PCSC Athletes of the Week: Jan. 4
The Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference announced its Athletes of the Week for the week of Dec. 28-Jan. 3 on Tuesday. The PCSC coaches named UC San Diego swimmers Julia Toronczak and Kevin Wylder its Division II Female and Male Athletes of the Week, respectively, while UC Santa Cruz's Ivan Garin and MacKenzie Arnold garnered Division III honors.
DII Women
Julia Toronczak, UC San Diego: Julia Toronczak was the standout performer for the second-ranked UCSD women over the course of heavy dual-meet activity at home this past week. She placed first in her specialty, the 200 backstroke, on all three days of competition; Wednesday vs. Cal State East Bay (2:27.22 LCM), Saturday vs. top Division I foes Boise State, Grand Canyon, San Diego State and UNLV (2:01.49), and again Sunday vs. Division I Incarnate Word and San José State (2:01.04). She was also first Sunday in the 100 back in 57.77, as well as Wednesday against East Bay (1:08.99 LCM), and swam a 1:54.93 in the 200 free on Saturday.
DII Men
Kevin Wylder, UC San Diego: Sophomore Kevin Wylder excelled for the fifth-ranked UCSD men in home dual meets this weekend. He swept first-place honors on Sunday in the sprints, blazing to times of 20.93 in the 50 and 46.14 in the 100 to hit the wall first against competitors from Division I Incarnate Word and 19th-ranked Missouri S&T. Wylder also was part of both first-place relays, swimming the butterfly leg (49.75) of the 400 medley at the start, before closing out his day on the victorious 200 free relay. Against Division I Grand Canyon and UNLV on Saturday, he went 1:52.54 for third in his first-ever 200 fly, and 50.40 in the 100 fly. UCSD as a team went 2-2 in the duals.
DIII Men
Ivan Garin, UC Santa Cruz: Claimed a pair of wins in the 50 Free (21.81) and 100 Fly 52.37. Also led off the 400 free relay with a 48.68 split and helped the 400 medley relay with a 52.68 fly leg.
DIII Women
MacKenzie Arnold, UC Santa Cruz: Won the 200 Breast (2:39.49) and took third in the 100 Breast (1:12.71), while helping the 400 medley relay with her 1:12.19 split in the breaststroke leg.
The PCSC includes institutions from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). All three divisions of the NCAA are represented. Each week, the PCSC coaches nominate and vote on the Athletes of the Week in seven categories: NCAA Division I women, Division II men and women, Division III men and women and NAIA men and women. You can find the Athlete of the Week archive here.
