THIS WEEK'S EVENTS:

Sat., Mar. 22---Fencing---UCSD at NCAA Championships---11:00 AM

Sun., Mar. 23---Fencing---UCSD at NCAA Championships---6:00 AM
Sun., Mar. 23---WWaterPolo---UCSD vs. Stanford---1:00 PM

SHAKYA, KORTH CAPTURE NCAA SWIM TITLES; WOMEN FIFTH, MEN SEVENTH
A young Triton Swimming & Diving team, facing perhaps the fastest national meet in history, came away with fifth (women) and seventh (men) place finishes at last week's NCAA Division II Championships, held at the Spire Institute in Geneva, OH…In the process, seniors Anji Shakya (500 freestyle) and Nick Korth (200 breaststroke) both captured their second career national titles and the teams set seven new school records…The women finished with 248.5  points and the men 229.

Shakya, who won gold in the 200 freestyle last year, clocked 4:49.51 in leading Friday's 500 from virtually start to finish…She was fifth in this year's 200 freestyle (1:49.25) and was part of four relays that reached the championship final (all five UCSD relay teams made the top seven)…The best of those quartets was the 800 freestyle foursome—Natalie Tang, Shakya, Colleen Daley and Catherine Woo—which was narrowly defeated by an international contingent from Drury, despite touching in 7:22.00, lowering the school record by more than a second and a half…The unit of Sandy Hon, Jaimie Bryan, Jaclyn Amog and Daley broke the UCSD mark in the 200 medley relay while finishing fifth in 1:42.23…The other all-time best for the women was posted by sophomore Naomi Thomas who grabbed fifth in the 100 butterfly (54.69)…Thomas was also seventh in the 200 butterfly (2:03.98) after going more than two seconds faster in the prelims…Freshman Jaimie Bryan's 2:16.79, which tied her for seventh in the 200 breaststroke, made her UCSD's only individual female finalist outside of  Shakya and Thomas.

Korth not only made it bookend 200 breaststroke crowns (he also won the event as a freshman), but shattered the national Division II record while running away with this year's race in 1:54.45…The previous night, the senior star had been edged out in the 100 breaststroke, placing third in a UCSD record time of 52.92…He was also seventh in the 50 freestyle (20.23) and teamed up with Sean Malley, Julian Jacobs and Cole Heale to create a new school standard of 1:29.95 in the 200 medley relay…Additionally, he was part of the fourth place 200 freestyle relay (1:20.36) that included Heale, Reid McCallum and Jack Galvan…Other Triton men reaching championship finals were freshman Chandler Pourvahidi, who was fifth in both the 1,000 (9:13.96) and 1,650 (15:28.54) freestyles, freshman Zach Yong (6th/400 individual medley./3:55.87) and senior Luke Calkins (8th/3M diving/466.95 pts)…Calkins was also the men's winner of the prestigious Elite 89 award which goes to the athlete at the finals with the highest cumulative GPA…He sports a 3.947 GPA in mechanical engineering…For complete NCAA Swimming & Diving results, click here.

Watch Thursday night's post-meet interview with senior Anji Shakya.
Watch Thursday night's post-meet interview with Head Coach Corrie Falcon.
Watch Friday night's post-meet interview with Asst. Coach Dan Perdew.
Watch Friday night's post-meet interview with senior Nick Korth.
Watch Saturday night's post-meet interview with senior Nick Korth.

SOFTBALL SLUGS SAN BERNARDINO, HITS BREAK IN FIRST PLACE
Coach Patti Gerckens' Softball team heads into finals week first in the CCAA, courtesy of a four-game sweep of Cal State San Bernardino on the road last weekend…UCSD is one game up on second place Cal State Monterey Bay…The Tritons, now 18-4 overall, are 13-3 in conference play and will be idle until hosting Hawaii Hilo for a March 25 doubleheader.

Last Friday, the Tritons piled up 28 hits while taking both ends of a twinbill at San Bernardino, 8-3 and 15-10…In the opener, sophomore Alexis Edwards tossed a complete game for her eighth victory and fellow soph Katie Saunders supplied the big bat, ripping a pair of doubles, scoring twice and driving in two…In game two, UCSD had to claw back from a 9-3 deficit…Gerckens' club was still down, 9-7, after six but a seven-hit outburst produced eight runs in the seventh…Saunders had a monster game, going three-for-five, accounting for two runs, four RBIs and a home run…Her two-run single in the seventh tied the game…Senior shortstop Mya Romero also put one out of the park.

The first game Saturday was a pitcher's duel with Edwards again going the distance, this time for a 2-1 victory, that ran her record to 9-1…She surrendered just four hits, no earned runs and whiffed four…Sophomore center fielder Callie Grant had two of UCSD's five hits and scored the game-winning run on freshman Bianca Devoto's seventh inning single…The middle of the Triton order went wild offensively in the series finale as Saunders, Devoto and senior Caitlin Brown all had punched three hits, going a combined 9-for-13, scoring five runs and plating eight…Freshman Alayna Brenma (4-0) came on in relief to garner the win, reversing roles from Friday's nightcap with Manuel...Click here for all Softball news.

