Peirsol No. 1 in USA

If you were to bet on Aaron Peirsol, it would not be gambling. Say

if Las Vegas opened a line in October on Peirsol becoming the top

swimmer in the 200-yard backstroke in NCAA Division I, I know I would

be rich, no matter the odds.

Surprise, surprise. Aaron Peirsol is No. 1 in the nation in the

200 back (1:41.34). That’s what was expected when the University of

Texas recruited the pride of Newport Harbor High. After all, Peirsol

is the best in the world in the 200 back.

Imagine if Serena Williams played college tennis. That’s Aaron

Peirsol. He’s like Tiger Woods closing out a win when it comes to the

200 back.

Money.

Like Tiger, the work and the dreams started at a young age.

When Aaron was 7, he promised his mother he would someday break a

world record. The Peirsols were on vacation in Florida and little

Aaron saw where he wanted his name to be when he visited the

International Swimming Hall of Fame. That’s where he pointed and

said, “I’m going to be here someday.”

He later became the wonder boy who won the silver medal in the

2000 Olympics. He watched as the handsome, storybook-ready Lenny

Krayzelburg grabbed all the headlines, all the attention of winning

the gold medal. That only motivated Peirsol. He knew his time would

come and it did.

Last March, Peirsol surprised everyone except himself. He said it

was time to break Krayzelburg’s world record. Peirsol broke the world

record in the 200-meter back (1:55.15) at the long course national

championships in Minneapolis. The former record was 1:55.87.

Peirsol also led the Newport Harbor Sailors to their first CIF

Southern Section swimming championship last year. Now he’s the man

leading Texas, ranked No. 2 in the nation, to victories. He remained

unbeaten in the 200-yard back, as he won the event with a time of

1:46.48 to help the Longhorns defeat No. 13 Georgia, 123-120, Jan.

11.

Peirsol’s closest competition finished in 1:47.28. And the former

Newport Harbor star added more efforts to contribute to the win. He

opened the meet as part of the victorious 200 medley relay team.

Peirsol also added a second-place finish in the 200 freestyle.

The Big 12 Championships are Feb. 19-22 and the NCAA Championships

are March 27-29. Both events are at Texas. If only I could bet on

Peirsol ...

Kevin Hansen, a Corona del Mar product, helped lead the Stanford

men’s volleyball team to a five-game upset over top-ranked Hawaii

Friday. Hansen, the starting sophomore setter, recorded 60 assists

for the Cardinal, ranked 11th in the nation. Stanford improved 3-5,

1-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

UC Irvine, ranked No. 2, will play Hawaii Friday (7 p.m.) and

Saturday (5 p.m.) at Crawford Hall. The Anteaters will face the

Cardinal Feb. 21 at Stanford.

Ty Tramblie, a former Newport Harbor standout, is also a setter

guiding another team ranked in NCAA Division I. Tramblie amassed 60

assists to guide No. 5 Cal State Northridge to a five-game win over

host USC. Tramblie and the Matadors will host Hansen and the Cardinal

Friday at 7 p.m.

Some late recognition from last season include: Britta Vogele, a

Corona del Mar product, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after

completing one of the best seasons an Iowa goalkeeper has ever had.

Vogele, a sophomore, registered a school-record seven shutouts,

including three in Iowa’s final four games. She stopped a school

single-season record 127 shots. Vogele also became Iowa’s all-time

leader in shutouts (12) and saves (237).

Also, Peter Hogan, a Newport Harbor product, earned first-team

All-Mountain West Conference honors as a senior defensive end at

Colorado State.

Katie King, also from Newport, led Irvine Valley College with 889

assists this past season on her way to receiving first-team

All-Orange Empire Conference honors. King will most likely play again

for IVC next season. Misty May, the former Newport Harbor volleyball

standout and current beach sensation, is an assistant coach at IVC.

With a coupon from today’s Daily Pilot, UC Irvine hoop fans can

purchase four tickets for the price of one at the box office for

Thursday night’s game at the Bren Events Center against UC Santa

Barbara, last year’s Big West Tournament champion.