The Golden West Rustlers captured the Orange Empire Conference swimming championship on Friday night at Orange Coast College.  It was the first OEC title in women's swimming for the Rustlers since 2001.

Golden West has had a long history of success in swimming, but it has been rare that they have won an Orange Empire Conference title.  The Rustlers won the state title in 2013, but didn't win the OEC title that season.

All the waiting is over as Golden West now has a new banner to hang after Friday night.  The Rustlers scored a narrow win over arch rival Orange Coast College, outscoring the Pirates 487-457.  Fullerton College finished in third place (350) while Cypress College was fourth (218) and Saddleback College fifth (100).

Riley McGrath was the headliner for Golden West, winning three separate events in being named the Swimmer-of-the-Meet.  McGrath won the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:15.85, the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:07.68 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:24.51.

The Golden West women's team was also solid in the relays, winning the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:48.37.

TOP-5 FINISHES:

400 Free Relay
1. OCC                  3:48.26
2. GWC                 3:54.44
3. FC                      4:03.39
4. CC                      4:45.18

200 Medley Relay
1. OCC                  1:58.44
2. FC                      2:03.06
3. GWC                 2:03.98
4. CC                      2:08.19

200 Free Relay
1. GWC                 1:48.37
2. OCC                  1:50.40
3. CC                      1:52.33
4. FC                      1:53.22

200 Freestyle
1. Journey Werner          OCC       1:57.63
2. Lauren Bellavia             GWC      1:59.17
3. Noelle Yanagawa         SC           2:05.09
4. Delaney Lewellyn        OCC       2:05.14
5. Diana Levias                  FC           2:16.38

200 Individual Medley
1. Riley McGrath              GWC      2:15.85
2. Yuuri Yoshikawa          OCC       2:19.93
3. Emma Johansen          GWC      2:22.52
4. Marisol Narvez             CC           2:25.36
5. Alaire Thomas              OCC       2:25.68

50 Freestyle
1. Sarah Maver                  OCC       24.87
2. Noelle Yanagawa         SC           26.32
3. Kaitlyn Van Buren       GWC      26.51
4. Estelle Zhou                   FC           26.97
5. Kayla Yamamoto         OCC       27.08

100 Fly
1. Alair Thomas                 OCC       1:03.87
2. Tarsis Ledezma            FC           1:11.07
3. Madison Ainley            GWC      1:12.75
4. Perla Estrada                 OCC       1:13.09
5. Isabella Garcia              CC           1:13.25

100 Freestyle
1. Journey Werner          OCC       53.87
2. Sarah Maver                  OCC       55.09
3. Lauren Bellavia             GWC      55.48
4. Delaney Lewellyn        OCC       56.68
5. Noelle Yanagawa         SC           56.73

500 Freestyle
1. Riley McGrath              GWC      5:24.51
2. Kaitlyn Santala              SC           5:44.14
3. Elizabeth Gendron      GWC      5:49.51
4. Stephanie Offner        GWC      6:00.37
5. Neida Torres                 FC           6:03.55

100 Backstroke
1. Journey Werner          OCC       1:00.40
2. Delaney Lewellyn        OCC       1:03.78
3. Alaire Thomas              OCC       1:04.28
4. Emma Johansen          GWC      1:04.36
5. Kayla Yamamoto         OCC       1:04.67

100 Breaststroke
1. Riley McGrath              GWC      1:07.68
2. Yuuri Yoshikawa          OCC       1:09.92
3. Marisol Narvez             CC           1:12.19
4. Charley Jackson           FC           1:14.28
5. Elizabeth Gendron      GWC      1:15.80