Chen, Keidel pace Pirates at OEC Swim & Dive Championships
MISSION VIEJO -- With a pair of wins from swimmer Kevin Chen and diver Andrew Keidel, the Orange Coast College men's swim and dive team earned a solid fifth-place finish at the 2019 Orange Empire Conference Championships this past weekend at Saddleback College.
Keidel, who was named OEC's Male Diver of the Year, opened the three-day event by winning the 3-meter dive with a score of 174.90, topping a trio of Riverside City College divers, including runner-up Matthew Carney (143.55).
On Day 2, Keidel again edged out Carney for the top spot and finished with a score of 181.90, while Carney (179.20) earned the silver medal.
Chen picked up his individual gold medals on Day 2 in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.06 and on Day 3 in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:08.74. Chen also opened the meet with a fifth-place performance in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:00.44.
Other top-five performances from the Pirates came from Jace Hong in the 50 freestyle (3rd, 21.24), 100 breaststroke (5th, 59.53) and 100 freestyle (4th, 47.1) and Angel Rosado in the 100 butterfly (4th, 54.51).
Coast also earned top-five finishes in the 400 medley relay (2nd, 3:35.52), 200 medley relay (3rd, 1:39.07) and 800 free relay (3rd, 7:25.0).
Up next for the Pirates will be the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships, which take place May 2-4 at De Anza College in Cupertino, CA.
