This may be the year for the Pasadena City College men's swim team. Since joining the South Coast Conference in 1987, Lancers teams have never won the dual season title nor the SCC Championships. After sweeping Mt. San Antonio and host Rio Hondo on Friday, PCC is 4-0 to top the SCC dual standings.
The highest finish in dual meets occurred in 2011 when Coach Terry Stoddard's Lancers finished 6-1 and second place. At Rio Hondo, PCC won 11 of the 14 swim events led by ironman sophomore Sydney Odent, who anchored an important 200-yard medley relay victory with teammates Samuel Jo, Ryan Wang, and Jayson Wilia in 1:40.95. PCC won a close meet over Mt. SAC, 143-132, while routing RHC, 183-82. Both teams were 2-0 and tied with PCC going into the meet.
Individually, Odent won the 1,000 freestyle (10:04.15), the 500 freestyle (4:49.29) and 200 butterfly (2:02.95). Also winning three events was stalwart letterman Jo, who captured first place in the 200 freestyle (1:48 flat), 100 backstroke (53.23), and 200 backstroke (1:56.87). Wang, a freshman, was a triple winner as well in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.69), 200 breaststroke (2:11.06), and 200 individual medley (1:56.89). Wilia, a sophomore, won the 100 butterfly in 55.82.
On March 10 at the College of Marin 13th Mariner Invitational, PCC won the team title, outscoring four other NorCal colleges with 685 points. The Lancers were victorious in nine of the 12 swim events as first place efforts were turned in by Jo in the 50 freestyle (22.62) and 100 freestyle (48.42), Wang in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.67), Wilia in the 100 backstroke (1:00.14), Odent in the 200 IM (2:01.14), sophomore Narek Yeghikyan in the 500 freestyle (5:29.74), and freshman Justin Tenchavez in the 50 freestyle (27.68). Pasadena also won both relay races.
On March 9, the Lancers split a non-conference double dual meet held at this year's state meet venue, De Anza College. PCC defeated the host Dons, 147-54, but were tripped up by Diablo Valley, 140-95. Jo won the 100 backstroke (52.47), 200 backstroke (1:54.69), and 200 freestyle (1:45.49) while the long-distance Odent grabbed first in the 1,650 freestyle (17:14.23), 400 IM (4:27.88), and 500 freestyle (4:56.71).
PCC returns to the pool on Friday, Mar. 23 when it hosts Chaffey and East Los Angeles in a double dual meet. The events begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Aquatic Center.
