PCSC Athletes of the Week: January 8
The Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference announced its Athletes of the Week for the week of Jan. 1-7 on Tuesday following the first week back in competition following the winter break. Loyola Marymount's Isabel Willis collected Division I honors, while UC San Diego's Garrett Tse and Elee Wong swept the Division II awards.
DIVISION I WOMEN
Isabel Willis, Loyola Marymount: Willis came off the winter break to swim two very competitive races in a double-dual meet vs. UCSD and CSU Bakersfield. Willis touched the wall in 1:56.48 in the 200 freestyle, good for sixth-place overall, and finished fourth in a strong field in the 100 free with a time of 53.56. She also anchored the 200 medley relay with a 24.67 freestyle leg and turned in a 54.24 on LMU's "A" 400 free relay. The honor is Willis' second of the season.
DIVISION II MEN
Garrett Tse, UC San Diego: Tse was No. 13 UC San Diego's top individual performer in a pair of dual-meet victories against NCAA Division I foes. At home against Incarnate Word on Tuesday, he won the 200 breast (2:07.37).
Tse was thrust into the 200 breast about five minutes prior to that race late in Saturday's narrow 150-144 decision over CSU Bakersfield in Los Angeles, and won the event in 2:05.25 to give the Tritons nine clutch points. Minutes later, he returned to the water for a second-place effort and four more points in the 200 IM (1:51.81). Tse was third in the 100 breast (57.42). The award is Tse's second of the 2017-18 campaign.
DIVISION II WOMEN
Elee Wong, UC San Diego: Wong was No. 3 UC San Diego's individual highlight during a busy week of dual meets in which the Tritons finished 4-1, all against NCAA Division I opposition. She aided UCSD to a first dual success over visiting San Jose State on Tuesday, Jan. 2, leading off the second-place 200 medley relay (1:45.94) and later placing third in the 100 back (57.89). The next day in a head-to-head rematch with SJSU that the Tritons lost, Wong led off the fastest 400 medley relay (3:52.17).
She saved her best for last in Los Angeles on Saturday as UCSD swept host LMU and CSU Bakersfield, turning in a breakout meet with first-place efforts in the 200 medley relay (1:46.21, leadoff), 100 back and 100 fly. Her personal-record time in the 100 back of 56.93 marked a first career NCAA consideration qualifier, and also moved her up to No. 10 in program history. Wong won the 100 fly in 57.64.
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.
