10/21/2026 1:26:00 PM | Women's Swim and Dive, Men's Swim and Dive
SANTA CRUZ, Calif – The Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference has awarded five UC Santa Cruz athletes out-of-six possible nominations with Athlete of the Week honors. The women secured two out-of-three possible positions while the men swept all three nominations, putting a cap on the impressive opening weekend for the Banana Slugs in the pool.
Taylor O'Malley opened her sophomore season sweeping both the one meter and three meter dive results of the Slug Shootout to earn the female diver of the week. O'Malley had her better of the two scores in the one meter, earning a score of 222.90. In day two of the Slug Shootout, O'Malley recorded a score of 213.25 on the three meter dive.
Miyabi Klatt debuted her collegiate career by making a name for herself in a handful of events over the weekend to earn female diver of the week. Klatt placed first overall in the 1000-yard free with a time of 10:47.98. In the 400 IM race, Klatt finished second in the Slug Shootout with a time of 4:36.47, which also gives her the second fastest time in the conference and 5th fastest in NCAA DIII so far this season. Other noteworthy races from the weekend include her third place win in the 200 fly, 5th place finish in the 200 IM, and 8th place finish in the 50 fly.
Eoin Hempenstall had a strong performance off the board in the opening weekend to secure male diver of the week, winning both first and second with his dives. Hempenstall opened day one of the Slug Shootout winning the three meter dive in a score of 233.65. He then followed his strong day one score with a 195.70 dive from the one meter board to secure second place in day two.
Elliott Drottar swam an impressive collegiate debut at the Slug Shootout with noteworthy individual and relay swims to earn freshman athlete of the week. His best swims came from the relays, like the 200-yard free relay, where he swam a split of 19.71 that put UCSC right behind Stanford University with a time of 1:21.17. The relay time is the fastest in the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference and second fastest in NCAA DIII this season. Additionally, Drottar's split of 44.92 in the winning 400-yard free relay team helped give the team the PCSC's fastest finish of the season and second fastest in NCAA DIII. Individually, Drotar finished in 4th behind three Stanford University swimmers in the 50 free in a time of 20.81, 4th overall in the 50 breast at 26.77, and 5th overall in the 100-yard free.
Nathanael Ridosko wrapped up awards for UC Santa Cruz with being recognized as the male athlete of the week. Ridosko placed first in the 500-yard free with a time of 4:39.92 that places him with the fastest so far in the PCSC and 9th fastest in NCAA DIII. Ridosko as a strong distance swimmer also raced an impressive 1650-yard free to place first overall with a time of 16:30.80. His third place finish in the 200-yard free places him with the top time across the PCSC with a time 1:41.21. In the relays, Ridosko swam a strong 200-yard free relay split of 20.71, and 46.20 in the 400-yard free relay.
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Taylor O'Malley opened her sophomore season sweeping both the one meter and three meter dive results of the Slug Shootout to earn the female diver of the week. O'Malley had her better of the two scores in the one meter, earning a score of 222.90. In day two of the Slug Shootout, O'Malley recorded a score of 213.25 on the three meter dive.
Miyabi Klatt debuted her collegiate career by making a name for herself in a handful of events over the weekend to earn female diver of the week. Klatt placed first overall in the 1000-yard free with a time of 10:47.98. In the 400 IM race, Klatt finished second in the Slug Shootout with a time of 4:36.47, which also gives her the second fastest time in the conference and 5th fastest in NCAA DIII so far this season. Other noteworthy races from the weekend include her third place win in the 200 fly, 5th place finish in the 200 IM, and 8th place finish in the 50 fly.
Eoin Hempenstall had a strong performance off the board in the opening weekend to secure male diver of the week, winning both first and second with his dives. Hempenstall opened day one of the Slug Shootout winning the three meter dive in a score of 233.65. He then followed his strong day one score with a 195.70 dive from the one meter board to secure second place in day two.
Elliott Drottar swam an impressive collegiate debut at the Slug Shootout with noteworthy individual and relay swims to earn freshman athlete of the week. His best swims came from the relays, like the 200-yard free relay, where he swam a split of 19.71 that put UCSC right behind Stanford University with a time of 1:21.17. The relay time is the fastest in the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference and second fastest in NCAA DIII this season. Additionally, Drottar's split of 44.92 in the winning 400-yard free relay team helped give the team the PCSC's fastest finish of the season and second fastest in NCAA DIII. Individually, Drotar finished in 4th behind three Stanford University swimmers in the 50 free in a time of 20.81, 4th overall in the 50 breast at 26.77, and 5th overall in the 100-yard free.
Nathanael Ridosko wrapped up awards for UC Santa Cruz with being recognized as the male athlete of the week. Ridosko placed first in the 500-yard free with a time of 4:39.92 that places him with the fastest so far in the PCSC and 9th fastest in NCAA DIII. Ridosko as a strong distance swimmer also raced an impressive 1650-yard free to place first overall with a time of 16:30.80. His third place finish in the 200-yard free places him with the top time across the PCSC with a time 1:41.21. In the relays, Ridosko swam a strong 200-yard free relay split of 20.71, and 46.20 in the 400-yard free relay.
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Players Mentioned
Sprint Free/Breast
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Fly/IM
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Free
/ Men's Swim and Dive
