Kaiser grad Swart earns swimming honors

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ashley Swart, a freshman at University of San Diego, was named women's co-Swimmer of Year at the Pacific Collegiate championships. Brock Photo for University of San Diego

Swimming for meet-champion University of San Diego, Swart won gold in six events and silver in one last weekend in Los Angeles. She set two meet, school and personal records herself and helped four relay teams set meet records.

Swart won't know if any of her times qualify for the NCAA Division I championships until the major conferences hold their meets this weekend.

"She wanted to swim a little faster," San Diego coach Mike Keeler said. "It was a learning experience. Hopefully, we'll get to make some corrections at NCAAs."

Swart won the 400-yard individual medley in 4 minutes, 18.27 seconds, a school and personal record by almost 6/10ths of a second, and won the 200 individual medley in 2:02.95. She placed second in the 200 breaststroke in a thrilling finish in 2:16.53, setting school and personal records by 1/10th of a second despite the defeat.

She also had a PR (personal record) of 1:51.5 in the 200 freestyle in the first leg of the 800 relay.

Her individual times are all NCAA "consideration" times; they could get her into the national championships next month if all the spots are not claimed by "automatic" qualifying times.

Swart helped San Diego's 200 and 400 medley and 400 and 800 freestyle relay teams win gold in meet- and school-record times.

Three other Hawai'i swimmers placed in the meet.

Nicole Okuna (Waiakea '02) placed fourth in the 100 butterfly in Pepperdine school record-time of 56.42 seconds and fourth in the 200 fly in 2:07.73. She also swam on third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place relay teams. Okuna has logged the six fastest 100 butterfly times in Pepperdine history this season. Her 200 fly time is fourth fastest.

Ashley Rose (Kealakehe '02) of San Diego was eighth in the 200 backstroke and ninth in the 100 backstroke.

Merceda Rivera (Waiakea '01) of Seattle U. was seventh in the 100 butterfly, 12th in the 200 fly and swam on at least three relay teams.