueling Waves: No. 24 UCLA Battles No. 12/18 Wisconsin in a Thrilling Swim Showdown

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Kicking off the new year at home, UC San Diego swim welcomed Wisconsin men’s and women’s teams along with UCLA’s women’s squad at Canyonview Aquatic Center on Saturday afternoon in La Jolla.
 
The Triton women experienced a defeat against the No. 12 Badgers, with a score of 221-60, and also lost to No. 24 UCLA, 177 to 103. The Triton men were defeated by No. 18 Wisconsin, 232-49.
 
ABOUT THE WOMEN’S TEAM
The Triton women’s team was spearheaded by Madison O’Connell who achieved four top five finishes. The freshman started the competition as the lead swimmer in the 200 medley relay, recording a backstroke split of 26.03, contributing to the Tritons’ fourth-place finish. In the 100 back, O’Connell secured third place with a time of 56.48, just 0.29 seconds shy of second place. She claimed second in the 50 fly with a time of 25.01. O’Connell also had the swiftest leg in the 400 free relay, clocking in at 51.29 to assist her team in securing fourth place.
 
Chloe Braun provided her assistance with three top five finishes. The junior placed second in the 50 yard breaststroke, finishing with a time of 29.25, only 0.22 seconds behind the winner from Wisconsin. In the 100 breast, Braun finished a mere 0.13 seconds from first, finishing with a time of 1:02.91. Competing in the second leg of the 200 medley relay, Braun helped propel the Triton women to a fourth place finish with a breaststroke time of 28.39.
 
Audrey Moore earned two top five finishes in the 200 free event and the 400 free relay. The junior took third place in the 200 free with a time of 1:53.27. Moore swam the opening leg of the relay with a time of 53.10, contributing to her team’s fourth-place finish.
 
ABOUT THE MEN’S TEAM
The Triton men’s squad achieved two third place finishes in both the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay. Nathan Lee, Bekzhan Yessengeldy, Chad Morrison, and Lucas Brunett recorded a time of 1:31.90 in the 200 medley relay to commence the meet. In the 400 free relay, Brunett along with Zach Elian, Ryan Kirton, and Aidan Rikic finished with a time of 3:03.89.
 
Kirton spearheaded the Triton men with three individual top five finishes in the 50 free, 100 free, and 200 free events. The senior placed fifth in both the 50 free and 100 free, clocking times of 21.33 and 46.46, respectively. His top finish came in the 200 free where he placed fourth with a time of 1:41.71.
 
Zach Elian made notable contributions with both third and fifth place finishes. In the 50 free, the sophomore registered a time of 20.94, earning third place. He achieved fifth in the 100 IM with a time of 51.96.
 
Lee matched Elian with two top five placements in the 100 back and 100 IM. The senior finished just ahead of his teammate in the 100 IM with a time of 51.88 for fourth position. In the 100 back, Lee secured another fourth-place finish with a time of 49.74.
 
Morrison clocked a time of 22.75 in the 50 fly to earn a fifth-place finish. He also achieved another top five finish in the 100 fly with a time of 50.38, taking fourth place.

QUOTABLE

“It is always a fantastic opportunity to face off against elite power four programs,” remarked head coach Marko Djordjevic. “This was an excellent way to conclude our winter training, and we put in a strong effort today.”

He added, “we demonstrated some resilience today, alongside areas we must work on as we progress into the championship phase of our season.”

UP NEXT

The Tritons will travel north to USC to compete against the top 25 ranked Trojans in a dual meet scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 11. The competition is set to commence at 12 p.m. in Los Angeles.

 

About UC San Diego Athletics

After two decades of being one of the most accomplished programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has embarked on a new chapter as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons secured 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during their tenure in Divisions II and III and have guided 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America recognition. A total of 83 Tritons have received Academic All-America accolades, while 38 have received prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes embody the academic values of one of the world’s leading institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest among public institutions in Division I or II. For more details on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.