By Ron Smith
February 16, 2024
 
(MONTEREY PARK, Calif.) Day two of the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Championships saw Westmont swimmers continue to improve their times, culminating with All-Conference honors for Ella Chaisson.
 
The day started with the 500 yard freestyle prelims in which eight Warriors competed.
 
"Katlyn McCurtain had a great 500 in the morning," noted Westmont's head coach Jill Lin. "She has not been a 500 freestyler, but we talked early on about how I thought she could go a 5:10 and I really wanted to see her do it. She went 5:10.88 in the prelims and qualified for the "B" final where she went 5:10.27, dropping more than a half second."
 
McCurtain finished in 15th place in the event.
 
"McKenzie Rion has been fighting for a lifetime best time for so long and she did it with a 5:15.90. It was a great race and qualified for finals in 22nd place.
 
"Grace McAnear and Olivia Garrison had more challenging races and weren't feeling well. Grace finished 25th (5:17.30) and Olivia 26th (5:17.31)."
 
At the championship, the top eight swimmers qualify for the "A" final, the ninth through 16th earn a spot in the "B" final, and the 17th through 24th finishers advance to the "C" final. That means McAnear and Garrison were the alternates if anyone did not compete in the final.
 
"McKenzie graciously considered scratching the final to give Grace a second chance," reported Lin. "We talked about all the pros and cons of that, including giving McKenzie a chance to save her legs for tomorrow and the rest of the meet.
 
"Grace understood the weight of that decision for McKenzie who decided to give Grace another chance to see what she could do. So, we put Grace in the 24th spot and she moved up four spots in the "C" final, to take 20th place. She also dropped more than a second and one-half (5:15.61). It was fun to see her come back and fight for that place."
 
Ashley Ream had her best Westmont performance in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 5:43.31 and Emma Robinson was able to drop five seconds off her lifetime best time, touching the wall in 5:31.25.
 
The highest Warrior finish of the day came in the 200 yard individual medley featuring Chaisson
 
"Ella had a great prelim swim and snuck into the "A" finals with a time of 2:09.07," reported Lin.
 
Chaisson finished seventh overall in the prelims. In the finals, she dropped her time to 2:06.42 to capture fourth place and All-PCSC Conference honors.
"It was a great way to end the day," said Lin. "With Ella, every race could be her last because she is graduating. We are soaking up every time she gets to jump in the pool and race."
 
Brogan Bratten, who also competed in the 200 yard individual medley, matched her lifetime best with a time of 2:18.22.
 
No Warriors qualified for the finals in the 50 yard freestyle. However, Emma Bustamante came away with a lifetime best finish of 25.17.
 
In the 200 yard freestyle relay, Willow Pezone, Daisy Marquardt, Emma Bustamante and Emma Diehl claimed an eighth place finish with a time of 1:39.73.
 
"The energy is high and the swimmers are positive, encouraging to one another, and supportive," said Lin. "We are definitely having the most fun out here."