Pepperdine University announced on Mar. 11 that four members of its swim team—Aliyah Fan, Anna Ryan, Kylie Taylor, and Maile Sullivan—will compete at the National Invitational Championships (NIC) in Marion County, Florida.
The event marks a significant milestone for the program as it celebrates both the achievements of senior athletes and the promise of new talent. “This week is the celebration of a phenomenal season,” said recently-named head coach Dan Marella. “This meet is somewhat of a passing of the torch with two seniors and two freshmen. We’re stoked to be here.”
The Waves are scheduled to participate in six events over three days. The competition begins Thursday with all four swimmers competing in the 200 free relay, while Kylie Taylor will also swim in the 50 backstroke that day. On Friday, Taylor will make her final collegiate appearance for Pepperdine in the 100 backstroke before Aliyah Fan competes in the 100 butterfly later in the session. The meet concludes Saturday with Fan, Ryan, and Sullivan swimming in the 100 freestyle.
This year marks Pepperdine’s sixth consecutive appearance at the NICs. Fan and Sullivan are now among only 28 Waves to have qualified for this honor, while Ryan and Taylor join an exclusive group as just the fifth and sixth swimmers from Pepperdine to qualify for multiple NICs appearances.
In their previous outing at the MPSF Swimming & Diving Championships in Edinburg, Texas, Pepperdine finished sixth overall with 610 points. Highlights included Amanda Wong setting a new platform diving record and freshman Aliyah Fan contributing to four new program records during her standout week.
Pepperdine swimming & diving has achieved top-five conference finishes in 32 out of its last 40 seasons and has won three conference championships within five years—including its first MPSF title after joining that conference recently. The program boasts one Olympian: Andreea Trufasu, who competed at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
