Canyons Makes Splash at WSC Championships, Hamilton Advances to State Meet

College of the Canyons swim & dive stock group photo of student-athletes Keanu Pence, Martin Wise, Christian Cruz, Bence Endresz and Alyssa Hamilton.

April 26, 2023

By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director

VALLEY GLEN — College of the Canyons brought its season to a close at the Western State Conference (WSC) Championship meet hosted by L.A. Valley College, with the Cougars seeing several individual swimmers post season-best times and finishes.

COC freshman Alyssa Hamilton was the big winner, as the Hart High School graduate racked up a team-high 44 event points for the Cougars while qualifying to compete at the upcoming CCCAA State Championship meet in three events (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle).

Hamilton set a new school record in the 50-yard freestyle event, posting a time of 25.08 during preliminary heats on the meet's opening day, then coming back to break her own record and finish fifth at a pace of 24.92 during the event finals.

Later, Hamilton won a conference title in the 100-yard freestyle event with a time of 55.43. Hamilton's conference title is just the fourth in program history and first since 2018.

She then placed third in the 200-yard version of the event at a time of 1:57.12 to round out WSC championship weekend.

Hamilton also swam on a number of relay teams during the weekend. In the 200-yard freestyle relay Hamilton was joined by Karen Robles, Shea Zapolsky and Olivia Miles to clock a time of 1:50.45 and finish seventh in the event.

In the 400-yard medley relay it was Hamilton, Robles, Zapolsky and Miles finishing eighth at 4:45.56.

Hamilton, Robles, Zapolsky and Miles also teamed to take sixth in the 800-yard freestyle at a pace of 9:15.36

The women's team finished eighth in the final event standings with 181 points. Santa Barbara City College (738) won the conference title followed by Santa Monica College (596) and Ventura College (485) in third place.

On the men's side Ahmed Abdelsalam turned in the best individual result, taking second in the 200-yard freestyle at a time of 1:45.76. Abdelsalam also finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle (47.97) and fifth in the 50-yard freestyle (22.32).

Bence Endresz turned in a pair of fourth-place results, first being clocked at 57.28 in the 100-yard backstroke and 2:06.70 in the 200-yard backstroke.

Keanu Pence checked in at 2:14.30 in the 200-yard butterfly to take fourth. He was also sixth in the 100-yard butterfly at a time of 57.60.

The Cougars also claimed points in a number of relay events. In the 200-yard freestyle relay it was Christian Cruz, Endresz, Martin Wise and Abdelsalam finishing fourth at a pace of 1:31.66. In the 400-yard version of the event it was Abdelsalam, Wise, Endrez and Cruz turning in a time of 3:20.77 for another fourth-place finish.

Cruz, Wise, Pence and Abdelsalam were also fourth in 400-yard medley at 3:49.44.

Up next, Hamilton will represent Canyons at the 2023 CCCAA State Championship meet being held May 4-6 at East L.A. College in Monterey Park.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.