Cuesta hosts the 45th Annual Finis Swim and Dive Invitational this Friday and Saturday.  The Cougars expect up to 20 colleges to compete this weekend in what was once the largest collegiate swim meet in the nation. The Cougars expect 500-600 entries this week, but in its heyday the event could command double that number. This is the Cougars first and only home meet of the season and remains a great opportunity for Cuesta's always impressive aquatics teams.  The men have opened the campaign by taking the title in each of their first two meets, before dropping to 3rd in the 20-team Mt SAC Invitational last week.  The women have had a slow start to the season but expect to be at full strength for the first time this weekend.  The Cuesta-Finis Meet, due to its prominence and location, is often considered the State's premier meet and the best preview for the CCCAA State Championship in May.  Cuesta shall also host a pre-invitational "Sprint" Meet as a warm-up on Thursday (1:30). Cuesta Aqua-Cats are looking forward to finally enjoying home water advantage this weekend.

Forty-five years ago, Cuesta Aquatics' Founding Coach Terry Bowen enlisted Guy Wells and Greg Hind as the primary sponsors of his small five-school swimming and diving meet.  The meet has changed sponsors over the past four-plus decades with Wells and Company, Straight Down, Finis and current sponsor Arena all taking a roll, while the event grew in popularity and prestige.  At its height the invitational boasted over 35 colleges, 68 teams and over 1,000 entries and was the largest collegiate swim invitational in the nation.   

Last weekend the Cougars competed in the 20-team Mt San Antonio Invitational in Walnut, California.  The men finished 3rd, behind the host Mounties and three-time defending State Champion Sierra.  Returning All American Ethan Merritt led the men's competition with a meet-high 81 individual points, after matching his two event titles with a pair of Silvers.  His teammate Brady Lind picked up the overall Bronze with 78 points, while fellow Freshmen Rylan Stevenson, Lloyd Esola and Conner Rocha all eclipsed the 50-point barrier on the weekend to make the Top 10. Freshman Oliver Finley joined the Cougars' top scoring quintet as they combined to post six new Cuesta Top 10 marks.  Finley claimed the Cougars' 10^th spot all time in the 50-backstroke (:26.81), while Merritt and Lind each added two new marks.  Merritt moved up to 2^nd all time in the 50-breaststroke (:26.81) and 3^rd in the 100-individual medley and Lind, in his first season at Cuesta, claimed #8 in the 50-butterfly (24:43) and 6^th in the 100-butterfly (:52.23), although teammate Conner Rocha jumped ahead by claiming 5^th overall in the 100-fly (:24.24).  Freshman Rylan Stevenson also joined Merritt in the 50-breaststroke and currently sits 5^th all time (:28.12).  

On the women's side, Sophomore Presley Acosta led the way with 16 points and Freshman Maddie Corrigan was on her heals with dozen points of her own.  The women's team should be at full strength this weekend.  Acosta also moved up to 6th all time on Cuesta's all-time Top 10 with a time of 2:51.49 in the 200-breaststroke.