Wrapping up an evening of relay competition, the No. 7 UCLA swim
team begins the bulk of Pac-10 competition today in Long Beach,
where the goal is to improve upon last year’s disappointing
fourth-place finish.
The Bruins started the tournament with relays, but now move on
to compete in the individual events.
“Last year was a growing year for us,” UCLA coach
Cyndi Gallagher said. “It was what it was, but it made
everyone a lot tougher and has a lot to do with why we are so good
now, I think.”
UCLA has proven to be a team of growth this year. It has
continued to make improvements throughout the entire season, with
15 swimmers already clocking NCAA qualifying times.
“Continual improvement has been our theme this year, and
we have been doing just that all season,” Gallagher said.
Set to score the most individual points for the Bruins are three
key swimmers, senior Kim Vandenberg and juniors Katie Arnold and
Katie Nelson.
Out of the three, Arnold has the most to prove as she sets out
to defend the 100-yard backstroke title that she shares with Marshi
Smith from the University of Arizona. The repeat feat will not be
easy, as an array of girls will be pushing just as hard as Arnold
to capture the coveted spot of individual Pac-10 Championships.
“Arnold hates to lose,” Gallagher said. “But
all those girls hate to lose and she is going up against some
really tough competition, most of which are seniors and among the
top swimmers in the nation. It will be a matter of who can get
their hand on that wall first.”
No stranger to the national swimming spotlight, senior Kim
Vandenberg has the potential to upset Stanford rival Dana Kirk, who
bested her at last year’s conference tournament by a tenth of
a second. Since then, Vandenberg has tallied a number of individual
wins, all the while gaining international racing experience.
“Kim has a pretty phenomenal record,” Gallagher
said. “Nothing really rattles her cage now. She knows her
program and she’s confident in that. She has some steep
competition with other girls, but I wouldn’t be surprised
with a title for her. It would really be icing on the
cake.”
Gallagher also made note of Nelson’s performance this year
and the progress she has made during her time at UCLA. Nelson holds
the 11th fastest time in the nation in the 1,650-yard freestyle and
looks to improve on her fourth-place finish at the 2005
tournament.
Friday marks Arnold’s opportunity to defeat her senior
competition, whereas Saturday holds the occasion for
Vandenberg’s token 200-yard butterfly and Nelson’s
chance for Pac-10 improvement.
“I see these girls as the real leaders of this
team,” Gallagher said. “They’ve scored a lot of
points for us in the past, and I expect them to do the same for us
here.”