Eight Pasadena ISD swimmers named academic all-state

Submitted photo, Used with permission.

By Chris Price
Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (July 15, 2022) Four recently graduated and four current senior Pasadena Independent School District swimmers and divers were recently recognized for their achievements in both the classroom and the pool by being named to three different coaching associations’ academic all-state teams for 2021-2022.

The Texas Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (TISCA) recognized Pasadena Memorial High School’s recently graduated seniors Rachel Del Angel, Cinthea Martinez, and Zulema Pica, along with current seniors Madison Arcizo and Jenae Flores. Del Angel, Martinez, and Pica were two-time recipients of the award, having also been honored in 2021-2022.

Pasadena High School recently graduated senior Ana Mercado and current senior Emely Lopez were also honored by TISCA, along with 2022 Sam Rayburn High School graduate Mitzy Gonzalez-Perez.

The Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and the Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) also bestowed academic all-state honors on Memorial’s Del Angel, Martinez, and Pica.

These eight Pasadena ISD student-athletes were the only selections from District 22-6A. Del Angel is headed to Ouachita Baptist University in the fall and will be continuing her swimming career at the NCAA Division II level. Pica and Martinez will be attending college at Stephen F Austin State University, while Mercado and Gonzalez are slated to attend San Jacinto College in the fall.

As for Lopez, Arcizo, and Flores, they will return to their respective high schools for their senior year and compete in their final season as high school athletes.

Pasadena Memorial swimming team find success at Beaumont Sprint Invitational

By Chris Price

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (November 13, 2021) The Pasadena Memorial High School swimming team travelled to Beaumont on Saturday to compete in the Christopher McClain Beaumont ISD Sprint Invitational. The competition was held at the Beaumont ISD Natatorium and included 17 of the top 5A and 6A teams from the southeast Texas region.

The meet saw four swimmers assent the victory platform in six events in route to a fourth place finished in the girls team standing and seventh in the boys standings. Rachel Del Angel continued her record-setting senior season with two victories; in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke. Freshman Levi Del Angel captured gold in the 100-yard freestyle and silver in the 100-yard butterfly. Also securing top-three finishes were Alexis Rodriguez; third in the 100-yard backstroke and Samara Olvera; third in 200-yard freestyle. Rodriguez also placed ninth in the 100-yard freestyle and with Olvera taking 28th in the 50-yard freestyle. 

Also placing in the meet were Noe Gutierrez (7th in 200-yard freestyle and 13th in the 50-yard freestyle), Mikayla Williams (17th in the 100-yard freestyle and 22nd in the 50-yard freestyle), Cinthea Martinez (18th in the 50-yard backstroke), and Christina Guzman (25th in the 50-yard freestyle). In the relay events, Del Angel, Rodriguez, Martinez, and Olvera teamed up to take fourth place in the 200-yard medley relay and fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Next up for the AquaMavericks is the 19-team Texas City Turkey Bowl Swimming and Diving Invitational on November 18-19 at Matthew T Doyle Natatorium in Texas City.