Riverside, Calif. - The Golden West College women's swim team put forth a strong effort at the 2025 Riverside City College Invitational, competing against some of the top teams in the region over two days of racing at the Riverside Aquatics Complex. Despite facing tough competition, the Rustlers scored 72 points, highlighted by three personal bests and one season-best performance.

Leading the charge for GWC was Zoe Esquivel, who scored 16 individual points and showcased her versatility with a top-10 finish in the 200-yard IM (2:35.63, 8th place), along with a solid 19th place in the 50-yard freestyle (28.90). Esquivel also placed 12th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:12.96), continuing to be a key contributor in both sprint and mid-distance events.

Nathalia Johnston was the team's highest individual scorer with 17 points, thanks to her consistent sprint efforts in the 50-yard freestyle, where she recorded times of 30.06 and 30.18, showing determination and racing toughness in a large field.

Hanna Menyhart added 13 points, placing 10th in the 100-yard backstroke (1:10.85), and competing strongly in the 200-yard IM (2:38.43, 11th place) and 50-yard freestyle (30.36). Menyhart's performances highlight her steady presence in both backstroke and IM events.

Rounding out the team's efforts were Monet Panter and Sophie Kresge, both competing in the 50-yard freestyle, where Panter touched in 30.86 and Kresge closely behind in 30.88. Both swimmers contributed valuable depth and added to the team's overall score.

Golden West finished 8th out of 9 teams, with a team average performance score of 298.5, competing in 18 total events. Though the meet was dominated by powerhouse programs like Riverside (1,001 points) and Orange Coast (824 points), the Rustlers showed determination and posted improvements in key events.

The squad now looks ahead to the Orange Empire Conference Invite #2 on Friday, March 21, 2025 hosted by Riverside City College.