Huskies Host First Regular Season Meet in Five Years

by Cerwin D Haynes

(photos by Stephen Morales and Juan Sanchez)

The date was Friday, March 31 2017.

A three-team meet where time East Los Angeles College's Swim & Dive team hosted Long Beach and Mt. SAC would serve as the last regular season contest not just of that season, but for the next five years.

To be partially fair, only three of the five years delay was planned: the swim stadium underwent renovations during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and was actually ready for 2020. The team was set to host their first and only home meet of the season on March 27 of that year,  but with just two weeks before that... well... we all know by now what happened.

Fast forward to April 12, 2021: Athletics returns to campus, but both aquatics' teams still can't access the pool. First, it was a Covid-based ban on indoor activity. When that ban was lifted weeks later, the teams then learned that the stadium had undergone some ADA-required renovations and that some needed parts were on back-order due to the pandemic. So head coach Diana Romero along with her players and swimmers had to continue waiting... all the way to mid-July to finally access their pool for practice.

Which brings us back to today: with the Huskies welcoming South Coast Conference rival Rio Hondo to the ELAC Swim Stadium this morning for a conference meet, the five year wait is finally over.

UPDATE: Results and photos now posted. ELAC bested Rio in team scores, 156 to 86.

HUSKY BITS

• In 2017, ELAC's swim stadium also hosted the CCCAA State Championships. Not only will the State Championships return here to Monterey park on May 5, but the SCC Championships will be hosted by the Huskies from April 21-23.
• Before the SCC and State Champs, East LA will host one more regular season meet on April 1: a three-team dual versus Pasadena CC and Cerritos.

UP NEXT:

Coach Romero's crew will drive out to Torrance next Friday for a three team dual with Long Beach CC and host El Camino.