Pirate Swimmers and Divers Compete at State

The Ventura College women's and men's swimming and diving teams closed the 2023 season competing at the CCCAA State Championships Thursday through Saturday at East Los Angeles College. Allison Donnelly led the way for the women earning points in three individual events, including a sixth place finish in the 400-yard individual medley. Ayden Jacobus placed in both the 1m and 3m diving competitions for the men.

Donnelly got the meet started on Thursday with a 13th place finish in the 500-yard freestyle. Donnelly, Stephany Dijar, Shelby Jackson and Ahna Davis posted a 4:27.58 in the 400-yard medley relay to earn All-American consideration and Allison Harris and Kendal Santos placed 15th and 16th, respectively, in the 1m diving event.

On the second day of the three-day meet, Donnelly had VC's best finish, touching in sixth place in the 400-yard individual medley. Shelby Jackson won the B-Final in the 100-yard butterfly after missing out on the A-Final by .28 seconds.  Her 1:00.86 time in the B-Final would have moved her ahead to sixth overall in the event. Ventura's 800-yard freestyle relay quartet of Donnelly, Davis, Cassidy Yanca and Jackson came in 11th place overall. Meanwhile, Santos earned team points with a 16th place finish in the 3m diving.

On day three, Donnelly was 13th overall in the 1650-yard freestyle while Jackson qualified 15th for the 200-yard butterfly final.

Jacobus placed ninth overall in the 3m diving on Thursday and came in sixth in the 1m event Friday for the VC men.

The Pirate women scored a total of 46 team points to tie for 21st place in the state out of 35 team that scored. Meanwhile, the VC men placed 24th of 28 scoring teams.