UC Santa Barbara’s men’s and women’s swimming teams are set to compete in the Bakersfield Invite on Oct. 11-12, where they will face swimmers from seven other schools. The women secured a victory against Cal Poly in their last meet, while the men experienced a close loss. The standout performer for the women, Miranda Stevenson, earned her first Big West Athlete of the Week award following her impressive performance, winning four events. This upcoming invitational involves a packed schedule of individual and relay races but won’t be live-streamed—results will be available via an app.

By the Numbers
  • Women’s team won against Cal Poly by 94 points.
  • Miranda Stevenson won first place in four events, including the 50 freestyle (23.97).
  • Austin Sparrow recorded times of 45.16 in the 100 freestyle and 1:40.58 in the 200 freestyle.
State of Play
  • The women’s team aims to build on their success from the dual meet.
  • The men’s team looks to rebound from the previous week’s narrow loss.
  • The teams will compete against diverse competitors, spanning multiple regions.
What's Next

Following the Bakersfield Invite, selected swimmers will participate in the MPSF Open Water Championships on Oct. 19 in Long Beach, Calif. This will provide an opportunity for athletes to showcase their versatility beyond the pool events.

Bottom Line

As the Gauchos head into the Bakersfield Invite, the focus will be on leveraging their recent successes, particularly from standout swimmers like Stevenson and Sparrow, to build momentum early in the season and set the tone for upcoming challenges.