TRITONS SPLIT WEEKEND BASEBALL SET WITH MONTEREY BAY
Following the split of  a four-game home series against Cal State Monterey Bay, Coach Eric Newman's Baseball team goes into its finals break with a 13-8 overall mark and is fourth in the CCAA race at 10-6, a game and a half back of front-running Cal Poly Pomona…The Tritons swing back into action one week from today with the first of two non-conference match-ups at Azusa Pacific.

UCSD won the opening and closing contests last weekend vs. Monterey Bay but was swept by the Otters in a Saturday doubleheader…The Tritons shelled Otter starter Josh Eagle in game one, scoring four in the first and six more in the third on the way to a 10-2 result…Senior Nick LaFace, who had a seven-hit weekend, went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs…Righty Justin Donatella continued his winning ways on the hill, logging six shutout innings and striking out seven for his fourth win…Monterey Bay scored seven unearned runs on the day Saturday while collecting 10-5 and 6-2 wins…In Sunday's getaway game, sophomore Gradeigh Sanchez hit a walk off  pinch hit single, scoring Brett Levy and lifting the Tritons to a 4-3 win…Soph hurler Troy Cruz went seven innings but it was Scott Zeman, going the final two frames, who picked up the win…LaFace had two hits, one a triple…Click here to get all of your Baseball updates.

Watch Friday's post-game interview with senior Nick LaFace.
Watch Sunday's post-game interview with Asst. Coach Rob Avila.

TRITON VB SQUAD KNOCKS OFF CAL BAPTIST FOR FIRST MPSF WIN
Coach Kevin Ring's Men's Volleyball squad out-gutted  Baptist, 3-2 (25-20, 20-25, 23-25, 27-25, 15-10) Thursday night at RIMAC Arena for its second overall victory and first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation win of 2014…The Tritons narrowly out-hit the Lancers and were out-blocked, 12-2, but got the points when it counted…Senior Mike Brunsting bombed 16 kills and five aces in the triumph, serving up an ace to close out the fourth set and then delivering three more during a decisive 7-0 run  that put the Tritons in control in game five…Another senior, Johl Awerkamp registered 20 kills and junior setter Garrett Dempsey produced a double double with 50 assists and 11 digs…Libero Tanner Howard had 10 digs and was perfect on 26 serve receptions.

Saturday night in Provo, UT, No. 3 Brigham Young was a puzzle UCSD could not solve…Brunsting had a team high 11 kills but it didn't stop the Cougars from handing the Tritons a 3-0 lashing…Ring & Co. are back in action March 27 against Long Beach State, the first of six consecutive home matches to close out the campaign…Click here for all Men's Volleyball news.

Watch Thursday's post-game interview with senior Johl Awerkamp
Watch Thursday's post-game interview with head coach Kevin Ring

        

THIRTEENTH-RANKED WATER POLO TEAM TESTS NO. 3 STANFORD AT HOME
The No. 13 Women's Polo team begins its drive towards the Western Water Polo Assn. (WWPA) Championship tournament Sunday afternoon when it hosts third-ranked Stanford at Canyonview Pool…The Tritons, coming off a 3-1 performance at last weekend's Aztec Invitational, are now 17-9 on the year and have won six of their last eight.

UCSD opened the Aztec Invite with a hard-fought, 14-13, sudden death overtime loss to No. 8 Princeton early Saturday morning…Senior Melissa Bartow and sophomores Alexis Wieseler and Julia Kirkland all racked up three goal hat tricks but it was not enough to keep the Tigers from eking out their second win of the season over UCSD, both one-goal affairs…Sophomore goalie Courtney Miller blocked 16 shots…Back-up goalie Alexsee Wilcox turned away eight attempts as the Tritons built up a five-goal  halftime advantage en route to an 8-5 conquest of Bucknell in game two...Sunday, UCSD overpowered Harvard, 15-7, and Wagner, 11-8…Bartow and all-time leading goal scorer Sarah Lizotte combined for 13 scores in the two wins and Miller rejected another 29 shots…Click here for the latest Women's Water Polo information.

GOLFERS FIFTH AT 64TH SO CAL INTERCOLLEGIATE
Led by senior Lewis Simon, Coach Jim Ragan's Golf team placed fifth in the eight-team Southern California Intercollegiate, hosted by UCSD at Maderas Golf Club in Poway last week…The 64th annual edition of this event was won by Cal State Monterey Bay which finished 14 strokes up on second place Cal State Stanislaus.

UCSD shot a 54-hole total of  930…The Tritons were third after the first 18 but slipped in the second round before moving up one slot on the final day…Simon finished ninth in the individual standings, carding an 11-over 227…Sophomore Clayton Yamaguchi posted UCSD's best single 18 with an opening round 74…Next up for the Tritons is the Mustang Intercollegiate, April 7-8, at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, AZ…For more Golf, click here.

