WSU Heads to Bay Area to face No. 11 Cal, No. 10 Stanford

Friday, October 27

Berkeley, CA

2:00 PM

Washington State University

California

October 26, 2023 | Swimming

Washington State Preview Matt Leach Press Conference WATCH vs. CAL SCHEDULE PAGE WSU SCHEDULE PAGE

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

WSU HEADS TO BAY AREA TO FACE No. 11 CAL, No. 10 STANFORD
Washington State heads to the Bay Area for Pac-12 Conference matchups at No. 11 California Friday and No. 10 Stanford Saturday.

ON DECK
WSU closes out the fall portion of its schedule with the Art Adamson Invite hosted by Texas A&M Nov. 15-17.

HOW TO FOLLOW
All home meets will be webstreamed through wsucougars.com during the season and fans can visit the swimming schedule page on wsucougars.com for the link.

COUGS TALLY SIX WINS, BATTLE NO. 23 UCLA
WSU recorded six wins including three from freshman Madison Parker as the Cougars battled No. 23 UCLA at Gibb Pool October 13. The Cougars dropped a 153-109 decision to the Bruins while Parker led all swimmers with 27 points after posting wins in the 200 free, 50 free and 100 free. Fellow freshman Mira Szimcsak claimed the 500 free and finished second in the 1000 free, posting the eighth-fastest time in WSU history. Sophomore Anna Rauchholz delivered with a big win in the 100 back, sophomore Emily Lundgren finished second in the 100 and 200 breast while senior Kiana Swain was second in the 200 back. The Cougars closed out the meet with a win in the 400 free relay, beating UCLA for the second straight week after winning the same event against the Bruins at the Fresno State Invite opening weekend.

COUGS TALLY SEVEN WINS, FINISH THIRD AT FRESNO STATE INVITE
Washington State opened their season finishing third at Fresno State Invite last weekend. WSU closed the opening day with a win in the 800 free relay as Mira Szimcsak, Dori Hathazi, Angela Di Palo and Madison Parker posted the win nearly five seconds ahead of the second-place team. In Friday's morning session, the Cougars dominated the 500 free, claiming four of the top six spots led by sophomore Dori Hathazi who earned WSU's first win of the season. In Saturday's eight swimming events, the Cougars finished in the Top-3 seven times including wins in the 400 free relay, the 1650 free, 200 breast, 200 fly and 400 free relay. Freshman Mira Szimcsak later picked up her first collegiate win, claiming the 1650 free before Emily Lundgren won the 200 breast. In the 200 fly, Hathazi claimed the event with Sam Krew close behind in sixth. WSU closed the day with a win in the 400 free relay by Noelle Harvey, Krew, Hathazi and Parker.

HARVEY, LUNDGREN SELECTED FOR 2023 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
Noelle Harvey and Emily Lundgren were selected to represent the United States this past summer at the World University Games in China. Harvey and Lundgren are among 18 athletes selected for the women's team to represent Team USA at The World University Games in Chengdu, China.

COUGS IMPRESS IN THE CLASSROOM
Three Cougars earned CSCAA Scholar All-America accolades and as a team the Cougars also received Scholar All-America Team honors from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). Freshman Emily Lundgren was named to the Scholar All-America First Team while sophomore Noelle Harvey and freshman Anna Rauchholz each earned second team recognition. The Cougars posted a 3.48 team GPA in the spring semester to earn the team honor the fourteenth straight semester including all 10 under head coach Matt Leach and for the 24th time in program history. WSU's 3.48 team GPA featured seven 4.0 and 19 student-athletes with a 3.0 of better during the semester.

KAERSTEN MEITZ NAMED ASSISTANT COACH
Washington State Swimming added Kaersten Meitz as an assistant coach, Head Coach Matt Leach announced September 14. Meitz was a four-time All-American and four-time NCAA Championship qualifier while swimming at Purdue University. Meitz, who swam the freestyle events, also swam for the United States National Team (2017-19), won a pair of gold medals at the 2019 World University Games and twice competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials where she was a finalist. Meitz closed her Purdue career earning All-America honors in the 500 free and All-America Honorable Mention in the 1650 Free after finishing fifth in the 500 free and tenth in the mile at the NCAA Championships. Meitz will work with the Cougars' distance freestyle swimmers. Following her record-setting career with the Boilermakers, the Wisconsin native swam professionally in the International Swimming League before working in the corporate world and also with Professional Athlete where she spoke to age group swimmers on resiliency, mental toughness and time management. Since 2022, Meitz also volunteered on the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations Committee.

FRESHMEN DUO SELECTED TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the first time in program history, two Washington State freshmen swimmers earned a trip to the NCAA Women's Swimming Championships last season in freshmen Dori Hathazi and Emily Lundgren. It was the first time a Cougar freshman swimmer earned a trip to the NCAA Championships and is the first time multiple WSU swimmers were selected since three went in 2009. Washington State Head Coach Matt Leach has seen the Cougars have an NCAA participant in three straight seasons after Chloe Larson earned trips in 2020-21 and for the fourth time in the last five seasons after Mackenzie Duarte went in 2019. Dori Hathazi earned her spot in the NCAA's in the 200 fly after posting an NCAA "B" time 1:55.92 to finish seventh overall in the Pac-12 Conference Championships last weekend. Hathazi's time broke her own pervious school record and helped her earn a trip to Knoxville in her first collegiate season. The Nyiregyhaza, Hungary native owns four WSU Top-10 times this season, has posted eight individual wins along with the school record in the 200 fly as well as the Gibb Pool record in the 200 fly. Lundgren qualified in both the 100 and 200 breast after finishing third at the Pac-12 Championships in the 200 Breast with a WSU record 2:08.33 along with an NCAA "B" time in the 100 breast with a 1:00.78 at the Art Adamson Invite in Texas last November. The Chula Vista, Calif. native paced the team with 11 individual wins during the regular season, owns three WSU Top-10 times including school records in the 100 breast and 200 breast along with Gibb Pool records in the 100 breast and 200 breast.