The Arizona swimming and diving teams kept their undefeated record intact over the weekend, defeating USC, UCLA and UC-Santa Barbara and taking hold of a few top national times along the way.
Senior Lyndon Ferns won the 50-yard freestyle with the second fastest time in the nation (19.89) Friday and posted the top time in the nation in the 100y freestyle (43.83).
The Arizona men's and women's teams both won eight events against USC on Friday, starting with the 400y medley relay.
The team of senior Simon Burnett, junior Adam Ritter, and sophomores Albert Subirats and Ivan Barnes won in 3:13.46, the fastest time in the nation this season.
The women's quartet of seniors Jenna Gresdal, Erin Sieper, Lisa Pursley and freshman Lindsey Kelly also topped the nation's best time in the same event, finishing in 3:41.51.
Burnett also won the 200y freestyle on Friday with a time of 1:37.73, good for fourth-fastest nationally this season.
"SC was a meet where we were tested, and both teams were in a good place," said Arizona head coach Frank Busch.
After defeating USC on Friday, the Wildcats went to work the next day, with the No. 6 women taking on No. 7 UCLA, and the No. 5 men challenging UCSB.
The women (3-0, 2-0 Pacific 10 Conference) sank UCLA with a score of 125-80, while the men (3-0, 2-0 Pac-10) defeated the Gauchos 116-79.
It was the Pac-10 season opener for the Wildcats on Friday, with the No. 5 men's team defeating No. 10 USC with an overall score of 138-103.
The No. 6 Arizona women's team took down No. 8 USC by a score of 128-113.
"I don't consider us a very good dual meet team. There are holes in our lineup," Busch said. "But the guys and girls overcame obstacles and showed some character."
Busch said he was most pleased with how the team came together over the weekend.
"They have a little more confidence in each other," he said. "The freshmen put themselves in a position to show they can help this team."
The Arizona women won nine events against UCLA.
Sophomore Lacey Nymeyer just edged out UCLA's Kim Vandenberg in the 200y freestyle, posting a time of 1:47.98. Nymeyer also captured a victory in the 500y freestyle.
Gresdal touched first in the 50y freestyle and the 200y backstroke, and the 200y free-relay team of seniors Ryann Hackett and Pursley, and freshmen Taylor Baughman and Kelly finished off the Bruins with a time of 1:34.56.
In women's diving, senior Tiffany Manning took both the 1-meter and 3m springboard events against UCLA and finished second in both events against USC.
The Wildcat men won all but one event against UCSB, starting with another win from the 400y medley relay team, this time comprising Subirats, sophomore Jonas Persson, and freshmen Josh Arreguin and Ritter in a time of 3:21.04.
Sophomore Matt Biel took first in the 1,000y and 500y freestyle.
The Wildcats' next competition will be at the Texas Invitational in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 1-3.
Arizona diving head coach Michele Mitchell-Rocha said she thinks these meets were a good barometer of where the teams are overall in their training, and that she's grateful for the upcoming resting period.
"We will stay the course with our training," she said. "Everyone needs a mental rest and (to) heal some injuries."