SWIMMING : UCLA Gets Big Effort From Depold

Bolstered by the unaccustomed trappings of a high-powered team, Richelle Depold flourished Thursday night in the Speedo Collegiate Cup West at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

The UCLA freshman from Scotia, N.Y., won the 50-yard freestyle with ease in 23.12 seconds and swam on two winning Bruin relay teams.

“I’m just so excited to be in this program,” Depold said. “No one at my (age-group) team swam at a national level. I practiced with the guys, and at the meets it was just me and my coach. Here, we have a great big team, you have coaches taking ‘splits’ (interval times) and there is a lot of support. It makes a big difference.”

Since leaving behind “The Dungeon,” a tiny, basement pool at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., where her age-group team practiced, Depold has tripled her workload.

“I’m doing double-day practices, plus weights and dry land,” she said. “It helps. I feel a lot stronger.”

Because Depold’s training background is limited, Bruin Coach Cyndi Gallagher is gradually increasing her workload.

“We didn’t want to overwhelm her,” Gallagher said. “She is a diamond in the rough.”

Depold chose UCLA after visiting Texas, USC and Arizona State.

“I knew I wanted to come here as soon as my (recruiting) visit was over,” she said.

The presence of her brother, Kyle, a junior sprinter who transferred to UCLA from Buffalo in September, has made her even more comfortable on campus.

“I’m sure that’s why I’m not homesick,” Richelle said. “Having him here helps me out.”

Kyle Depold has also helped out UCLA’s 200 freestyle relay team, which scored a wire-to-wire victory Thursday over California.

“He’s a hell of a sprinter,” UCLA Coach Ron Ballatore said. “He makes our relay really tough.”

With Michael Picotte, Brian Kurza and Chris Mann preceding Depold, UCLA clocked an NCAA qualifying time of 1:19.78.

Although he finished in a tie for second in the 50 freestyle finals, Kurza swam an eye-popping 19.71 seconds in the preliminaries, the fastest time in the nation this season and only 0.11 off the winning NCAA time last season.

“I was excited to see that I went that fast,” Kurza said. “It’s only December, but it’ll give guys something to think about.”