Ribaya Leads PCC Men's Swimmers Into 2023 Season

Maxwell Ribaya, one of three newcomers out of Pasadena High, has stood out already as the top performer thus far for the 2023 Pasadena City College men's swim team. The Lancers competed at their second meet on Friday in the South Coast Conference Pentathlon held at El Camino College.

Ribaya showed his worth against the conference's best as he won two of the five individual heats he swam in. His combined times placed him eighth overall out of 65 total swimmers that competed. Mt. San Antonio, Cerritos, El Camino, Long Beach CC, Rio Hondo, Chaffey, and PCC make up the conference field. 

The freshman was at his best in the 100-yard backstroke, taking fifth place in a time of 58.30 seconds. He scored eighth in both the 100 butterfly (56.87) and 100 freestyle (51.69). Ribaya also scored 13th in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.55) and 16th in the 200 individual medley (2:15.42). He was the Lancers top swimmer in all five of the events. 

The team's only returning sophomore, Sam Regan, is a distance swimmer who took 12th overall in the 1,650 freestyle at last year's CCCAA State Meet. Regan placed 19th in the 200 IM (2:15.74), less than a half-second behind Ribaya's time. The letterman also was 19th in the 100 fly (60.52) and 27th in the 100 free (54.76).

Robert Robles, also from PHS, scored 31st in the 100 backstroke (1:10.40) for his highest finish. Collin Chong (Gabrielino High) was 41st for his best finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:18.17), Hazem Ahmed (from Egypt) 45th in the 100 fly (1:11.941), Brayan Basabe (Montebello HS) 49th in the 100 breaststroke (1:20.63), Javier Becerra (Pasadena HS) 50th in the 100 fly (1:16.60), and Darren Yan (Mark Keppel High) 59th in the 100 free (1:03.99). 

"Today we saw the season's opportunity for both returning and incoming Lancers to compete in the top tier in the South Coast Conference," said head coach Terry Stoddard, in his 23rd season in charge of the program. "Sam showed some mettle in his swims while Max announced his arrival among the top swimmers. I love this meet because it shows strengths and areas that need training."

Joseph Ng (San Marino High) completes the team's 9-man roster. 

At the season-opening El Camino Invitational on Feb. 4, the Lancers placed 6th. Highlights included Ribaya placing second in both the 100 freestyle (51.11) and 200 free heat #2 (1:58.68), and third in the 50 free (23.51); Regan scoring third in the 500 free (5:08.23) and fourth in the 200 free heat #1 (1:55.64); and Robles seventh in the 50 free (24.93). 

The Lancers next swim on Feb. 24-25 at the Mt. SAC Invitational.