Comets Close Regular Season at Orange Coast Invitational

COSTA MESA, CA (4/5/2025) -- Palomar College swim teams wrapped up their regular season with a strong performance at the Orange Coast College Invitational last weekend. The meet marked the final tune-up before the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) Championships, set for next Thursday at Southwestern College.

Men's Highlights

John Fritz led the Comets with a silver and a bronze medal, turning in another consistent meet. He swam a 5:08.92 in the 500-yard freestyle and a season-best 22.95 in the 50 free. Fritz also competed in the 100-yard IM (57.64) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.86), remaining a versatile force for Palomar heading into the postseason.

Kameron Lypps showed improvement in multiple events, including the 100 free (1:03.75) and 100 breast (1:18.20), and swam a 2:57.12 in the 200 breast. James Ellsworth added depth to the Comet roster with a 29.66 in the 50 free and a 1:09.21 in the 100 free.

Women's Highlights

The women's team had an impressive outing, posting 13 personal bests and several strong finishes. Tiana Timmons highlighted the distance events with a 5:46.38 in the 500 free and a 2:25.39 in the 200 back. She also swam a 2:30.73 in the 200 IM and a 1:09.12 in the 100 back.

Ruby Jones broke the 1-minute barrier again in the 100 free (59.87), posted a 1:08.77 in the 100 back, and swam 2:33.24 in the 200 IM. Notably, she dropped major time in the 50 free, clocking a personal best 29.64. Devyn Wible led the women with a win in the 1650 free (20:41.55) and added a 1:03.50 in the 100 free.

Emily Freeman and Georgia Jensen also had strong showings, contributing to a balanced and competitive team effort.

Championships Up Next

With momentum and confidence building, the Comets now turn their attention to the PCAC Championships. The three-day event begins Thursday at Southwestern College and will determine conference titles and postseason placements.

Stay tuned as Palomar aims to make a splash to close out the season!