CSUN’s Kubiak Shatters Own Medley Mark

There were some long faces over the pool conditions Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships.

The pool, at the Belmont Plaza in Long Beach, is without a bulkhead, which was removed for repairs and wasn’t replaced for the start of the meet. As a result, the races were swum in shallow water in which waves and turbulence became more of a factor.

All that scientific stuff seemed to have very little effect on Jeff Kubiak, however.

The Cal State Northridge senior picked up where he left off in last year’s national meet--with a Division II record.

He broke his own standard in the 200 individual medley in the morning prelims and then shattered that in the finals.

His finals time of 1:50.37 bettered his mark of last season by 1.48 seconds.

“Who knows how fast he would have gone in a fast pool?” wondered CSUN Coach Pete Accardy.

Kubiak, who set three national records at the nationals in Orlando, Fla., last year, was elated and disappointed after the race.

“I’m happy about the record, but in a better pool I think I would have gone a second faster,” he said. “I really wanted to break 1:50 bad.”

Kubiak will have to wait for the Division I championships in Austin, Tex., next month for a shot at that mark.

His time qualified him to compete in Texas against the best collegiate swimmers in the country.

But he’s not sure if the medley will be one of his races at the Division I meet, because the 200 breaststroke, which he will swim on Saturday, is actually his best race.

Even with all Kubiak’s points, the Northridge men’s team still has little chance of catching Cal State Bakersfield.

The Roadrunners broke CSUN’s five-year hold on the title last year and are off to another strong start with 79 points. CSUN is in fifth with 35.

“We’re doing all right, but Bakersfield just has too many people,” Accardy said. The coach expects CSUN to battle Oakland, Mich., for second.

The only other Northridge men’s swimmer to place in the top six was John Morrison, who placed fourth in the 500 freestyle in 4:33.86.

CSUN’s women’s team was in second place with 82 points after the first day, 13 points behind defending champion Clarion.

The Lady Matadors were led by Jude Kylander, who won the 50 freestyle in 23.87 and anchored CSUN’s 200 medley relay team to victory in 1:47.68.