SRJC’s Swim and Dive teams are like torpedoes speeding through the water with and destroying their targets with ease. All season they have demonstrated their skills and techniques by breaking records. They are ready to do what it takes to bring home the Big 8 Conference and state championship titles.
The men’s team has taken home six first place titles this season at the NorCal Relays, Cuesta Invitational, CSM Invitational, American River Sprint Pentathlon, Chabot Invitational and NorCal Dive Championships. They have also proven their talent to other colleges like Sierra, Delta, American River, Shasta, Merced and College of the Sequoias by not losing in any quad meets this season.
The women’s team has also had success in the water with first place at Chabot Invitational, second place at NorCal Relays, CSM Invitational and American River Sprint Pentathlon and third place at Cuesta Invitational. The Bear Cubs are 6-2 this season in Quad Meets and the Alumni match.
At the fifth Annual Last Chance Invitational at Chabot College, both the men and women took home the first place title. Alexandria Holland was waiting for others to finish the women’s 500-yard free, one of her three first place wins. Kayla Strand and Jessica Crawford were also female standouts both with first, second and third place wins in their meets.
John Bing was also a triple-crown winner; taking first in all three meets he competed in. Justin Lomas took home two first places and one-second place and Nicolas Suissa took two first place wins.
`    The NorCal Dive Championships are broken down into two parts.  Not only is it a regional championship, but it’s also the state qualifying competition for the Northern California divers. For diving you need all the judges in the same place at the same time to make judging who qualifies fairly. “This puts a lot of pressure on the divers,” said head coach Jill McCormmick, because they have one chance to qualify and if they have an off day, it’s make it or break it. Divers do not have all season to set qualifying times like the swimmers do, their only chance is at the Dive Championships.
French, freshman standout, Nicolas “Nico” Suissa won both the 1m and 3m boards and was named NorCal Male Diver of the Year at April 14 NorCal Dive championship. “It was tough, but I feel great right now,” Suissa said regarding his new title.
Suissa gave a lot of credit to his teammates in his success this year, “I feel like we have a really strong team.  We did a great job, all of us, it wasn’t just me, it really was all of us.” Suissa plus three other teammates Robert Coxon, Michael Kurrels and Dalton Berncich qualified for the CCCAA State Championships where they will be representing SRJC for both 1m and 3m boards.
Both Ventura and Orange Coast did not have any divers qualify at the NorCal Dive Championships. Both teams beat SRJC in state last year, so for them to not have qualifying divers, proves to the Bear Cubs their potential to win the big title. SRJC has four divers going and they have none, “That is a huge points potential swing,” McCormmick said.

Suissa wants to break more records at State in addition to all his record breakers this year. Suissa’s biggest challenge this year was keeping up with his classes and practices, but he appreciates the support from professors and coaches. “I’m not really used to being a part of a team, but that’s what I feel is great here,” Nico comes from France and said, that in France they focus more on the individual, but here, it’s about a team’s success.
The SRJC Varsity Swim and Dive team invites fans to “like” its Facebook page for updates, photos, schedules and more.