SRJC’s men’s and women’s swim and dive teams are building off a strong 2011 season, starting off 2012 by finishing first and second in this year’s NorCal Relays on Feb. 4.

For the Bear Cubs, setting and holding school and state records is becoming a norm. During the 2011 season the Swim and Dive team broke an astounding seven records and have already started breaking records this year.

In 2010, the men’s team finished runner-up in the Big 8 Conference but that was not good enough for them. Last year, they went to the Big 8 and didn’t come home without the title. That was the men’s Swim and Dive team’s third Big 8 Conference title since 2008. The men’s goals this year is “to win both the Big 8 Conference and the State Championship,” head coach Jill McCormick said.

The women’s team have proudly finished in the top five at California Community College Athlete Association State Championships within the last eight years, earning third place in 2011 and finishing fourth place in the 2011 Big 8 Conference. The women’s Bear Cubs ended the season with three Academic All-Americans, six All Conference Athletes and eight All-Americans. “The [women’s] team goals are to be in the top three at the Big 8 Conference and to be in the top five at state,” McCormick said.

The Swim and Dive team is working their way to the top in the State Championships as they took third place while earning four individual state titles in 2011. The men’s Bear Cubs set a new state record in the 200 Free Relay with Devon Jones, Trent Williams, Sean Malley, Matt Stuhr controlling the water. “We finished 3rd last year because we were out numbered by Ventura and Orange Coast, and we didn’t have any divers qualify for the meet, but this season we are deeper and have five male divers with strong opportunities to qualify and represent us to state including our French diver, McCormick said regarding the 2011 team.

All-American captains, Sean Malley, Jesse Risinger and for the Men’s and Jessica Crawford and Becky Bennigson for Women’s, are idoneous for the roll as all of them were underlying factors in the Bear Cubs award-winning 2011 season.

Risinger said he and the team prepare mentally and physically all season long for the two biggest meets, the Big 8 Conference Championships and the CCCAA State Championships which are back to back weekends in the end of the season. All team members compete in the Big 8 Conferences but swimmers and divers need qualifying times for State Championships.

The men’s Bear Cubs got attention during this seasons’ opening weekend and at NorCal Relays by breaking three records. Nico Suissa, new to the squad, set a new school record on the 1-meter board at the first meet of the season. A strong SRJC quartet, Sean Malley, John Bing, Trent Williams, Alex Xu broke two long-held records, one in the 200 Medley Relay (held by Diablo Valley a 26 year old record set in 1986) and the 200 Free Relay (held by West Valley since 1981, a 31 year old record) at the 2012 NorCal Relays.

McCormick is proud of the Swim and Dive teams’ as they are one of the largest teams on campus who like to have fun and push one another. They are strongly committed to academic and athletic success. “Since 2004 we have matriculated over 40 swimmers and divers on to athletic scholarships (over half of which have been to Division I schools),” McCormick said.

McCormick is excited for the 2012 season as much of the team has been working with their “secret weapon.” Assistant head coach Cassandra Lund drives the teams strength and dry-land program which has been a key factor for the team and individual success.

“Last year was the first year she worked with our team and it is no accident that our swimmers swam life time best at conference and then at state. Literally four days later, they bested those times again, including school records, state records, and state title swims (7 titles to be exact),” McCormick said. “We [Swim and Dive coaches] hope that the swimmers and divers are better athletes, students and people once the graduate from our program.”

The Swim and Dive team have a tough 2012 schedule, but with a triumphant 2011 season, the team should be able to achieve and succeed their goals.