After logging top-three scores in California Baptist University’s program history and being named Western Athletic Conference diver of the week Jan. 14, Madeline Wiese, sophomore marketing major, is switching her focus from swimming to diving and has be- come a strong new addition to the women’s dive team.
Wiese is one of only three athletes in the swim and dive program history who has competed in both swimming and diving, and she is the first to ever win three events in both sports — 1-meter, 3-meter boards and the 500 freestyle relay — at their dual meet Jan 10. against Claremont Mudd Scripps.
Rick Rowland, head coach of the swim and dive team, said Chrissy Rynvelt and Jenna Fracer were the other two athletes who competed in both swimming and diving.
“Competing in both swimming and diving in DI does not happen anymore,” Rowland said. “For NAIA and DII it is still possible.”
Rowland said the two sports are very different from eachother despite both being aquatics.
“To compete in both swimming and diving requires very high athleticism,” Rowland said.
Competing as a swimmer her freshman year, Wiese said she decided to focus on diving for the rest of this season.
Although they compete as one team, the swimming and diving teams practice separately and have the same practice schedule, so Wiese had to organize her own practice schedules.
“I was only swimming seven hours a week instead of the usual 20 and dove the rest,” Wiese said. “I want to be good at both of them, but I can’t if I were to only practice each of them part-time.”
Alina Jungklaus, junior psychology major and individual medley swimmer, said hours practicing in the swimming pool is important.
“We (swimmers) lose feeling of the water easily, so missing practice sessions very much affects your swimming,” Jungklaus said.
Wiese said she hopes to make the finals in all three diving events. The swim and dive team will finish their season Feb. 26 at the WAC Championships in Houston.
