Cal
Cheng, Yoo Crowned Queen and King of the Pool for Cal Poly
9/20/2024 10:00:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Kicking off the 2024-25 Cal Poly swimming and diving season was another annual King and Queen of the Pool iteration. Defending her title from last season, senior Summer Cheng was crowned Queen of the Pool while newcomer and Army junior transfer Evan Yoo made his Cal Poly debut in fashion while posting the third best overall finish for the title of King.
During the pentathlon, each swimmer competed in five 100-yard races, including the butterfly, breaststroke, individual medley, backstroke and freestyle. The men's and women's swimmer from each school with the best combined time was crowned 'King and Queen of the Pool. Unique to this season, Cal Poly held a separate diving competition as part of the annual event, naming sophomores Shayne Gayer and Justin Dolezal as Queen and King of the Dive.
Cheng placed exactly as she did last season in 15th-place overall but improved on her pentathlon time by almost three second with a 5:01.49 total time compared to 5:04.42 in 2023. The reigning Queen of the Pool from Anchorage, Alaska fended off teammate Amalie Claus-Udarbe. Cheng placed best among Cal Poly swimmers in the 100 free at 53.72. That time placement was second only to her 59.95 in the 100 IM which placed her 11th overall.
Sophomore Claus-Udarbe, who was Cal Poly's third-best swimmer in 2023's King and Queen of the Pool, improved on her own time and placement from last season, finishing 17th overall with a time of 5:04.45 in the event. Sophomore Ella Bettencourt captured 20th (5:06.17), junior Melia Costa 24th (5:14.27), and sophomore Rhian Neitzel rounded out the top-25 (5:16.13).
Yoo surprised onlookers at Anderson Aquatic Center with his first performance swimming in the green and gold by placing 3rd overall with a total time of 4:13.44, two seconds behind Singapore national team member Zachary Tan and just under two seconds from 2023's No. 12 recruit Roman Jones. Yoo's 54.67 in the 100 breast won him 1st overall in that event.
Brothers Alex and Sam Seybold both finished as the next best Cal Poly swimmers with junior Alex capturing 10th (4:19.57) and freshman Sam 19th (4:23.57). Following behind them was newcomer Krishna Clarke at 20th (4:24.21), sophomore Luke Reyes 22nd (4:25.34), star returner Drew Huston 23rd (4:26.64), and junior Jonathan Butler 24th (4:27.82).
The Mustangs will stay at home for their next meet, taking on UC Santa Barbara for a Blue-Green rivalry matchup in the Big West for the first time since 2009-10. That will take place on Friday, Oct. 4 with diving at 1:00 p.m. and swimming at 5:00 p.m.
And that's a wrap on the annual King and Queen of the Pool at Anderson Aquatic Center! We present to you this season's royalty of swimming!
— Cal Poly Swimming & Diving (@CPSwimDive) September 20, 2024
?? Evan Yoo (left)
?? Summer Cheng (right)#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/xnM5z1bTxc
Introducing your 2024-25 King and Queen of the Dive!
— Cal Poly Swimming & Diving (@CPSwimDive) September 20, 2024
?? Shayna Gayer (left)
?? Justin Dolezal (right)
Swimming is now underway at Anderson Aquatic Center! #RideHigh pic.twitter.com/MkosbJ2wVQ
