For the first time in SRJC’s history, the men’s swim and dive team are the CCCAA State Champions. The program has ranked top four in California since 2008, but all year long, they knew 2012 would be their year to bring home the championship.
The Bear Cubs were setting records all season. It started with Nicholas Suissa at the NorCal Relays and ended with them crushing the state record in the 200-yard medley relay by the “Fearless Four,” Sean Malley, John Bing, Trent Williams and Nolan Stimple, at the CCCAA State Championships.
The “Fearless Four” had no problem shattering the 14-year-old record (1:32.12) set by Golden West College in 1998 by 2.13 seconds, with a new state record time of 1:29.99.
Winning four of five relays in the CCCAA State Championships was huge for the men’s team, as they broke state records and finally came out on top.
Head coach, Jill McCormick said Ventura and Orange Coast are their biggest competitors, yet the Bear Cubs destroyed both schools with their 808 total points compared to second place Orange Coast who tallied 716.5 points and third place Ventura who scrounged up 616.5 points.
The men racked in an astonishing 602 points themselves, conquering the trailing school: Palomar 408, Orange Coast 283, and Ventura with a limp 276 points.
Suissa said he was focused on breaking and setting a record at the state championships, which he did in the 1-meter dive. This record was established in 2011 by American River’s Eddie Kollar with 285.20 points and Suissa now holds the record with 286.60 points, according to the CCCAA Sports Information records.
During the 2012 season, the men’s team took first place at every event, relay or invitational and earned the Big 8 Conference Championships for the second year in a row, their fourth time in five years. They broke 10 records in their undefeated 2012 season.
Head coach Jill McCormick won Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year and CCCAA Coach of the Year.
The Women’s team took seventh place at the CCCAA State Championships where freshman stand-out, Alexandria Holland broke two records, the 100 meter fly and the 100 meter individual medley and was named Co-Female Swimmer of the Year for winning all three of her events.
The women have once again made a name for themselves as a top 10 ranked team in the state finish for the ninth year in a row.