GIRLS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING ’94 / Six Teams to Watch : Mission Viejo

Coach: Mike Pelton (18th year).

1993: Second in the South Coast League; second at Division I championship meet.

Key returners: Arika Earley, Jr., diving; Carrie Gammel, Sr.; Lisa Hislop, Jr.; Missy Kuser, Sr.; Cheryl Murphy, Jr.; Christina Rhee, Jr.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: After a hum-ho sixth-place finish at the section meet in 1992, Mission Viejo rebounded in 1993, losing the championship to El Toro, 167.5 points to 160.5. It’s never a pretty sight when a swimmer as talented as sophomore Terah Gisolo moves, but the Diablos won’t miss too many beats with a slew of other talented tadpoles. Murphy is simply one of the best backstrokers around. She finished second in 1993 at the section meet, where she and winner Alyssa Resch of Dos Pueblos swam under the section record. Kuser, a long-distance freestyler who had an injured shoulder last year, is being recruited by Princeton and won a $5,000 swimming scholastic All-American award over the winter. She was a section finalist in the 200 and 500 freestyles her sophomore year.