PCSC Athletes of the Week: October 2
The Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference announced its Athletes of the Week for the week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1 on Tuesday. After limited action to start the season, the conference named Loyola Marymount's Isabel Willis its Division I winner, while Dixie State's Hannah Hansen earned Division II honors. Alaska-Fairbanks' Sierra Kinworthy and Cassidy Heaton also collected Division II special honors after participating in open water national championships.
Division I Women
Isabel Willis, Loyola Marymount: After sitting out the entire 2016-17 season following surgery for a torn labrum in her hip, Willis made up for lost time last Saturday in a dual meet at Dixie State, where she won the 200 freestyle in 1:59.15 and placed a close second in the 100 freestyle with a 55.58. The meet between the two PCSC teams came down to the final 400 freestyle relay, which was won by LMU with Willis anchoring LMU's "A" team with a 54.78. LMU won the meet 138-123.
Division II Women
Hannah Hansen, Dixie State: Hansen won the 100 (1:08.25) and 200 breaststroke (2:25.50) in Dixie State's meet against LMU over the weekend, both new team records, in her first outing for the Trailblazers. She was also a member of the winning 200 Medley Relay (1:50.77) swimming the breaststroke leg in a time of 31.27.
Division II Women - Special Recognition
Cassidy Heaton and Sierra Kinworthy, Alaska-Fairbanks: Heaton and Kinworthy competed in the second annual College Swimming Coaches Association of American's (CSCAA) National Collegiate 5km Open Water Championship in Lawrence, Kansas. The event, which was hosted by the University of Kansas, saw 53 swimmers in the women's race and 94 student-athletes total.
Both Heaton and Kinworthy finished with better times than last year despite the rough treatment (lots of elbows and feet flying in open water). Sierra just edged out Cassidy, 1:08:44.29 to 1:08:45.85. They finished in 27th and 28th place overall.
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.
