Cuesta Swimming and Diving Hosted a Western State Conference Mini-Meet last Friday and were joined by four other members of the WSC circuit.  The men kept their WSC winning streak alive by claiming their 27th consecutive meet against the circuit, while the women began their chase for their first title since 2021 with a Team Silver, just behind Santa Barbara City.  

 

The men's team has won the past five WSC Championships, while enjoying a strong start to the season behind 2025 CCCAA State Swimmer of the Year Grant Huston and the return of 2024 All American Brady Lind. Last week, Huston won two individual events, the 200-breaststroke and 100-butterfly and joined Lind on two relay wins.  Huston was the second leg of the 200-medley, and Lind anchored the victory to open the meet, while Lind led off the winning 200-free relay and Huston anchored to close the meet.  Freshmen Thor Samuel and Jett Hardy also reached the top of the podium.  Samuel won the 200-freestyle and claimed Bronze in the 1650, while Hardy won the 100-breast and was runner-up in the 200-backstoke.  

 

The women's team was the overall runners-up, despite not reaching the top of the podium in any event.  2025 All American Annika Pauschek led her team with a trio of Silvers in the 200-backstroke, 50-freestyle and 100-freestyle, while Sophomore Kailey Ardouin added another Silver in the 200-indvidual medley.  

 

The Cougars return to action this weekend with the two-day Mt San Antonio Invitational in Walnut, this Friday and Saturday.  The meet is the first of the three championship level invitationals on the Cougars' schedule, including the 47th Arena Invitational in San Luis Obispo over first weekend of March.