FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State swim team takes a trip down south to Long Beach for the second annual MPSF Open Water Championships at Marine Stadium on Saturday morning.
THE OPEN WATER
This year's field includes Biola, Cal Baptist, Concordia, Fresno State, Grand Canyon, Idaho, Pomona-Pitzer, San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Westmont, and Whittier. The University of Utah men and women posted the team titles in the nation's first-ever open water intercollegiate conference championship in 2023.
Team scoring in the collegiate events will be made up of results achieved in both the 5K and relay events. The top-three individuals and top relay team from each institution will contribute to their team score. Additionally, the top-three collegiate swimmers in the men's and women's 5K races will automatically qualify for the 5K USA Swimming Open Water National Championship as well as the CSCAA National Championship in December.
THE LINEUP
Eight Bulldogs will make the trip to Long Beach for the open water event; Laura Kalmar, Abigail Rousseau, Sera Hanagan, Ava Elliot, Samarah Melia, Madison Caserio, Jenna Pulkkinen, Riley Baldwin. Pulkkinen and Kalmar will be first timers at the open water championships while the remainder of the field are back for round two.
LAST TIME OUT
Last time out, Caserio, Baldwin and Hanagan were the teams top finishers earning points for the Bulldogs. Caserio took the top spot taking 14th while Baldwin trailed in a minute later for 19th and Hanagan closed the point earners out with 22nd.
In the first MPSF open water championships the Bulldogs took fourth place grabbing 89 points.
MARINE STADIUM
The Long Beach Marine Stadium is a marine venue located in Long Beach, California. Created in 1932 to host the rowing events for the 1932 Summer Olympics in neighboring Los Angeles, the stadium was the first manmade rowing course in the United States and is now marked as a historical landmark. Marine Stadium has been home to the MPSF Open Water Championships since its first time in 2023.
SCHEDULE
10:30 a.m. - Women's 5k
2:15 p.m. - Women's Relay