Hancock Swimming Earns All-American Status in Seven Events

June 14, 2017

Allan Hancock College swimmers Dria Kwong, Rebecca Gonzalez and Maddie Diaz, as well as the college's 400-yard medley relay team have earned 2017 National All-American status. Individual swimmers or relay teams who posted the 16 fastest times in the nation in each event received All-American status from the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Kwong earned the national recognition in three events: the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard butterfly and the 200-yard backstroke. She won Western State Conference titles and qualified for the 2017 CCCAA State Championships in all three events. The Orcutt Academy graduate ranked seventh in the nation in the 100-fly with a time of 58.47 seconds, 13^th in the 200-fly at 2:14.70, and 15^th in the 200-back with a time of 2:10.91. Kwong finished her Hancock career as one of the most decorated swimmers in Hancock history with six conference titles, six All-American certificates and two top-four finishes at the state meet.

Gonzalez earned All-American status in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. The Nipomo High School graduate finished 16^th in the rankings with a time of 1:08.79. She ranked 13^th in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:29.24. The sophomore competed at the state meet in both events.

Diaz earned All-American status in the women's 1,650-yard freestyle event. She finished 10^th in the event during the state championships. Her time of 18:37.16 ranked 14^th in the nation this season. The Pioneer Valley High School graduate won two conference titles this spring and qualified for three events in the state meet. Diaz finished her Hancock career with four All-American honors.

Kwong, Diaz, as well as freshmen Ellyn Clardy and Meagan Stevens formed Hancock's All-American relay team in the 400-yard medley. They broke the school record with a time of 4:10.53 to earn a 10^th-place finish at the 2017 CCCAA State Championships. The relay team's time ranked 14^th in the nation this season earning the program's first All-American honor by a relay team.

The 2017 season, under fourth-year head coach Mike Ashmore, was the most successful year in program history. It included five individual Western State Conference titles, a third-place finish in the conference team standings, a 14^th-place showing at the state championships and seven All-American awards.