ELEVENTH-RANKED MEN'S TENNIS RUNS RECORD TO 10-6
Coach Timmer Willing's No. 11 Men's Tennis team went 2-1 in a trio of home events last week sending them into finals break with an 10-6 dual match record…The Tritons routed Western New Mexico, 8-1, and Sonoma State, 9-0, but sandwiched between those two victories was a 7-2 defeat at the hands of No. 5 Hawaii Pacific, the second time the Sea Warriors have knocked off UCSD this season…Sophomore Horea Porutiu at No. 5 singles and the No. 3 doubles team of  Rajeev Herekar-Mark Meyer were the point-getters vs. HPU…The latter duo went undefeated on the week…With six matches remaining in the regular sesason, Willing's charges kick off the home stretch with match vs. Chicago State,  March 27, on the North Courts…Click here for the latest on Men's Tennis.

WOMEN'S TENNIS GETS HOME SPLIT
Now 7-10 as it heads into finals and spring break, the No. 17 Women's Tennis team starts a six-match road swing, March 28 at Sonoma State…Last week, the Tritons won all six singles matches in straight sets while pasting Western New Mexico, 9-0…No. 4 Hawaii Pacific proved to be another matter, however, as the No. 4 Sea Warriors registered their second, 7-2, triumph over the Tritons this year…The brightest spot for Coach Liz LaPlante was the play of sophomore Paula Chou who teamed with Kyra Scott to win at No. 1 doubles and came right back with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles…For all things Women's Tennis, click here.

TRITONS WIN 10 EVENTS AT S.D. COLLEGIATE TRACK & FIELD CHALLENGE
The women were first (216.5 pts.) and men second (201) at last Saturday's San Diego Collegiate Challenge hosted by UCSD at Triton Track & Field Stadium…The Triton women collected wins in six events while narrowly out-pointing crosstown rival  San Diego State…The men, who wound up just 12 points short of team winner Navy, had four event wins.

Sophomore Kristin Sato was involved in three of the wins on the women's side…She landed an 18-0.25 long jump to claim that event, tied teammate Chantia Justice atop the triple jump standings (39-1) and was part of the victorious (47.35) 4x100 relay team…UCSD also won the 4x400 relay in a season best 3:50.66 and junior Sabrina Pimentel (800/2:15.20) and sophomore Paige Hughes (5,000/17:50.46) also snagged blue ribbons…For the men, junior Nash Howe uncorked a throw of 229-3 to win the javelin, Sean Cook (long jump/23-0.75) and Tanner Collins (5,000/15:00.46) were also victorious and the 4x400 relay unit hit the wire first in 3:18.44…Keep up with Track & Field by clicking here.

TIBBITTS HEADS TO NCAA FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sophomore Travis Tibbitts will be UCSD's lone representative at the NCAA Fencing Championships, hosted by Ohio State this weekend in Columbus, OH…The sabre specialist earned his place in Columbus with a third place finish at the NCAA West Region Championship…Tibbitts' five-round preliminary competition commences Saturday with rounds 1-3…The fourth and fifth rounds will take place Sunday morning followed by the semi-finals and finals…To get Fencing  news, click here.

WOMEN'S CREW PUTS IN SOLID PERFORMANCE AT SACRAMENTO STATE INVITE
The Women's Rowing squad reached the podium in two races and bested major D-II regional rival Humboldt State in three of four key races at Saturday's Sacramento State Invitational on Lake Natoma…The Tritons were third in the varsity four, third in the novice eight and fourth in the JV eight, finishing upstream of Humboldt State in all three heats but unfortunately were fifth, one spot behind the Lumberjacks in the all-important varsity eight…Next racing opportunity for Coach Colin Truex's Tritons will be a dual match-up with San Diego State, one week from Friday on Mission Bay…Click here to keep current on Women's Crew.

MEN'S CREW GETS PAIR OF WINS IN NORCAL
Coach Zach Johnson's Men's Rowing team hit the line first in two of the three races it entered in last Friday's four-team “mini-regatta” on the Sacramento River, featuring UC Davis, Gonzaga and Santa Clara…Plagued by a variety of roster maladies, Johnson did not enter a varsity eight but the Tritons were victorious in the JV eight, novice eight and took second in the varsity four…Looming for UCSD is the San Diego Crew Classic, April 5-6, on Mission Bay…For full Men's Crew coverage, click here.

NEWS & NOTES
Due to final exams, UCSD's weekly online radio show, Triton Talk, will not be heard this week…It will be back on the air one week from Wednesday…Click here to listen to last week's show featuring interviews with head coaches Eric Newman, Patti Gerckens, Jim Ragan and sophomore track & field standout Haley Libuit.

For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit ucsdtritonsgear.com…Run by UCSD Athletics' online partner Advanced-Online, ucsdtritonsgear.com provides a web-based, on-demand option for Triton Athletic apparel and merchandise...Fans have access to over 600 products which can be produced and shipped in 24 hours...Click here to check it out.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2014 class of the UC San Diego Athletic Hall of Fame…Click here to submit your nomination and check out the members of the inaugural class.

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