Canyons Swim Teams Win Four Conference Championships at WSC Finals

College of the Canyons hit the water at the 2017 Western State Conference (WSC) Finals last weekend in Santa Maria, combining to bring home four individual conference titles and set a number of school records, while also establishing a program first.

COC freshman Jennifer Yamauchi became the first individual conference champion in school history after clocking a time of 1:01.11 to set a new school record and win the 100-yard backstroke event. 

Yamauchi, who has been COC's top swimmer on the women's side throughout the season, also finished runner up in the 200-yard backstroke with a school record time of 2:10.91.

Earlier in the weekend, Yamauchi finished fifth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:10.66). She also swam as a part of all four relays teams at the meet. 

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Antoinette Peterson, Yamauchi, Melissa Rainbird and Brooke Coffey established a new school record with a fourth-place time of 1:44.74.

Yamauchi, Coffey, Peterson and Rainbird also took fourth in the 400-yard medley relay (4:30.32) and fifth in the 200-yard medley relay (1:57.91). 

Individually, Coffey was a fourth place finisher in the 50-yard freestyle with a new school record of 25.19. She also placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:12.89). 

Peterson also swam to a fourth place finish in the 100-yard butterfly (1:04.36).

The COC women's team placed eighth at the meet.

For the men's team, Jessie Kim was the top finisher with his two individual WSC titles.

Kim finished more than a second ahead of his closest competitor in the 100-yard backstroke to win the WSC title with a school record time of 53.07. The following day, he won the WSC title in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:01.86. 

Kim also finished fourth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:02.77).

William Karren was the other individual winner for Canyons, taking the WSC title in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 52.26. Karren also finished third in the 200-yard butterfly at 2:01.49. 

COC's 200-yard freestyle relay team of Karren, Kim, Jonathan Gragas and Tyler Tran also established a new school record in the 200-yard freestyle relay, with a time of 1:28.56.

The 400-yard freestyle team of Tran, Kim, Gragas and Karren took third at 3:15.19.

The COC men's team finished sixth at the event.

As a result of their respective performances, Kim, Karren and Yamauchi have all qualified to compete at the 2017 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championships being held May 4-6 at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park.