By Ron Smith
January 8, 2026
 
(LA MIRADA, Calif.) It wasn't the meet the Warriors were planning for, but a shorthanded squad had plenty to celebrate at the Biola Quad meet on Wednesday.
 
"The team has been back at Westmont since December 28 and we've been training really hard," said Westmont's head coach Jill Lin. "We had great plans for a training trip down in the San Diego area for a few days, but unfortunately the winter cold and flu season hit our team really hard and our plans and expectations had to shift quite a bit. We managed to take some of the team down to the Oceanside/Carlsbad area and got some really great training sessions in some incredible pools. We even got to do a joint practice with Cal State East Bay.
 
When it came to the Biola Quad-Meet, however, only about half the team was able to compete.
 
"Although we barely made it to this meet, those that were healthy enough to swim swam really well," noted Lin.
 
With half a crew, the Warriors fell to Biola in the dual-meet format (166-64) and to The Master's (108.5-95.5) while posting a 118.5-73.5 win over Concordia.
 
"We had really solid relay splits in the 200 yard medley relay," reported Lin.
 
The quartet of Noelle Landon, Abby Rickard, Meliana Calica and Lauren Healy finished third in the meets opening event with a time of 1:55.87.
 
"Our distance duo of Kimberly Greene and Grace McAnear dominated their events," pointed out Lin. "They held commanding leads in the 1000 yard freestyle and were able to hold off the rest of the pack to go one-two across all duals. Kimberly won both the 500 yard freestyle (5:20.84) and the 1000 yard freestyle (10:53.68). I was so proud of how both Warriors really went for it and swam with no fear despite how chaotic our previous week had been."
 
McAnear posted a time of 11:11.30 for second place in the 1000 yard race and took fifth in the 500 yard relay in a time of 5:30.52.
 
"Katlyn McCurtain and McKenzie Rion had really great 200 yard freestyle races," offered Lin. "Katlyn (2:01.70) won over Biola and Concordia and McKenzie (2:03.15) placed first against Concordia and third against Biola. Katlyn swam the 100 yard freestyle later in the meet and had a really solid swim for the day (56.55).
 
"Our backstrokers, Noelle and Megan Traina, had great splits and our individual medley and breaststrokers, Mel and Madi Edwards, fought hard in their races.
 
"We are so grateful for our sprinters, Willow Pezone, Leighton Bell and Lauren Healy, who gave us a fighting chance in those races and our relays. They have been pushing themselves so hard in training and I'm really excited to see them tapered.
 
"Allison McDougal and Emma Robinson felt awful, but stepped up and swam all out for the team.
 
"This meet was another great reminder of how impressive our team is. Our theme of, 'Unshakable,' was really put to the test last week. We had to adjust and adapt almost every day. However, the team kept such a positive mindset and I think that really carried us through this meet. I'm hopeful that this is our last team illness and we can get back into training before we taper down for the Pacific College Swim Conference Championships."
 
Westmont's next competition will be at an indoor event at Alaska Fairbanks. The Warriors will take on the Nanooks in two dual meets on January 16 and 17.